ITHACA, N.Y. (AP) _ In his first college field goal try, Peter Iverson kicked a 39-yard field goal with 39 seconds left to give Cornell a 31-29 win over Columbia Saturday afternoon.

Cornell (6-3, 4-2 Ivy League) was led by Ricky Rahne who completed 28 of 40 passes for 320 yards. Rahne drove the Big Red 61 yards in the final drive to give Iverson a chance to complete the come-from-behind victory with his first collegiate field goal.

Iverson, a sophomore who kicked four extra points Saturday, started the game because regular kicker John McCombs went home to his family because his father died Friday.

``It wasn't me kicking, it was John,'' Iverson said. ``He was with me today. I just wish he was here to share this win with us.''

``Pete was great,'' said Cornell head coach Pete Mangurian of his unexpected kicking star. ``As a coach, you try and make him relax. Before the attempt I called him over and I kind of smiled and said, `Pete, here we go.' He said, `I got it,' and he made it.''

Rahne took Cornell from a 20-14 halftime deficit to the lead after throwing touchdown passes of 33 and 18 yards to Joe Splendorio (eight catches, 126 yards) in the third quarter.

With Cornell up 28-20, Columbia (3-6, 1-5) stormed back with 10 unanswered points. Neal Kravitz kicked a 19-yarder, his third field goal of the game.

After Cornell was forced to punt, Columbia faced fourth-and-one at its own 47-yard line. Norman Hayes (26 carries, 166 yards) sprinted around right end for the 53-yard TD. The 2-point conversion failed, but Columbia still held a 29-28 lead with 5:32 left in the game.

Rahne then commanded the winning drive.

Rahne set a new school season passing record with 2,466 yards with one game left to play. The old mark was 2,255 yards set by Steve Joyce in 1995.

``We've had a problem stopping the pass all year,'' said Columbia head coach Ray Tellier. ``We are just not real good back there against the pass.''

``It's an honor to have that record,'' Rahne said, ``but I'd rather have gone undefeated and won the Ivy League title.''