Columbia used amazing tactic to distract Yale kicker

Columbia got quite creative with their extra point defense on Friday against Yale.

Yale scored a touchdown to take a 6-3 lead over Columbia with just under a minute to play in the first half at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium in Manhattan, N.Y. As Yale kicker Nick Conforti lined up for the PAT attempt, Columbia’s stadium jumbotron flashed an image of the infamous Dwyane Wade statue that has taken the internet by storm.

Columbia used the Dwyane Wade statue to try to bother Yale K Nick Conforti.pic.twitter.com/ER5xHJKfE4

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 2, 2024

Conforti was unfazed by the distraction and calmly converted on the extra point to give Yale a 7-3 advantage at halftime. But you can’t blame the stadium staff for trying something outside the box.

Conforti did miss a 42-yard field goal to end Yale’s opening drive of the third quarter. Perhaps the image of Wade’s meme-worthy statue only began to sink in while he was simmering in the locker room.

Thanks to Conforti’s missed kick, Columbia escaped Friday with a 13-10 win over Yale. After scoring just three points in the opening three quarters, the Lions outscored their Ivy League rivals 10-0 in the fourth quarter.