Caleb Sanchez makes history at Columbia
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Carlos Leon-Trejo, Contributor
- November 25, 2024
Caleb Sanchez guides Columbia to first Ivy League title in 63 years
Caleb Sanchez helped Columbia win a share of the Ivy League title for the first time since 1961. The true freshman quarterback from Carson, Calif., may be the first Latino quarterback to win an Ivy League title.
When it comes to academics, there is nothing better than the Ivy League, where America’s greatest minds can be found. At the Ivy League, they put the student in the student athlete. Considering the historic achievement, Caleb Sanchez is Our Esquina’s Latino Player of the Week in College Football for Week 13.
Sanchez completed 11 of 19 pass attempts for 221 yards on Saturday to beat Cornell 17-9. A week after throwing the first three touchdown passes of his college career, Sanchez ran for a one-yard touchdown for his first career rushing touchdown to take an early lead against Cornell on Saturday.
Columbia (7-3, 5-2 in the Ivy League) earned a share of the league title with Harvard and Dartmouth. Sanchez, the son of a Salvadoran American dad and a Filipino American mom, developed his winning pedigree in Carson.
He has been selected the Ivy League Rookie of the Week for the second week in a row.
Caleb Sanchez credits seniors
In high school he patiently waited his turn behind a pair of future Division I quarterbacks before finally starting as a senior at national football power St. John Bosco in Bellflower, Calif. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Sanchez didn’t wait as long to start at Columbia.
“Couldn’t have done it without these guys,” Sanchez said of the Columbia seniors on social media platform X. “The heart and soul of our team.”
Sanchez has made history at Columbia.
“I’m speechless,” Columbia coach John Poppe told the New York media. “To know that this actually happened after 63 years. I’ll keep saying that, because that is all that kept being thrown at me. And now here we go.”
UTSA sophomore David Amador II had seven catches for 63 yards in a blowout victory over Temple. He had a 33-yard catch in the 51-27 victory. Michigan State’s Nikai Martinez had five tackles, including 1 ½ sacks, in a 24-17 victory over Purdue.
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App State quarterback Joey Aguilar completed 12 of 23 passing attempts for 216 yards and two touchdowns to beat James Madison 34-20. Iowa’s Sebastian Castro finished with three solo total tackles in a 29-13 victory over the Terrapins.
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia completed 13 of 24 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown. Pavia has thrown for 2,029 yards with 16 touchdowns and three interceptions this season.
UCLA receiver Logan Loya had one reception for nine yards in the Bruins’ 19-13 loss to USC. Senior linebacker Kain Medrano finished with six total tackles (four solo) for UCLA. Penn State sophomore linebacker Tony Rojas finished with six tackles (four solo) and a sack in a 26-25 victory over Minnesota.
Syracuse wide receiver Trebor Peña had two receptions for seven yards and a touchdown in Syracuse’s 31-24 victory over UConn. Peña has six touchdowns and 743 receiving yards this season.
Fernando Mendoza beats Stanford
Fernando Mendoza added another great chapter to the rich history of the Cal-Stanford rivalry. The Miami native guided Cal on a 98-yard drive to complete the comeback. He completed 25 of 36 attempts while throwing for 299 yards and three touchdowns in Cal’s 24-21 victory over Stanford.
San Diego State kicker Gabriel Plascencia accounted for eight points in a 41-20 loss to Utah State. Plascencia went 2-for-2 in extra points and scored a 35-yard field goal.
Illinois kicker David Olano made a 29-yard field goal in a 31-28 victory over Rutgers. Olano went 1-for-2 in extra points. Washington State receiver Carlos Hernandez had two receptions for 32 yards and a touchdown in Washington’s 41-38 loss to Oregon State.
Notre Dame defensive tackle Gabe Rubio had two tackles (one solo) the 49-14 victory over Army. Senior defensive tackle Gio Paez had two tackles (one solo) for LSU in the 24-17 victory over Vanderbilt.
Damian Ramos accounted for six points in LSU’s 24-17 victory over Vanderbilt. Ramos went 3-for-3 in extra points and scored a 28-yard field goal. Colorado kicker Alejandro Mata remains perfect in PATs this season. Mata contributed three points in the Buffaloes’ 37-21 loss against the Jayhawks.
Willie Rodriguez has career highs
Kentucky freshman tight end Willie Rodriguez had three receptions for a career single-game high 53 yards in Kentucky’s 31-14 loss against Texas. Rodriguez has five receptions for 94 yards this season.
Miami kicker Andres Borregales accounted for 10 points against Wake Forest. Borregales went 4-for-4 in extra points and scored a 40-yard field goal in the Hurricanes’ dominant 42-14 victory.
Miami sophomore linebacker Raul Aguirre Jr. had one tackle. Junior tight end Elijah Arroyo had six receptions for 79 yards. Arroyo has 26 receptions for 482 yards and five touchdowns this season.
Hurricanes running back Damien Martinez rushed for 63 yards. Xavier Restrepo had five receptions for 45 yards. Restrepo has 10 touchdowns and 979 receiving yards this season.
Cover photo by Columbia athletics.
Carlos Leon-Trejo
Contributor
Carlos Leon-Trejo is a co-host on the Bring on the Blitz! podcast on the Our Esquina network. A graduate of the University of Houston-Victoria, Leon-Trejo teaches fifth grade math and science in Houston ISD.
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