The Georgetown football team (1-3, Patriot League) will take on Brown (0-2, Ivy League) at 1:00 P.M. ET on Saturday in Providence, RI. After last week’s comeback attempt against Columbia (2-0, Ivy League) came up short, the Hoyas hit the road for their third straight game against Ivy League competition. Head coach Ron Sgarlata’s squad will look to avoid a fourth straight loss in the last non-conference matchup of the season.
Against Columbia, the Hoyas were shut out 23-0 for the first three quarters before their offense finally came alive in the fourth. A methodical 14-play drive at the start of the quarter culminated with a 1-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Jay Tolliver, bringing the score to 23-8 after a two-point conversion.
The next drive, sophomore linebacker Xavier Riddick picked off a Columbia pass and the Hoyas began with excellent field position. After advancing into the Lions’ redzone, junior quarterback Gunther Johnson found senior wide receiver Brandon Williams for a 20-yard score on fourth down and, after the extra point, Georgetown found itself within one score with five minutes remaining in the game.
After a Columbia three-and-out, the Hoyas marched down to the Lions’ nine-yard line, but could not advance any farther. Johnson was sacked on fourth and goal and the Hoyas lost a heartbreaking homecoming matchup 23-15.
Overall, the Hoyas had far more success throwing the football than in the ground game. This has been a consistent theme throughout the early season, as Sgarlata’s running unit has been unable to find open lanes. Against the Lions, the Hoyas managed a meager 25 yards on 26 rushing attempts. Through the air, Johnson completed 18 of 38 pass attempts for 228 yards.
Fortunately for the Hoyas, Brown’s defense has been less than stellar, allowing 75 combined points in its first two matchups. The Bears have been especially awful against the run, giving up an average of 328.5 rushing yards per game, so if the Hoya ground game is looking for a chance to break out, this would be the game to do it.
Through two games, Brown’s offense has relied heavily on sophomore quarterback Michael McGovern, with nearly two times as many passing plays as running plays. McGovern has 603 yards passing, but has thrown just two touchdowns and three interceptions. The Georgetown defense has fared better against the pass than the run, allowing just 182 passing yards per game. If McGovern can find the cracks in the Hoya secondary, it could be the deciding factor in this matchup.
Georgetown and Brown last squared off in 2014 when the Hoyas came out on top 17-3.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+. Follow @GUVoiceSports for game day updates and continuing coverage of Georgetown fall sports.
