Grooms, Yale defeat Columbia in steady rain 37-30
Oct 30, 2021, 2:19 AM | Updated: 2:21 pm
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Nolan Grooms lofted a 10-yard go-ahead touchdown pass to Darrion Carrington in the back corner of the end zone, then completed a two-point conversion pass to Mason Tipton — all in steady rain — and Yale defeated Columbia 37-30 on Saturday.
Grooms completed 20 of 29 passes for 29 yards with two third-quarter touchdowns as Yale (4-3, 3-1 Ivy League) rallied. Prior to his go-ahead score, Grooms passed nine yards to Spencer Alston as Yale closed to 23-22, again adding a two-point conversion pass. Grooms was three-for-three on two-point conversion tosses.
Alston carried 17 times for 116 yards and two more touchdowns. Melvin Rouse added an 86-yard punt return for a TD, third-longest such return in Yale history. The Bulldogs trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half before the comeback with three touchdowns in an 11-minute span of the third and fourth quarters.
Columbia (5-2, 2-2) cut the gap to 37-30 on Ryan Young’s third touchdown of the game with 9:01 remaining and saw a 14-play final drive end on downs with 1:39 left. Young carried 17 times for 92 yards for the Lions and Joe Green went 22-of-44 passing for 223 yards.
The game saw the most combined points between Columbia and Yale. Both teams were fighting to stay close to undefeated Princeton down the stretch in the Ivy League race.
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