When the Georgetown football team found the end zone to open Saturday’s game, it was the first time since the end of the 2004 season that the Hoyas scored a touchdown in the opening quarter of a game. At the time it appeared as if Georgetown was poised to knock off a Brown team (1-0) that had won nine consecutive games since the 2005 season. Unfortunately, letdowns in the second and third quarters ultimately doomed the Blue and Gray, as they fell 34-21 to the Ivy League champions and dropped to 1-2 on the young season.
In the Hoyas’ first possession of the game, sophomore quarterback Ben Hostetler directed his team downfield and made sure that they would strike first. He capped an impressive 80-yard drive with a shovel pass to sophomore wide receiver Kenny Mitchell, who ran 38 yards for the score. Brown responded by moving downfield on the following possession, but the Hoya defense remained tough, denying the Bears on fourth-and-inches at the Georgetown two-yard line.
The magic seemed to quickly wane, though. The Hoyas were forced to punt on multiple occasions, and the Bears made them pay. Senior running back Brandon Markey found the end zone to cap a seven-play drive from midfield to tie the game. Quarterback Joseph DiGiacomo, who completed 14 passes for 206 yards, then connected for touchdowns with senior receiver Lonnie Hill and sophomore tight end Colin Cloherty to lead the Bears into the locker room with a 20-7 halftime lead.
Hostetler, who completed six passes for 80 yards, began the second half with an interception that eventually set up a one-yard touchdown run for Brown senior back Akin Oyalowo, who finished with 89 yards on the day. The Hoyas as a team only managed 58 yards rushing.
“[The ground game] is always a concern,” Georgetown Head Coach Kevin Kelly said. “When you can’t run the football, then you become one-dimensional and it makes it easier for the defense.”
Brown again forced Georgetown to punt on the next possession, and the Bears’ Markey returned it well into Georgetown territory. On the first play from scrimmage, reserve sophomore quarterback Matthew Nuzzo scrambled through Georgetown’s defense for Brown’s fifth straight touchdown.
“We didn’t execute, and when you don’t execute against a good football team like Brown, they will expose you,” Kelly said of his squad’s play in the second and third quarters.
After allowing 34 unanswered points, however, the Hoyas showed signs of life in the fourth quarter. Junior quarterback Matt Bassuener came off the bench and engineered two 85-yard drives that resulted in touchdown strikes to sophomore receivers Sidney Baker and Mitchell.
“When the right plays are called, you have to execute,” said Mitchell said, having hauled in two touchdown passes in the game.
The Hoyas’ solid fourth quarter effort prompted Coach Kelly to note that there is reason to be optimistic.
“The biggest positive is that we didn’t quit,” he said. We could’ve laid down, but they just kept playing. We just talk about playing it one at a time and worrying about ourselves, and as a result we executed better in the fourth quarter.”
The Hoyas look to translate that positive attitude into a road victory at Columbia (1-0) this Saturday at 12:30 pm. Kelly, who intends to stick with Hostetler behind center, emphasized the importance of execution against a well-coached Lions team that dismantled Fordham a week ago. Mitchell also understands the importance of getting the job done.
“We’re not concerned about anything Columbia’s doing,” Mitchell said. “As long as we execute our plays and do what we’re supposed to, we don’t have to worry [about them].”
Execution, execution, execution. If the Hoyas can follow that plan, they look to return home with a road win and a record of 2-2.
