Passing Frenzy, Timely Turnovers Lead Tigers Past San Diego 27-17 In 2017 Opener

Saturday, September 16

Princeton, N.J.

12:00 PM

Princeton University

1-0

San Diego

1-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

San Diego

Princeton

Stephen Carlson caught three touchdown passes in Princeton's 27-17 win over San Diego Saturday afternoon.

Photo by: Beverly Schaefer

Passing Frenzy, Timely Turnovers Lead Tigers Past San Diego 27-17 In 2017 Opener

September 16, 2017 | Football

Box Score

Chad Kanoff leapfrogged a pair of Bushnell Cup winner, Stephen Carlson did something no Tiger receiver has done in a quarter century, and the Princeton defense came up with three timely turnovers to lead the reigning Ivy League champion Princeton football team to an exciting 27-17 home win over Pioneer League champion San Diego in front of 10,421 fans at Princeton Stadium.

Kanoff completed 32 of 43 passes (74%) for a career-high 352 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Tigers to their eighth win in the last nine games, dating back to the 2016 championship season. The senior quarterback, who was a perfect 4 for 4 on the game-clinching drive, moved past both Jeff Terrell '07 and Jason Garrett '89 and now stands third all-time at Princeton with 4,388 career passing yards.

All-Ivy junior Jesper Horsted caught 12 passes, the most by a Princeton receiver in a 23-game span, though classmate Stephen Carlson achieved something that hadn't been done in a much longer time. Carlson, who caught a TOTAL of two passes all of last season, caught all three of Kanoff's touchdown throws during the victory; no Tiger receiver had caught three touchdowns since Michael Lerch '92 caught four against Brown during the 1991 season.

The Princeton defense, which featured eight new starters and used a significant amount of reserves during a steamy afternoon on Powers Field, made a pair of huge plays inside the 5-yard line to help secure the Tigers' third straight season-opening win. The Toreros' second drive of the game moved inside the 5, but first-time starter Ben Ellis stuck Emilio Martinez with a good tackle, which jarred the ball loose. Freshman CJ Wall, who made the start at cornerback in his collegiate debut, dove on the ball to end the potential scoring drive.

That wouldn't be it for Wall, who also iced the game with a diving interception in the end zone on San Diego's last offensive possession in the final minute.

Senior Mark Fossati made the most of his first start, recording 12 tackles and a pair of quarterback hurries, while fellow inside linebacker Thomas Johnson added eight stops. Both Will Johnson and Quincy Wolff had six tackles apiece, while Joe Percival had Princeton's lone sack of the game.

The outcome was up for grabs after a San Diego touchdown with 7:10 to go in the fourth quarter, but Kanoff engineered a memorable 66-yard touchdown drive that featured a quartet of third-down attempts. The first featured the catch of the game, a leaping grab by Horsted to convert on 3rd and 7.

Jesper Horsted climbs the ladder for a huge 3rd-down catch to keep the drive alive! #IvyFootball #SCTop10 #IvyTop5 pic.twitter.com/wvNNSC2efF
— Princeton Football (@PUTigerFootball) September 16, 2017

The next two third downs would both be 3rd and 16, and Kanoff hit Carlson for 17, and then again for 34, to move Princeton into the red zone. After two rushes burned the final Torero timeouts, head coach Bob Surace went for the clincher and put the ball in Kanoff's hands. The move paid off, as Kanoff used a play-action pass to Carlson for a touchdown along the right side of the end zone.

Princeton will make its road debut next Saturday with a 6 pm showdown against Lafayette at Fisher Stadium. You can watch the game live on the Patriot League Network, or listen to the game on TuneIn Radio or WPRB 103.3 FM.

NOTES: Kanoff's 352 yards in the second-most ever by a Tiger quarterback at Princeton Stadium, which began its 20th season Saturday; Connor Michelsen threw for 367 yards in a 2014 win against Brown … Horsted's 12 catches is the most ever by a Tiger receiver at Princeton Stadium, topping the previous high of 11 by both Chisom Opara '03 and Trey Peacock '11 … Princeton's second touchdown drive of the game was a 96-yard drive; the longest of Princeton's 52 scoring drives last season was 90 yards … Eli Stern recovered a muffed punt to set up the Tigers' first touchdown of the season … