Princeton Powers Past Columbia 21-10 In Ivy Opener

Saturday, October 5

Princeton, N.J.

1:00 PM

Princeton University

3-0 , 1-0

Columbia

1-2 , 0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Columbia

Princeton Tigers

Ryan Quigley spins away en route to a 31-yard touchdown run in a 21-10 win over Columbia.

Photo by: Beverly Schaefer

Princeton Powers Past Columbia 21-10 In Ivy Opener

October 05, 2019 | Football

Box Score

The words "Ronald Smith" and "touchdown reception with a little more than a minute left in the second half" almost haunted Princeton for a second straight time against Columbia on Powers Field.

This time, though, the Tigers put together a big-time second half to start the Ivy League season off with a win, something that Princeton traditionally has needed if it was going to win a championship.

Samuel Wright had 2.5 sacks and seven tackles to lead a charged up defense and Collin Eaddy and Ryan Quigley found the end zone three times between them as Princeton defeated Columbia 21-10 in front of 5,225 Saturday afternoon. The win stretched Princeton's winning streak to 13 straight as the Tigers improved to 3-0 this year and now 1-0 in the Ivy League.

"That was a fight," said Princeton head coach Bob Surace. "They're a very good team. They pushed us hard, and it was important to see how we'd respond in a situation like that. This one feels good."

It was Smith's 63-yard touchdown reception with 1:12 to go in the game that shocked the Tigers two years ago at home against Columbia. This time, Smith caught a 25-yard touchdown pass with 1:16 left in the first half, and when the Lions kept the Tigers from scoring on their final drive, they took a 10-7 lead and some major momentum into the locker room, knowing they'd get the ball first two start the second half.

Much of that momentum disappeared in the form of a sack by Wright for a 12-yard loss that ended that first drive. Princeton then went 61 yards in 11 plays, the touchdown a one-yard run by Eaddy, to take a 14-10 lead.

"Today was a really important game," Wright said. "We knew they were going to come in and try to win and give maximum effort. For us, as a defense, it was important to reach that next level. We had a lot of mistakes in our first two games. We knew it would be important to eliminate them. Today required a new level of effort and energy, and I think we rose to that."

Columbia still had chances to score, but the Tiger defense made the plays it needed to the rest of the way. Joey DeMarco blocked a field goal that would have made it 14-13 early in the fourth, and that sparked Princeton to a 10-play, 80-yard march that ended with Quigley's 31-yard spin move and gallop into the end zone.

The Lions couldn't answer on their next drive as Wright and Jake Strain combined on a sack to force a punt. Princeton didn't score but did even better, taking nearly six minutes off the clock before George Triplett dropped a punt at the one yard line with just 1:01 left.

T.J. Floyd then sealed it with an interception.

Besides Wright, Princeton also got big days on the defensive end by several players. James Johnson led the team with 11 tackles, one more than Jeremiah Tyler, who also had a sack and 3.5 tackles for loss.

Offensively, Kevin Davidson completed 22 of 35 for 271 yards and a 25-yard touchdown to Eaddy in the first quarter, after Columbia had opened the scoring with a field goal.

Eaddy and Quigley combined for 30 carries and 111 yards on the ground. Davidson spread the ball around, as seven different players had at least two catches, led by seven by Jacob Birmelin.

Princeton plays its final non-league game Friday night at 7 when it hosts Lafayette on ESPNU.