NEW YORK — After a long wait of 63 years for an Ivy League football championship, Columbia University had to endure an additional 40 minutes of anticipation.
Following a 17-9 victory over Cornell, the Lions needed Harvard to lose against Yale in the season’s final game to capture a share of the title. As the Columbia players retreated to their locker room, situated on a hill just a few hundred feet from Wien Stadium, they gathered around a TV to watch the crucial matchup in Boston. Meanwhile, a few hundred loyal fans stayed behind, enjoying the picturesque fall scenery of Inwood Hill Park under the warm Saturday sun.
When Yale managed to recover an onside kick with mere seconds remaining, sealing Harvard’s defeat at 34-29, the euphoric players erupted in cheers and rushed back onto the field to celebrate. They embraced the moment by smoking cigars, lifting a trophy, and joyfully singing “Roar, Lion, Roar” alongside family and friends.
“What a moment!” exclaimed co-captain CJ Brown, reflecting on the realization of becoming champions after so long without such recognition.
With Harvard ending the season tied with Columbia and Dartmouth at 5-2, this marked the first time since 1982 that three teams shared the Ivy League title, as the conference opts not to use tiebreakers.
“It was definitely nerve-wracking, but also incredibly exciting. It’s an experience that’s rare, especially for this program,” noted running back Joey Giorgi.
Columbia has had its fair share of standout players in history, including Sid Luckman, Marty Domres, and Marcellus Wiley, yet it is often more recognized for its connections to notable team owners like Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots and former Cleveland Browns executive Al Lerner.
The Lions’ only previous championship was in 1961, which they also shared with Harvard, under the guidance of head coach Buff Donelli, who previously coached the Pittsburgh Steelers and made history in 1934 by scoring for the United States in the FIFA World Cup.
Columbia endured a staggering period of failure from 1983-88, setting a record with 44 consecutive losses, a mark that was later surpassed by Prairie View with 80 losses from 1989-98. The Lions managed only a handful of winning seasons since 1971, including 1994 and 2017 through 2022, until this historic campaign.
Al Bagnoli, who had led the Penn Quakers to nine Ivy titles during his lengthy career, struggled to achieve similar success at Columbia from 2015 to 2022. He departed just six weeks before the start of the 2023 season for health reasons, with his offensive coordinator, Mark Fabish, taking on the interim head coaching role.
Last December, Jon Poppe, 39, was appointed as the permanent head coach. He had previously assisted Bagnoli at Columbia and worked with Harvard in various capacities, including a head coaching stint at Division III Union College. Poppe’s inaugural season culminated in a 7-3 record, the most victories achieved by a first-year coach since 1899.
In the locker room, with his wife Anna and 7-year-old daughter present, Poppe reflected on the historical significance of the moment. “After 63 years of whatever it took to get here, witnessing this feeling of elation—it’s emotional to have my dad on the field during this celebration,” he shared.
In front of a crowd of 4,224 spectators, quarterback Caleb Sanchez scored a 1-yard touchdown to give Columbia the lead in the second quarter. Giorgi followed up with another 1-yard run, extending the lead to 14-3 in the third quarter, before Hugo Merry capped off the scoring with a 25-yard field goal in the fourth, improving upon three successful field goals from Harvard’s Alan Zhao.
Giorgi concluded his collegiate career with 165 rushing yards, positioning himself second in the school’s history with 2,112 total rushing yards. Both Giorgi and Brown missed their potential freshman season in 2020 due to the pandemic, highlighting the unique challenges that shaped this team’s journey. Despite Columbia’s athletic background, primarily noted for success in fencing, football has emerged as a source of pride.
“I witnessed the unwavering commitment from our team, regardless of whether we were winning or losing,” Brown remarked. “The investment in our facilities and logistics assured us that the coaching staff truly cares about the athletes and their success. There was a genuine intent to win, irrespective of the past.”
Poppe emphasized the dedication required for the sport. “In football, you only get ten opportunities, which makes the preparation intense,” he explained.
As the final whistle blew in Boston, Brown noted an unusual atmosphere in the locker room, “When they recovered the kick, there was a sense of awe that settled in. It was quieter than one would expect, but the joy and elation were palpable.”
This group of players achieved what generations before them could not, ending a decades-long wait for a championship. As the team prepared to leave the field, Pulling together the camaraderie they had built over the season, Poppe offered a parting comment, “Take the day off tomorrow.”