Big Green Score Early and Often in 49-3 Win Over Columbia

Friday, October 24

Hanover, N.H.

6:00 PM

Dartmouth College

Columbia

Big Green Score Early and Often in 49-3 Win Over Columbia

10/24/2025 11:15:00 PM | Football

Box Score Postgame Reaction

Dartmouth picks up its largest margin of victory since 2013

By: Justin Lafleur

HANOVER, N.H. — Tyson Grimm had a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown on the opening series of the game, setting the tone for a dominant first quarter and dominant game for the Dartmouth football team, as the Big Green defeated Columbia 49-3 on Friday night. With the win, Dartmouth improves to 5-1 and 2-1 in the Ivy League, ahead of a huge showdown at Harvard next Saturday.

The first quarter also included a 48-yard catch by Nick Lemon on the Big Green's first offensive play from scrimmage, a 24-yard Grayson Saunier touchdown run and a No'Koi Maddox blocked punt and recovery for a touchdown.

"Really happy and excited for the way the guys came out and were ready to play today," said Sammy McCorkle, Robert L. Blackman Head Football Coach. "I really thought in all three phases, we executed the way we needed to. We came out and were in attack mode. The guys did a really good job of coming out with energy from the very get-go and just preparing for every play and coming out trying to win every snap. Once again, I was really impressed the way that we prepared this week in order for us to come out and do what we did today."

After the 21-0 first quarter, Dartmouth scored 14 points in the second quarter and 14 more in the third for its largest margin of victory since 2013.

Grayson Saunier finished 12-of-13 passing for 162 yards and a touchdown. Lemon tallied a career and game high 61 yards. Chris Corbo had 41 yards on two catches and a touchdown. D.J. Crowther had 103 yards rushing on 18 attempts for his second 100-yard game of the season. Saunier added 55 yards on the ground via six carries, with three scores.

Zyion Freer-Brown led the defense in tackles with a career-high 12. Sean Chester tallied his first-career sack in the fourth quarter while Keoni Perkins and Thaddeus Gianaris combined for a sack.

On its first drive, Columbia reached the Dartmouth 37-yard line, but that's when Grimm intercepted Caleb Sanchez and went the other way for 75 yards and the pick-six.

What a start! Tyson Grimm with a 75-yard pick six to give the Big Green the early lead on @ESPNU.

Gameday Central ➡️ https://t.co/kQemh2HsCh #GoBigGreen | #TheWoods🌲 | #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/GPCc0GaLIC
— Dartmouth Football (@DartmouthFTBL) October 24, 2025

After Dartmouth quickly forced a Lions' punt, it took the Big Green offense just five plays to find the end zone. Saunier connected with Lemon for 48 yards on the first offensive play, then four plays later, Saunier ran it in from 24 yards out, with the extra point making the score 14-0 with 6:51 left in the first quarter.

Shortly after, the Big Green forced another punt, which was blocked by Maddox, also recovered by the sophomore and run into the end zone for a 21-0 lead with 2:56 on the first-quarter clock.

No'Koi Maddox, so smooth, with the blocked punt for a touchdown and a 21-0 Big Green lead on @ESPNU!

Gameday Central ➡️ https://t.co/kQemh2HsCh #GoBigGreen | #TheWoods🌲 | #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/TDqsBpG2EX
— Dartmouth Football (@DartmouthFTBL) October 24, 2025

"The thing we really focused on all week is that in all three phases, we need to come out ready to attack," said McCorkle. "We need to be aggressive and be ready to do our job. What we worked on and what we expected, they went out there and did that. It put us in a really good position early in the game. Our guys did a good job of continuing that momentum and riding that wave the entire game."

The 21-0 score remained until midway through the second. A muffed punt by the Lions was recovered by Maddox at the Lions' 14-yard line. Two plays later, Saunier had his second rushing touchdown, this time from 13 yards out, to make the score 28-0. The Big Green finished the half with a 10-play, 75-yard drive, capped off by Saunier's third rushing score, with 11 seconds remaining, for a 35-0 halftime lead.

Dartmouth took the opening drive of the third quarter 75 yards on six plays, capped off by a 35-yard touchdown connection from Saunier to Corbo, for a 42-0 advantage. Later in the quarter, Desmin Jackson ran in his first-career touchdown from two yards out, for a 49-0 lead.

First second-half drive = touchdown as Saunier finds Corbo!

Gameday Central ➡️ https://t.co/kQemh2HsCh #GoBigGreen | #TheWoods🌲 pic.twitter.com/AQl3bf0C43
— Dartmouth Football (@DartmouthFTBL) October 24, 2025

Columbia added a fourth-quarter field goal to account for the 49-3 final.

"I think the biggest thing that comes out of a day like today for us is confidence," said offensive lineman Delby Lemieux. "We knew we wanted to run the ball coming into this game. After a performance like that, the biggest thing we take away from it is we know we can do it.

"Now, we have to get back to work on Sunday and the rest of next week and get ready to do it all over again," Lemieux continued.

Total yards were 358-271 in favor of Dartmouth. The Big Green held a 192-156 edge rushing and 166-115 advantage through the air.

The Big Green head to Harvard next Saturday to face the Crimson in a huge Ivy League matchup, with opening kickoff set for 3 p.m. Dartmouth returns home on Saturday, Nov. 8 to host Princeton at 1 p.m. To order single-game and season tickets, please click here. Head to this link for more information on group experiences.

NOTES: The game was nationally-televised on ESPNU … The 46-point victory was Dartmouth's largest since a 56-0 win over Columbia on Oct. 26, 2013 … The Big Green's 35 first-half points marked their most since scoring 38 against Columbia at home on Oct. 25, 2019 … The 35-point halftime lead marked Dartmouth's largest since also leading Marist 35-0 on the road on Oct. 19, 2019 … Grimm's interception for a touchdown marked Dartmouth's second in the last four home games dating back to last season (Jordan Washington had one in last year's season finale vs. Brown) … 75 yards marked the Big Green's longest interception return for a touchdown since David Caldwell returned one 77 yards on Sept. 26, 2015 against Sacred Heart … Dartmouth has had a blocked punt for a touchdown in three of the last four meetings with Columbia. In 2023, Patrick Campbell returned one for a score, with Tevita Moimoi doing the same in 2022 … Grayson Saunier finished 12-for-13 passing, for a 92.3 completion percentage, becoming just the fifth quarterback in the FCS this season with a 90+ completion percentage (minimum 10 completions) and first Ivy League quarterback with a 90+ completion percentage since Jake Willcox of Brown was 14-for-15 against Penn on Oct. 29, 2022 … Saunier's three rushing touchdowns marked a career high, and marked the second time in the last four games dating back to last season that Dartmouth has had a quarterback rush for three TDs in a game (along with Jackson Proctor in last season's finale against Brown) ... Luke Armistead had a 58-yard punt in the fourth quarter, which marked a career high.