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Date Posted: 09/ 3/15 1:46:55pm Thu
Author: 'gate80
Subject: Navy 42 - Colgate 35, 1998

The Navy game in 1998 was the last crack Ryan Vena had to beat the Middies. Navy bought us out of a signed and sealed game in 1999 to play Toledo, since a win against Colgate did not count toward bowl eligibility, and Navy missed going to a bowl by one win in 1997. (We went to St Mary's in California instead in 1999.) We went into the 1998 Navy game 4-1, with all 4 wins being routs, including over Harvard and Yale (it's been amusing hearing naysayers on this board say in the past year that Colgate can't expect to compete with schools such as Harvard and Yale!) Our only loss was to top-5 ranked (and soon to be I-A) UConn, in a game that went down to the final minute.

Colgate came out with all guns blazing. Vena passed for 377 yards, his personal best. It remains one of the top 10 passing performances in Colgate history, and the most yards against a I-A opponent. Corey Hill had 14 receptions for 274 yards, to this day a Colgate record, more than 50 yards ahead of 2nd all-time. This included 2 TDs catches of 50-60+ yds. Randall Joseph added a 30+ yd TD run to start the scoring. The Raiders were ahead the entire game until the final minute, ahead by 2 TDs much of it. We were ahead 21-7 in the 2nd, 28-14 in the 3rd, and 35-21 early in the 4th.

With 10-12 minutes left in the game and Colgate up 2 TDs, Navy had a third and long deep in their own territory. Their QB was under heavy pressure, and I thought for a second the play was whistled dead with the QB wrapped up by a Raider pass rusher. But he escaped, only to run into a 2nd Colgate defender. He somehow managed to elude him as well, and then ran untouched 80 freaking yards to inside the Colgate 5! I'm convinced a sack would have given us the win, up 14 with 10 minutes left, and with the ball the way we were moving it. Navy scored a few plays later to pull within 7. The Raiders took the kickoff and marched into Navy territory before turning the ball over on a fumble. One play later Navy threw a 60-yd TD bomb to tie the game for the first time since the first quarter!

After a few punt exchanges, Navy was pinned back deep in their territory. They needed 25 yds for a first down, and their QB pulled back to pass under heavy pressure, and then scrambled 70 yards for the go ahead TD with a minute left! It was the first time Colgate trailed in the game. After the kickoff Vena started at the 20 and then led the team down the field, using perfect clock management, until we were at the Navy 10-15 with no timeouts left. We had a few cracks at a TD pass, and the final one seemed like blatant pass interference with the Raider receiver tackled before the ball arrived (though I suppose I may be biased). That potentially game changing call was not going to be made at a I-A stadium against a I-AA foe.

Colgate fans walked out of the stadium in disbelief that we had lost that game, when we had dominated it until the last 10 minutes when Navy had 3 60+ yard gains, 2 on busted plays. It was a shame that those very good Vena-led teams did not get a signature win over a I-A opponent. This game should have been that win. Except for games against Delaware and Syracuse, this game was the one I felt worst about us not getting the win. An interesting fact is the Colgate played Navy in 1997 and 1998 within a couple a weeks of Navy playing Notre Dame, and both years we scored more points against Navy than the Irish did. (Of course somewhat out of context - ND won those games 21-17 and 30-0.)

Later that night at a DC restaurant, I heard a Middie tell his parents that Navy had let Colgate hang around too long in the game that afternoon before putting us away. I felt like saying "are you sh*tt*ng me?? - we had that game until you pulled some lucky plays out of your *ss!", but I kept quiet. I wish Vena and the Colgate offense had another crack at Navy, as they seemed to have their number. I was glad to see Toledo beat them the following year. We are 0-5 against Navy. The only school we've played more without a win is Duke (0-9). I'll be in Annapolis Saturday hoping to finally win one against the Middies, and hope many of you will be too.

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Replies:

