The Georgetown University football team entered their matchup against Columbia University hoping to secure their first victory over the Lions in four years.
The Hoyas (3-2) did just that with a nailbiter win over the Lions (1-1). After trailing for much of the game, the Hoyas were able to pull ahead in the final minutes to win 20-17. Even with a slow offensive start and subpar kicking, the Hoyas’ defense won the turnover battle and propelled the team to win the Lou Little Trophy.
Head Coach Rob Sgarlata told The Hoya that he attributed much of the success seen in the game to the defense’s ability to cause turnovers.
“Every game that we’ve won this year, we’ve been plus in the turnover battle. So, you know, it’s one of three core tenants we have. It’s all about ball, ground game and explosives. And you know, we preach it and we practice it every day,” Sgarlata told The Hoya. “Sometimes it bounces your way, sometimes it doesn’t. So the kids did a great job attacking the ball, especially on defense.”
The Hoyas had a slow offensive start to the game as they nearly fumbled the kickoff return and punted on their first possession. However, they quickly turned it around as graduate safety Preston Murray secured an interception in the endzone, earning the possession back almost immediately.
Georgetown pushed downfield into field goal range but ultimately missed the kick, keeping the score even. Columbia in return pushed down the field to the opposite red zone and were in a fourth down situation themselves. The Lions didn’t settle for a kick and instead sought to complete the touchdown. Lions quarterback Cole Freeman connected with wide receiver Bryson Canty for a touchdown pass. The Columbia kicker then made the point after, putting them up by seven.
On their next possession, Columbia’s strong running game moved them down the field. They eventually scored again with a 43-yard pass to wide receiver Edan Stagg, firmly putting the Lions up 14-0.
The Hoyas quickly responded on their next possession with a fourth down score of their own. Sophomore running back Bryce Cox rushed for a 4-yard touchdown to get the Hoyas within a touchdown and kick. The Georgetown defense held strong with a forced fumble by junior cornerback Wedner Cadet to end the first half.
The Hoyas started the second half with a strong kickoff, pinning the returner behind the 20-yard line. However, this field position advantage was immediately negated by a 21-yard pass to Canty. Columbia seemed to have an answer to everything, as Freeman scrambled for first downs multiple times during the drive when pressure was applied. The Hoyas defense stepped up, forcing two straight incompletions. They then applied pressure, causing Freeman to throw a poor pass. This resulted in an interception for the Hoyas by Murray, his second of the game.
Similarly, Georgetown followed up the interception by getting into field goal range, but they failed to capitalize on the opportunity as the kick was a miss. The Hoyas defense yet again bailed out the kicking team, as they forced a punt on Columbia’s next possession.
The Hoyas were able to push down the field thanks to junior wide receiver Jimmy Kibble’s ability to get yards after the catch. Junior quarterback Danny Lauter started to find his rhythm on this drive, ultimately finding junior wide receiver Nicholas Dunneman in the endzone. Georgetown’s kicking unit again disappointed, missing the extra point and keeping the Hoyas down by one.
The Lions pushed down the field thanks to penalties, their run game and a field goal to go up 17-13. The Hoyas appeared excited on the sidelines and with five minutes remaining started their most critical drive yet. Lauter continued his in-game rhythm and completed nearly every pass to get into the red zone.
On the next play, he again found Dunneman in the end zone, earning the Hoyas their first lead of the game. Though late, this lead proved decisive as Columbia was unable to mount a successful drive. This resulted in a game-sealing interception to sophomore safety Zeraun Daniel.
When asked about the impact of their defense in the win, Lauter emphasized the team’s momentum and praised individual performances.
“Definitely swings the momentum in our favor and allows us to go play loose out there and play simple. Preston Murray, he made great plays on the ball,” Lauter told The Hoya. “Everyone out there just played their butts off out there. They all did a great job.”
After a bye next week, the Hoyas will start Patriot League play Oct. 12 at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa.
