Columbia raised $27,491,147 at its 14th annual Giving Day on Wednesday, its highest total since 2022 and University President Jennifer Mnookin’s first.

Since the original 1948 showdown against Penn, Homecoming remains one of Columbia’s most anticipated sporting events. Heading into the weekend and remaining conference play, the Lions post a confident 4-1 overall on the season, reminiscent of the 2024 conference-winning Columbia football team.

At the end of the 2023 season, Columbia football posted a 3-7 record, claimed just one Ivy League win, and sat firmly at the bottom of the conference. Before the 2023 season had even begun, longtime head coach Al Bagnoli suddenly retired after eight years at the helm, throwing the program into instability.