Raiders end skid at Cornell

Colgate Football needed a little bit of somehow and a lot more of some way, and the Raiders got it here Saturday at Schoellkopf Field.

Colgate mixed in just enough f lashes of brilliance to overcome the demons of an 0-7 season and post its first victory of 2019 in a 2120 nail-biter over rival Cornell.

Trailing by one, Cornell took over at its own 18-yard line with 2:38 remaining. The Big Red converted a third-and-1 and then a fourth- and- 5. A Raiders pass interference moved the ball to the Colgate 42.

Then on four thand- 3 from the Colgate 35, Cornell quarterback Richie Kenney threw low to Owen Peters and the Raiders were able to take a knee and run off the final 31 seconds.

Colgate (1-7) was in the win- column once again!

This one had the makings of a comfortable Raiders victory – until disaster struck on the last play of the first half. It was just the kind of play that happens to a team down on its luck.

Colgate led 14- 3 after scoring twice in a 2½-minute span of late in the second quarter. The Raiders then regained possession and were knocking on the door for the knockout punch.

But out of timeouts with 14 seconds left and facing secondand- goal at the Cornell 1, Raiders quarterback Grant Breneman was sacked from behind by Cornell’s Jake Stebbins. Breneman fumbled and Cornell’s Jelani Taylor scooped it up and raced 87 yards untouched for the stunning score.

Instead of 21- 3 or 17- 3 – or even 14- 3! – it was 14-10 and a ballgame.

Cornell ( 1- 4) went ahead 17-14 on its second possession of the third quarter, only to have Colgate answer with a 78-yard march that culminated in Alex Mathews’ 1-yard run that made it 21-17.

Garrett Patla converted a 28-yard field goal with 13:49 remaining to complete the scoring. The teams traded punts until Colgate was able to get the defensive stop when the Raiders needed it most.