Box Score Photos
WASHINGTON, D.C. (10/17/09) - Senior wide receiver Pat Simonds (Sidney, N.Y.) made a career-high 12 catches for 111 yards and a touchdown as No. 17/18 Colgate defeated Georgetown 31-14 Saturday at Multi-Sport Field on a cold and rainy day, vaulting the Raiders' record to 7-0. Colgate is now one of four remaining undefeated teams in Division I-FCS, with the other three being defending champion Richmond, Butler, and Montana.
The Raiders last started the season 7-0 in 2003, when they finished 15-1 and went to the Division-I FCS National Championship. Colgate also began the year with seven consecutive wins in 1932, 1976, and 1977.
The game started ominously for the Raiders, as Georgetown's Keerome Lawrence blocked a punt, which was picked up and returned by fellow Hoya Brandon Floyd for a 30-yard touchdown.
Both teams punted on their next possessions, with Colgate then receiving the ball on the Georgetown 39-yard line after a poor punt. Sophomore running back Nate Eachus (Drums, Pa.) and quarterback Greg Sullivan (Monroe, N.Y.) then combined to rush 10 times en route to a 1-yard touchdown run from Sullivan. After the PAT, Colgate and Georgetown were tied at 7.
Early in the second quarter, Georgetown quarterback Isaiah Kempf rushed for a 7-yard touchdown to give the Hoyas the lead again. Kempf connected with running back Philip Oladeji for passes of 30 and 10 yards to keep the drive alive.
Colgate punted on its next possession, but then forced Georgetown to punt away as well. Once again, the Georgetown punt was poor, and Colgate set up shop at its 49-yard line. After a 6-play, 51-yard drive capped off by a 19-yard touchdown run from sophomore Jordan McCord (Chicago, Ill.), the game was 14-14. Both teams went into halftime without anymore scoring.
Colgate thoroughly dominated the second half en route to outscoring Georgetown 17-0. After forcing the Hoyas to punt to start the half, the Raiders went on their fourth touchdown drive of 90 or more yards this season, a 16 play, 96-yard affair that ended with a Simonds 6-yard catch to score. Colgate converted two fourth downs during this stretch, one on 4th-and-1 from its own 31-yard line and one on 4th-and-1 from the Georgetown 10. Eachus ran past the first down marker on both occasions.
Freshman cornerback Demitri Diamond (Stevenson Ranch, Calf.) made his first career interception off Kempf on Georgetown's next possession, and the Raiders received the ball at their 33. Freshman kicker Evan Colborne (Tampa, Fla.) would eventually kick a career-long 30-yard field goal, giving the Raiders a 24-14 advantage at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
After the kickoff was returned to the Hoya 38-yard line, senior defensive tackle Carlton Walker (Columbus, Ohio) forced Kempf to turn the football again on the next play, tackling him in the open field and forcing a fumble recovered by senior linebacker Greg Hadley (Fayetteville, N.Y.). Three plays later, Eachus ran for a career-long 53-yard touchdown. Another PAT from Colborne turned out to be the final point of the game.
Eachus rushed 27 times for 158 yards and a touchdown. He has rushed for over 100 yards in all four games he played this season. McCord rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown.
Sullivan went 13-20 for 125 passing yards. He also accrued 62 yards for another score. Furthermore, the Colgate signal-caller is now 16-2 as Colgate's starting quarterback.
The defensive effort was well-rounded, as 11 Raiders made three or more tackles this week.
Colgate will now play a vitally important Patriot League game against No. 25 Holy Cross on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. in Worcester, Mass. Holy Cross is 6-1, with its only loss being a 34-31 game at Brown last week that ended with a field goal as time expired.
Game Notes: Colgate is now 7-0 all-time against Georgetown…The Raiders' largest in-game deficit against an opponent this season has been just 7 points… The Raiders have now won 15 straight regular season games dating back to September 20, 2008, when they defeated Dartmouth 34-20…Colgate has allowed only 7 points in the second half in its last 2 games, and has outscored its opponents 100-36 in the second half overall.
