New Coach Jon Poppe brings hope to Columbia fans after a dominant upset win over Lafayette

On Saturday, Columbia (1-0, 0-0, Ivy) took on the Lafayette Leopards(2-2, 0-0, Patriot) in the season opener. With new Coach Jon Poppe leading the Lions, there was a sense of excitement in the air. A crowd bigger than Columbia has seen in the last few years were all on their feet for the beginning of the game. And as Lafayette kicked off, Columbia had every ounce of momentum—asserting their dominance on the very first drive. 

After just five plays, Chase Goodwin (CC ’27) threw a 20-yard touchdown to Braden Dougherty (CC ’27). The Lions fans went into a frenzy and it didn’t end there. Kicker Hugo Merry (CC ’27’) tacked on three more points with a 43-yard field goal to give the Lions a 10 to 0 lead. Lafayette responded in a tone-setting drive with a 31-yard touchdown pass to hopefully shift the momentum. This momentum was very short-lived as Defensive Lineman Ayden Baker (CC ’26) blocked the Extra-Point Attempt. 

First Quarter: Columbia 10, Lafayette 6

The second quarter was filled with defensive prowess from both teams and was much more exciting than one would think. Leading the charge for Columbia’s defense, Corner Back Carter McFadden (CC ‘25) grabbed a spectacular one-handed OBJ-esque interception. This interception set up Columbia’s next touchdown drive as Bryson Canty (CC ‘25) scored a 9-yard touchdown to give the Lions a 17 to 6 lead with eight minutes left in the half. Both defenses held strong for the rest of the quarter and only an interception by Lafayette in the closing moments of the half secured the Leopards a field goal to get back into the scoring column. 

Halftime: Columbia 17, Lafayette 9

In hopes of a comeback, Lafayette opened up the second half with a 25-yard field goal to cut Columbia’s lead to five. But in a scary sight Columbia’s Quarterback Goodwin, limped off the field with backup Cole Freeman (CC ‘26) stepping in to finish the game. Freeman looked good as he immediately made an impact throwing a 7-yard touchdown to Wide Reciever Ethan Hebb (CC ‘26). 

Third Quarter: Columbia 24, Lafayette 12

To begin the final quarter, Columbia’s defense got a 4th down stop to seemingly deflate any hope the Leopards had at a comeback. In a game to remember, Canty caught his second touchdown pass of the game with a long 38-yard reception to cap off a stellar 95-yard receiving day. The Lafayette Leopards responded with a touchdown and 2-point conversion late in the game. But no comeback was in the books as this was the last of the scoring with Columbia forcing a missed field goal and a fumble. 

Final Score: Columbia 31, Lafayette 20

The Jon Poppe Era seems to be in full swing as Columbia got their first win against a top-15 team since 1995. With a new coach and a win in the books, the team and fan morale seem to be at a new high. Columbia looks to ride this momentum into their next game against Georgetown (2-2, 0-0, Patriot) for the Lou Little Cup. 

Image via CUAthletics