NEW HAVEN, Conn. – A sunny and unusually mild Saturday in October seemed to bring out the best in the Yale football team. Joshua Pitsenberger rushed for two touchdowns, and a stout defense limited Columbia to 194 yards of total offense, many coming after the outcome had been decided, as the Bulldogs cruised to an impressive 35-7 victory at Yale Bowl, Class of 1954 Field.
 
Yale (4-3, 2-2 Ivy) has won four of its last five games, while the Lions (2-5, 0-4 Ivy) dropped their third straight.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Yale set the tone right from the opening kickoff. The defense forced a 3-and-out on Columbia's first series. The Bulldogs then drove 70 yards on nine plays on their opening possession to grab the early lead. Pitsenberger's 1-yard touchdown run capped the drive.
 
STRONG SECOND QUARTER
 
Pitsenberger's second touchdown run of the afternoon, this one from three yards, made it 14-0 early in the second quarter. Yale added another score right before halftime when Nolan Grooms and Mason Tipton connected on a 23-yard touchdown pass.
 
14-POINT FOURTH QUARTER SEALS VICTORY
 
Grooms' first rushing TD of the season, a 13-yard scamper, increased the Bulldogs' lead to 28-0 early in the fourth quarter, and Nathan Denney's 14-yard rushing touchdown capped the Yale scoring. The Bulldogs nearly posted their first Ivy League shutout since 2011, but it was spoiled when Jack Larsen caught a 17-yard touchdown pass with 11 seconds remaining.
 
KEY STAT
 
Yale had two 13-play touchdown drives, and two nine-play TD drives.
 
QUOTING RENO
 
"The resolve of our football team was so obvious today," said Tony Reno, The Joel E. Smilow '54 Head Coach of the Bulldogs. "We had an opportunity today where we could put our team in a good position moving forward, and our guys took it and ran with it. Still, we can get so much better. The exciting thing for me wasn't the success we had today, but what we can do in the future. The candle is lit, and now it's time to go. I promised the team that I am going to push them to be the best football team we can be, and I know they are going to join alongside me."
 
NOTES
 
• It was another very efficient afternoon for Grooms, who completed 26-of-32 passes for 234 yards and one touchdown. Grooms also rushed 14 times for 89 yards, including his 13-yard scoring run.
 
• It was also a big day for Tipton, who had eight receptions for 114 yards, his second game this season with more than 100 receiving yards. He now has seven receiving touchdowns on the season which leads the Ivy League and is among the nation's leaders.
 
• Despite missing two games due to injury, Pitsenberger now has four rushing touchdowns on the season.
 
• Receiver David Pantelis returned to the lineup and had three catches for 20 yards.
 
• Dylan Yang had the first multi-sack game of his career, finishing with two. Yang also had three solo tackles on the day.
 
• Clay Patterson also had a sack. He now has a team-leading 4.5 sacks on the season and 22 in his career, the third most in school history.
 
• Inumidun Ayo-Durojaiye and Hamilton Moore each finished with five tackles to lead a balanced Yale defensive effort.
 
• Yale limited Columbia to 56 yards of total offense in the first half.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
 
After playing six of its first seven games at the Bowl, Yale closes with two of its final three on the road, starting next Saturday at Brown. The Bears are coming off a big Friday night victory at Penn. The Bulldogs' next home game is the 139th edition of The Game on Nov. 18.