1956 Columbia Lions football team

The 1956 Columbia Lions football team was an American football team that represented Columbia University as a member of the Ivy League during the 1956 college football season.

1956 Columbia Lions football
ConferenceIvy League
Record3–6 (2–5 Ivy)
Head coach
CaptainArthur Wilson
Home stadiumBaker Field
Seasons
← 1955
1957 →
1956 Ivy League football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Yale $ 7 0 0 8 1 0
Princeton 5 2 0 7 2 0
Dartmouth 4 3 0 5 4 0
Penn 4 3 0 4 5 0
Brown 3 4 0 5 4 0
Columbia 2 5 0 3 6 0
Harvard 2 5 0 2 6 0
Cornell 1 6 0 1 8 0
  • $ – Conference champion

In their 27th and final season under head coach Lou Little, the Lions compiled a 3–6 record and were outscored 237 to 94. Arthur Wilson was the team captain.[1]

The Lions' 2–5 conference record tied for sixth place in the Ivy League.[2] This was the first season of formal play for the league, although the Lions' previous independent schedules, dating back to the 19th century, often featured future Ivy opponents. Six of the seven Ivy matchups on Columbia's 1956 schedule had been present on the 1955 slate, as well (as had the two remaining non-Ivy fixtures, Army and Rutgers).

Columbia played its home games at Baker Field in Upper Manhattan, in New York City.

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 29 Brown
  • Baker Field
  • New York, NY
L 0–20 12,000 [3]
October 6 at Princeton L 0–39 16,000 [4]
October 13 Yale 
  • Baker Field
  • New York, NY
L 19–33 22,000 [5]
October 20 Harvard
  • Baker Field
  • New York, NY
W 26–20 15,000 [6]
October 27 Army*
  • Baker Field
  • New York, NY
L 0–60 20,000 [7]
November 3 Cornell
W 25–19 12,000 [8]
November 10 at Dartmouth L 0–14 9,000 [9]
November 17 at Penn L 6–20 11,200 [10]
November 24 at Rutgers* W 18–12 9,000 [11]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming

References

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  1. ^ "Columbia Football 2019 Record Book". New York, N.Y.: Columbia University. p. 215. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  2. ^ "Year-by-Year History". Ivy League Football Media Guide (PDF). Princeton, N.J.: Ivy League. 2017. p. 22. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  3. ^ Briordy, William J. (September 30, 1956). "Bruins Register in Ivy Opener, 20-0". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.
  4. ^ Strauss, Michael (October 7, 1956). "Benham of Columbia Hurt as Tigers Rout Lions, 39-0". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.
  5. ^ Effrat, Louis (October 14, 1956). "Elis Top Columbia; Yale Pressed in 33-19 Victory as Benham Sparks Lions". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.
  6. ^ McGowen, Roscoe (October 21, 1956). "Columbia Tops Harvard, 26-20; Benham Is Star". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.
  7. ^ Effrat, Louis (October 28, 1956). "Cadets Conquer Columbia in Finale of Series, 60-0". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.
  8. ^ Danzig, Allison (November 4, 1956). "Lions Beat Cornell, 25-19, on Benham Aerials, Runs". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.
  9. ^ Werden, Lincoln A. (November 11, 1956). "Dartmouth Beats Columbia, 14 to 0". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.
  10. ^ Riordan, Leo (November 18, 1956). "Riepl Frolics as Penn Wins". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. S1 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Werden, Lincoln A. (November 25, 1956). "Lions Down Rutgers, 18-12, on Benham's Scoring Pass". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.