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Princeton University Athletics
Tigers Edged By Columbia, 33-27
October 04, 2003 | Football
Oct 4, 2003
PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) - Wade Fletcher caught a 49-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Otis with no time on the clock to give Columbia a miraculous 33-27 victory over Princeton on Saturday.
In overcoming a 20-0 deficit, Columbia (2-1, 1-0) snapped an eight-game Ivy League losing streak dating to 2001, and broke a five-game losing streak against Princeton (0-3, 0-1).
The win was Columbia's first at Princeton since 1945. It gave the Lions their first 2-1 overall start and 1-0 Ivy League start since 1998.
With a first down at the Columbia 49, the Lions called time-out with five seconds left. Working out of the shotgun, Otis dropped back, then stepped up to avoid a rush by Tim Kirby. Standing at midfield, he lofted a high pass into the end zone, and Fletcher went up in front of five Princeton players to make the catch.
Otis completed 22 of 38 passes for 326 yards, and Fletcher had four catches for 99 yards.
After letting a 20-0 lead evaporate into a 27-20 deficit, Princeton went on a 66-yard drive that took 8:15 and was culminated by Branden Benson's 1-yard touchdown run and Elliot Bishop's PAT with 26 seconds remaining. Columbia then began its last possession at its 33 with 20 seconds remaining and scored on three plays.
Columbia took its first lead with 8:50 remaining on Otis' 1-yard run and a two-point conversion pass from Otis to Mike Pezley.
Columbia began its comeback in the second quarter with two Nick Rudd field goals and a 2-yard touchdown run by Ayo Oluwoele. The Lions inched closer on two more Rudd field goals in the third and fourth quarters to make it 20-19. Rudd tied a Lions record with four field goals in one game.
The Tigers' first lead of the season came with 10:01 left in the first quarter when B.J. Szymanski caught a 71-yard touchdown pass from Matt Verbit. It was the second time this season Szymanski caught a touchdown pass over 70 yards, and his last three TD catches have been for over 70.
Princeton added to its lead on its next two possessions, getting a 2-yard touchdown run from Benson and 5-yard touchdown run from Jon Veach to make it 20-0 after one quarter.
Benson finished with 102 yards, the first 100-yard rushing game of his career, and Veach had 99 yards.