Slow start does not deter powerful Princeton ground game

NEW YORK — Facing consistently inclement conditions, the Lions and Tigers fought for sovereignty of the concrete jungle in the very northwest corner of Manhattan. Princeton (2-1 overall, 2-0 Ivy League) emerged from Robert Kraft Field with a 38-6 win over Columbia (0-3, 0-1). Yet, the visitors didn’t establish the dominance reflected by that score line early. Two quarters of uncharacteristically lackluster offense saw the Tigers leading 10-6, a lead they only established with the very final play of the half. Early in the third frame, an explosive 51-yard touchdown run by junior running back DiAndre Atwater ignited Princeton’s offensive surge. Three unanswered third quarter Princeton touchdowns put the game out of reach for the Lions, whose passing game completed only 45 percent of their attempts while the ground attack only managed one yard per rush.

Columbia had not won this matchup since 2010, when Princeton went totally defeated in conference play. With Saturday’s result in the books, the all-time record between the sides currently stands at 67-15-1 in the Tigers’ favor.

Senior quarterback Quinn Epperly continued his strong run, completing a fairly efficient 16-of-28 passes and connecting with his classmate, wide receiver Connor Kelley, on a 14-yard touchdown pass. The Knoxville-native signal caller also picked up 23 yards on the ground and a trio of rushing scores.

The Tigers' backfield proved effective throughout. Junior running backs Atwater and Dré Nelson totaled 107 and 46 yards, respectively, while senior tailback Will Powers added 63 yards, including a powerful 19-yard touchdown run.

Starting at safety in his second year, sophomore Dorian Williams led his side with eight total tackles. He and senior linebacker Garrit Leicht conspired early to sack Columbia’s quarterback and end the Lions’ first drive.

Princeton’s junior cornerback Anthony Gaffney twice got the better of Columbia’s signal caller Brett Nottingham, tallying a pair of interceptions. Both of his picks led to scoring drives.

The rain, which only subsided in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, took its toll on Princeton’s ball-carrying ability. Epperly coughed up the pigskin twice — once on a QB keeper up the middle and once almost inexplicably on a screen pass attempt — but his side managed to recover both.

Junior quarterback Kedric Bostic was not so lucky, as his fumble on a busted play found the embrace of Columbia’s Toba Akinleye. Taking possession with short field and 3:26 left in the first quarter, the Lions drove to the edge of the red zone where they settled for a 37-yard field goal to equalize.

Princeton’s very next drive ended in the same fashion, as sophomore running back Joe Rhattigan had the ball stripped on his first attempt and the drive’s first play. Already in their opponents’ territory, Columbia advanced to the Princeton eight-yard line before converting a short field goal try and earning their first and only lead of the game. In fact, that 6-3 score line early in the second quarter marked the first time the Lions had held a lead since they faced Penn last season on Oct. 19. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the final decision was in the Quakers’ favor.

An odyssey of a drive closed out the first half, injecting the uninspiring contest with some needed excitement. Punter Cameron Nizialek’s spectacular effort, benefited by his gunners’ coverage, pinned Princeton at their own two-yard line. Epperly and the Tigers took over with 2:27 left in the half and 98 yards to navigate. Six first downs later, and thanks in part to five completions by the combined efforts of Epperly and senior quarterback Connor Michelsen, the Tigers stood at their opponents' one-yard line. Five seconds remained on the clock when head coach Bob Surace '90 signaled for a timeout. Out of the huddle, Epperly bolted up the middle for his team’s first touchdown.

Only three plays were required for the Tigers to pick up their next score. Atwater took the handoff just before midfield and exploded off the right tackle. Columbia’s defenders looked helpless trying to catch Atwater, who went untouched into the end zone.

The score was 17-6 and 14:17 remained in the third quarter. Whatever hope the Light Blue retained — before the game, a Columbia spectator described their chances as that of a snowball in hell — gradually evaporated. The home team managed only four first downs in the second half, while picking up 81 yards to Princeton’s crushing 319.

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In typically efficient fashion, the Tigers completed their fourth scoring drive in only 59 seconds. Epperly found the senior Kelley on a 44-yard connection before capping off the drive with a one-yard quarterback keeper.

Epperly and Kelley connected once again to cap off the subsequent drive, which this time took 2:13 off the game clock. The officiating crew somehow failed to call Kelley for pushing off his defender in the back corner of the end zone. Columbia’s coach received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for verbally accosting the ref, as the 14-yard score all but put the game out of reach.

Penalties proved to be a substantial disadvantage for the home side. The Lions were flagged six times for 40 yards, while the Tigers were only called on two infractions, resulting in a loss of 21 yards.

Columbia’s Nottingham, a one-time backup to NFL superstar Andrew Luck, displayed flashes of competency. He could not, however, overcome the consistent incompetency of his receiving corps and offensive line. The California native was sidelined for all but the opening three quarters of last season. He finished the contest with 17 completions for 183 yards on 37 attempts.

Junior running back Cameron Molina provided the only dependable option for the Lions. While he managed only 53 yards on 21 carries, the shifty runner found a number of holes in Princeton’s shallow coverage. His nine receptions — including a long of 22-yards — for 100 yards led all players.

Next weekend, the Tigers will travel to Hamilton, N.Y., to face Colgate. Commentary will be available on WPRB.