Box Score Box Score
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The Cornell football team used big special teams plays a season ago to defend its home turf with a 34-14 victory over Columbia. This season, the Lions used a backbreaking 76-yard punt returen for a touchdown in the fourth quarter by Austin Knowlin to turn the tide, capturing a 17-7 victory over the Big Red on Saturday afternoon at Wien Stadium.
Cornell, much like it has throughout the season, had little trouble moving the ball between the 20's, but three second half turnovers and two failed attempts to run the ball in from the Columbia 1 at the end of the first half proved deadly to the team's chances at guaranteeing itself a .500 record for the season.
Senior quarterback Nathan Ford moved into the top 10 on the Ivy League's all-time passing list with his 34-of-53 effort for 376 yards, but was picked off four times in the second half. His favorite target was senior Jesse Baker who had career highs of 14 catches for 147 yards and a touchdown, and junior Bryan Walters with 127 yards on six receptions. The Big Red piled up 24 first downs and 417 yards of offense. Defensively, the Big Red did enough to keep the game within one possession the entire game until Knowlin's long return. Chris Costello had a team-best 13 tackles, while Dempsey Quinn posted a career-best 10 stops and a tackle for loss.
It was the rushing attack of the Lions that allowed for a small time of possession advantage, with Columbia posting 217 yards rushing led by quarterback M.A. Olawale with 93 yards on 17 carries. Jordan Davis (57 yards) and Zack Kourouma (43 yards) also had at least 40 yards. Olawale struggled in the passing game, completing 10-of-23 passes for 84 yards. Knowlin caught two passes for 12 yards and had 119 yards on four punt returns. THe Columbia defense was spearheaded by Alex Gross with a game-high 15 tackles, a sack and an interception. Adam Mehrer had 11 tackles and an interception, while Lou Miller notched eight tackles, including three for a loss and a sack.
A Columbia goal-line stand to end the first half that featured a silent snap count score that was called short was all that kept the Big Red from leading the game 14-7 at the break. Ford and Walters continued their connection, teaming up for four passes for a total of 115 yards in the first 30 minutes, more than twice the total passing yardage for the Lions in the half. Ford connected on 13-of-20 passes for 180 yards before the break.
The Lions took the lead for good in the third quarter when Rocholl booted a 47-yard kick through the uprights with 1:34 left in the third. Knowlin's punt return for a score came with 7:35 left in the fourth and the Big Red wouldn't enter the red zone the rest of the way with a Ford interception ending the Big Red's final real attempt to get back in the game with four minutes to play.
Cornell closes out the 2008 season when it meets Penn on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 1 p.m. at Schoellkopf Field. The Trustees Cup game will begin with Cornell's Senior Day prior to kickoff with the Big Red honoring its 33 seniors.
