Dartmouth Football Downs Columbia in Homecoming Clash

Saturday, October 22

Hanover, N.H.

TBA

Dartmouth College

2-4 , 1-2

Columbia

2-4 , 0-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Columbia

Dartmouth

Dartmouth Football Downs Columbia in Homecoming Clash

10/21/2005 8:00:00 PM | Football

Box Score

By: Dartmouth

Oct. 22, 2005

Box Score | Photo Gallery

HANOVER, N.H. - Dartmouth's football team avenged a 9-6 loss to Columbia a year ago with a convincing 17-6 Homecoming victory this afternoon in front of 6,222 spectators at venerable Memorial Field.

Dartmouth scored a pair of rushing touchdowns against the Lions, after coming into the game with just a lone tally on the ground all season. The Big Green racked up a season-high 134 yards rushing, besting the previous high of 81 in the loss at New Hampshire.

Special teams had been a growing concern for the team entering the game after allowing several blocked kicks and long returns, but they performed well in the victory.

"The punt protection team did a nice job, coming down and making some plays. That last punt where we pinned them deep was huge for us," head coach Buddy Teevens said. "We missed the one field goal, but overall we did a pretty good job on the special teams, which helped us tremendously with field position and momentum."

Senior tailback Jason Bash (Ramona, Calif.) capped off a five-play opening drive with an 11-yard plunge into the endzone just 97 seconds into the game. Bash finished the game with 73 yards on 14 carries to lead the Dartmouth rushing attack. Senior Ikechi Ogbonna (Bronx, N.Y.) carried the ball 13 times for 71 yards and a touchdown.

"Offensively we were productive moving the ball, we just didn't finish it off," said Teevens. "We had a lot of extended drives, but we just didn't put enough points on the board."

Columbia (2-4, 0-3 Ivy) tacked on a pair of 39-yard field goals late in the first half to make it a one-point game heading into the break, 7-6. The lone score of the third quarter came with 6:05 remaining in the frame when senior Erik Hinterbichler (Albuquerque, N.M.) kicked a 25-yard field goal through the uprights, capping a 13-play, 60-yard drive.

Dartmouth's defense secured the victory late in the fourth quarter by forcing two consecutive turnovers on downs. Senior Josh Dooley (Tuttle, Okla.) stuffed the Columbia running back in the backfield on fourth-and-one to force the first change in possession. After Dartmouth went three-and-out on the ensuing drive, the punt team pinned the Lions deep in their own territory. The Big Green defense slammed the door again, forcing Columbia to throw an incomplete pass on fourth down.

"Defensively we managed to shut down a rushing offense that was very productive," Teevens said.

Ogbonna scored the first touchdown of his collegiate career on a 12-yard dash with just :47 remaining in the game to create the final margin of victory.

Freshman quarterback Josh Cohen (Berwyn, Pa.) completed 19-of-34 passes for 220 yards. The Big Green won the possession battle with 33:15 to the Lions' 26:45.

Dartmouth hits the road again next weekend when it faces the Crimson in Harvard Stadium. Game time is set for 12:30 p.m.