86 on 86 (Game of the Day-Day 86)

Sorry Steve, Don Adams is the REAL Agent 86

September 28, 1986

Lafayette 26 Columbia 21


With 86 days left to go until kickoff, I thought I'd focus on the best chance the Lions had to win in what turned out to be a winless 1986 season.

Trailing at home in week 2 against Lafayette by a score of 26-7, the Lions mounted a second half comeback to narrow the gap to 26-21 with 4:54 left on running back John Pennywell's third TD of the afternoon.

Then with 2:04 left to play, Leopard QB Clayton Evans fumbled the ball away at the Columbia 26. The Lions started to march and found themselves on the Lafayette 5-yard line with time for one more play.

But that play turned out to be a sack as QB David Putelo tried a naked reverse and he went down quickly under Leopard defensive back Joe Yanek's tackle.

Two weeks later Columbia came to within 20-14 deficit versus Princeton, but got no closer, making this loss to Lafayette the closest "near win" of the season.

The Lions next REAL win was still two years away.