Football Hosts Defensively Dominant Columbia

Columbia football (2-5, 1-3 Ivy) has won two games. In neither one did the Lions score a touchdown.

On Oct. 8, Columbia outlasted Wagner, 15-13. The Lions defense conceded a mere 12 first downs and held the Seahawks scoreless after halftime. Meanwhile, the offense totaled five field goals.

Two weeks later, Columbia beat Dartmouth at home, 9-7. Again the defense proved ferocious, limiting the Big Green to one third-down conversion on 17 tries; again the offense proved anemic.

“They’ve won two games like it was 1955,” Harvard coach Tim Murphy said. “They believe that they can gobble up receivers with their man coverage. And they’re good.”

Even in the grind-and-grit world of Ivy League football, the Lions defense stands out. The team tops the Ancient Eight in passing defense (193 yards per game), and senior linebacker Gianmarco Rea leads everyone in tackles.

In four of six weeks, Columbia has held opponents to fewer than 20 points. The Lions have done so through an old-school recipe: lots of man coverage spiced with occasional blitzes.

Everyone knows how the Columbia defense will play. The sole suspense lies in how the Crimson offense will respond—and whether that response will be enough to keep Harvard (6-1, 4-0 Ivy) in first place in the Ivy League.

“It’s going to be a challenge,” said sophomore wide receiver Justice Shelton-Mosley. “They have a lot of upperclassmen now…. I thought [Jared Katz] was one of the best corners in the league last year. He’s a real good player, and he’s back.”

As fearsome as the Lions defense has proven, the offense has proven equally feckless.

Every team in the Ancient Eight averages more than 20 points a game—except Columba, which puts up 13. Harvard has posted three times as many touchdowns (27) as Columbia (nine); in fact all Ivy League competitors have at least doubled the Lions’ touchdown total.

Look only at the Lions defense, and you wonder why the team hasn’t steamrolled teams. Look only at the offense, and you wonder why Columbia hasn’t disbanded its football team.

On Saturday, when the Lions visit Harvard Stadium, the Crimson will almost certainly find the end zone. The program has scored points in 185 straight games, and in 2016 Harvard averages over 29 points a game.

Moreover, the Crimson enters this weekend with an offense that, while still tender, looks as healthy as it has since mid-October.

After missing the Holy Cross game, Shelton-Mosley grabbed 12 passes for 159 yards in the last two games. Senior quarterback Joe Viviano remains mobile, and a trio of rushers—namely junior Semar Smith, sophomore Charlie Booker, and freshman Lavance Northington—contributed to a 194-yard rushing attack.

More uncertain is the state of the defense. Against the Big Green, the secondary conceded 296 passing yards over the final three quarters, allowing Dartmouth to wriggle out of a 14-0 hole to force late-game drama.

Columbia marks a major test for this unit—not only as a chance to erase memories of last week but also as preparation for next weekend’s matchup at Penn. Tied for first in the Ivy League, the Quakers possess a star duo in senior quarterback Alek Torgersen and junior wideout Justin Watson.

The Lions sport fewer downfield threats. Senior Scooter Hollis and freshman Josh Wainwright lead the receivers, but those two have combined for fewer than 80 yards per game.

Junior Anders Hill will quarterback the attack. The Boulder, Colo. native began the season as a backup to Florida transfer Skyler Mornhinweg (senior), but Hill took the reins in week three. Since then he has tossed for four touchdowns and four interceptions.

Columbia’s rushing attack is hardly more intimidating. Although the Lions run nearly 40 times a contest, the team averages three yards per outing—and now must face a powerful Crimson line.

“Our workload has been alleviated by the amazing play of the D-line,” sophomore linebacker Anthony Camargo said. “They make the jobs of the linebackers and the defensive backs a lot easier.”

Recent history suggests that viewers should expect a blowout on Saturday. Here are the scores of the Harvard-Columbia games from 2012 to 2014: 69-0, 34-0, and 45-0.

Last year, though, the Lions erased a 24-3 deficit to force a one-score contest. And given the tight championship, the Crimson has no margin for error.

“Think about this,” Murphy said. “We have seven practices left in our career as the 2016 Harvard football team…. You’ve got to have a sense of urgency.”

—Staff writer Sam Danello can be reached at sam.danello@thecrimson.com.