NEW YORK – Columbia scored on its first two possessions and forced No. 14/19 Lafayette to play from behind the entire day, dealing Lafayette its first FCS loss of the season, 31-20, on Saturday at Wien Stadium.
 
Jamar Curtis managed his first 100-yard rushing game of the season, finishing with 102 yards on 25 carries. The junior running back moved into ninth place all-time for career rushing yards, passing Nick Kowgios '85 (2,158) and Bruce McIntyre '87 (2,169).  Junior QB Dean DeNobile completed 23-of-35 for 272 yards and a pair of touchdowns, playing without the team's most consistent deep threat Elijah Steward.
 
Senior Chris Carasia stepped up in Steward's absence, finishing with four catches for 114 yards. Soph. Carson Persing, who was coming off a nine-catch, 82-yard game, made a career-high 10 grabs.  
 
Columbia (1-0) managed 447 yards of total offense (243 in the air) and 204 on the ground. QB Chase Goodwin was 16-of-19 for 180 yards and two touchdowns while his backup Cole Freeman completed 5-of-8 for 63 yards and two TDs.
 
The Leopards (2-2) could not find their offensive groove in the early going against a Columbia defense which returned nine starters. Columbia scored 10 points on the first two possessions. Goodwin's 20-yard pass to Braden Dougherty ended a 75-yard, two-minute drive and gave Columbia a 7-0 lead. After a Leopard punt, Columbia added a 46-yard field goal with 4:30 left for the 10-0 advantage.
 
Lafayette got on the board just before the end of the first quarter. DeNobile hit Carasia for a 31-yard back-shoulder TD after Curtis had picked up 38 rushing yards on the drive. Columbia blocked the PAT and continued to lead 10-6.
 
The teams exchanged turnovers in the second quarter with Tim O'Hearn forcing a QB fumble that Semaj Cross recovered.  Lafayette returned the favor when a Columbia defender made an acrobatic interception deep in its own half.
 
The hosts followed with an eight-play, 80-yard drive that they closed out with a nine-yard TD pass from Goodwin to Bryson Canty. Columbia led 17-6 with eight minutes left in the half.
 
The Leopards defensive line came through with another key play. Jaylon Joseph pressured Goodwin into throwing a short attempt that landed in the diving hands of Reggie Thomas at the Columbia 25. The Leopards added a 34-yard Jack Simonetta field goal to pull within 17-9 at halftime.
 
Lafayette got the ball back to start the second half, immediately marching 56 yards over 6:22 before converting a 25-yard Simonetta field goal that pulled Lafayette within 17-12 with 8:38 in the third.
 
The Lions answered quickly, using a 53-yard run by Malcolm Terry to set up a nine-yard touchdown pass. Columbia led 24-12 with just over three minutes left in the third quarter.
 
The Leopards were stopped on downs at midfield in the start of the fourth quarter, needing to go for it to keep pace. Columbia seemingly closed out the game on the resulting drive when Canty made a 38-yard diving catch between two Leopard defenders to stretch the lead to 31-12 with 11:42 left.

The Maroon and White kept battling. DeNobile scrambled and found a wide-open Mason Kuehner (4-72) for a 69-yard touchdown down the Lafayette sideline. After offsetting penalties and a booth review, the Leopards got a second chance at a two-point conversion and DeNobile hit Curtis to bring the score to 31-20.

The Leopards kept punching, turning over Columbia on downs with six minutes left at their own 31-yard line. Lafayette drove deep into Columbia territory, before the Lions brought significant pressure and forced DeNobile to scramble on multiple occasions.  Lafayette settled for a 46-yard Simonetta field goal try that missed and the final remained at 31-20.
 
Seniors Preston Forney and Saiku White led the defense with eight tackles apiece.
 
Lafayette will have the next week off from competition before opening Patriot League play at Fordham on Oct. 5.