[> Re: Navy 42 - Colgate 35, 1998 -- Maven, 09/ 3/15 1:52:58pm Thu

>The Navy game in 1998 was the last crack Ryan Vena had
>to beat the Middies. Navy bought us out of a signed
>and sealed game in 1999 to play Toledo, since a win
>against Colgate did not count toward bowl eligibility,
>and Navy missed going to a bowl by one win in 1997.
>(We went to St Mary's in California instead in 1999.)
>We went into the 1998 Navy game 4-1, with all 4 wins
>being routs, including over Harvard and Yale (it's
>been amusing hearing naysayers on this board say in
>the past year that Colgate can't expect to compete
>with schools such as Harvard and Yale!) Our only loss
>was to top-5 ranked (and soon to be I-A) UConn, in a
>game that went down to the final minute.
>
>Colgate came out with all guns blazing. Vena passed
>for 377 yards, his personal best. It remains one of
>the top 10 passing performances in Colgate history,
>and the most yards against a I-A opponent. Corey Hill
>had 14 receptions for 274 yards, to this day a Colgate
>record, more than 50 yards ahead of 2nd all-time. This
>included 2 TDs catches of 50-60+ yds. Randall Joseph
>added a 30+ yd TD run to start the scoring. The
>Raiders were ahead the entire game until the final
>minute, ahead by 2 TDs much of it. We were ahead 21-7
>in the 2nd, 28-14 in the 3rd, and 35-21 early in the
>4th.
>
>With 10-12 minutes left in the game and Colgate up 2
>TDs, Navy had a third and long deep in their own
>territory. Their QB was under heavy pressure, and I
>thought for a second the play was whistled dead with
>the QB wrapped up by a Raider pass rusher. But he
>escaped, only to run into a 2nd Colgate defender. He
>somehow managed to elude him as well, and then ran
>untouched 80 freaking yards to inside the Colgate 5!
>I'm convinced a sack would have given us the win, up
>14 with 10 minutes left, and with the ball the way we
>were moving it. Navy scored a few plays later to pull
>within 7. The Raiders took the kickoff and marched
>into Navy territory before turning the ball over on a
>fumble. One play later Navy threw a 60-yd TD bomb to
>tie the game for the first time since the first
>quarter!
>
>After a few punt exchanges, Navy was pinned back deep
>in their territory. They needed 25 yds for a first
>down, and their QB pulled back to pass under heavy
>pressure, and then scrambled 70 yards for the go ahead
>TD with a minute left! It was the first time Colgate
>trailed in the game. After the kickoff Vena started at
>the 20 and then led the team down the field, using
>perfect clock management, until we were at the Navy
>10-15 with no timeouts left. We had a few cracks at a
>TD pass, and the final one seemed like blatant pass
>interference with the Raider receiver tackled before
>the ball arrived (though I suppose I may be biased).
>That potentially game changing call was not going to
>be made at a I-A stadium against a I-AA foe.
>
>Colgate fans walked out of the stadium in disbelief
>that we had lost that game, when we had dominated it
>until the last 10 minutes when Navy had 3 60+ yard
>gains, 2 on busted plays. It was a shame that those
>very good Vena-led teams did not get a signature win
>over a I-A opponent. This game should have been that
>win. Except for games against Delaware and Syracuse,
>this game was the one I felt worst about us not
>getting the win. An interesting fact is the Colgate
>played Navy in 1997 and 1998 within a couple a weeks
>of Navy playing Notre Dame, and both years we scored
>more points against Navy than the Irish did. (Of
>course somewhat out of context - ND won those games
>21-17 and 30-0.)
>
>Later that night at a DC restaurant, I heard a Middie
>tell his parents that Navy had let Colgate hang around
>too long in the game that afternoon before putting us
>away. I felt like saying "are you sh*tt*ng me?? - we
>had that game until you pulled some lucky plays out of
>your *ss!", but I kept quiet. I wish Vena and the
>Colgate offense had another crack at Navy, as they
>seemed to have their number. I was glad to see Toledo
>beat them the following year. We are 0-5 against Navy.
>The only school we've played more without a win is
>Duke (0-9). I'll be in Annapolis Saturday hoping to
>finally win one against the Middies, and hope many of
>you will be too.


Terrific recap! I guess I am sorry I missed that game.


[ Edit | View ]

[> [> Re: Navy 42 - Colgate 35, 1998 -- Gate'83, 09/ 3/15 4:33:34pm Thu


>
>Terrific recap! I guess I am sorry I missed that game.

Thank-you for doing these recaps! They really do bring back the history. I had very small kids at the time when the program was terrible so wasn't paying close attention... the Vena/Hill teams (and the kids being a little older) are really what got me re-involved with Colgate football. Looking forward to the trip south, I'll be at the Gate event tomorrow night!


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[> [> [> Hunt should recruit 'gate80 to do halftime pep talk to the team Sat.! -- Andy Kerr, 09/ 3/15 6:12:44pm Thu






The>
>>
>>Terrific recap! I guess I am sorry I missed that
>game.
>
>Thank-you for doing these recaps! They really do
>bring back the history. I had very small kids at the
>time when the program was terrible so wasn't paying
>close attention... the Vena/Hill teams (and the kids
>being a little older) are really what got me
>re-involved with Colgate football. Looking forward to
>the trip south, I'll be at the Gate event tomorrow
>night!


[ Edit | View ]

[> Re: Navy 42 - Colgate 35, 1998 -- B.C. Milligan, 09/ 4/15 8:42:57am Fri

I was at that game, and it looks as if you might have been at well. "Blatant pass interference" is putting it mildly! As I recall, the Colgate receiver was in the end zone, raising his hands to catch a well-thrown ball, and a Navy back wrapped his arms around the Colgate player, pinning the latter's arms to his body.

There was nobody from either team within several yards of either player, and this uncalled penalty must have been obvious to every single person at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium.

Thanks for the summary, though -- it was fun (I think) to recall what was otherwise a great game.


[ Edit | View ]

[> [> Re: Navy 42 - Colgate 35, 1998 -- Go...'gate, 09/ 6/15 12:50:31am Sun

>I was at that game, and it looks as if you might have
>been at well. "Blatant pass interference" is putting
>it mildly! As I recall, the Colgate receiver was in
>the end zone, raising his hands to catch a well-thrown
>ball, and a Navy back wrapped his arms around the
>Colgate player, pinning the latter's arms to his body.
>
>There was nobody from either team within several yards
>of either player, and this uncalled penalty must have
>been obvious to every single person at Navy-Marine
>Corps Stadium.
>
>Thanks for the summary, though -- it was fun (I think)
>to recall what was otherwise a great game.

Attended that game as well. Nice description! What a tough loss that was.


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