Columbia Football takes home the first win of the season against Marist College, bringing together the CU community and raising school spirit after 18 months.

Huddled together on the Uptown 1 train, CU students were riled up for the Columbia vs Marist football game on Saturday, September 18, 2021. It was the first game of the 2021 season and CU fans sported their requisite blue and white on the hot, sunny day filled with blue skies. It was also the first game at Baker in over two years.

Crowds of students excitedly hurried into Baker Stadium on 218th Street. With the smell of pretzels and popcorn in the air, Roaree the Lion could be seen getting the spectators to dance for the camera. Marist College had a smaller, but nonetheless noticeable turnout. At the start of the game, Marist was ahead by 14 points while Columbia had none, leading to the sizable Columbia Football team rotating athletes out to the field. To lift spirits, the Columbia cheerleaders got the crowd involved, as the song “Cheerleader” by OMI pumped through the stadium. 

The cheerleading seemed to work as, soon after, Quarterback Gabriel Hollingsworth threw a touchdown pass, giving Columbia seven points. In the second quarter, Running Back Broderick Taylor brought Columbia ahead of Marist with another touchdown, yielding the score 17-14 Columbia. Halfway through the game, Columbia fans began the wave, and the spirit and energy shined at each touchdown, with the crowd standing and cheering. At halftime, the score was 24-14 Columbia, with the ever-present, familiar feel of an energetic crowd.

When the game resumed, Wide Receiver Ernest Roberston brought the score to 31-14 Columbia with another touchdown. The Lions were picking up quickly while Marist remained stagnant. After a few tackles, a couple of launches of the football ending up out of bounds, and the refs blowing their whistles, Columbia players jumped for joy and huddled around each other with immense energy, thrilled at how quickly they were rising in the score ranks over the course of the game. With ten minutes left, the score was 37-14 Columbia, and at the end of the game, Columbia took home a win, and the crowd went wild. 

You couldn’t ask for a more eventful season opener after 18 months of anticipation due to COVID-19. This win means much more given the revitalizing boost that it brought back to students, with the immense Columbia pride in the air. 

CU Football via Bwog Staff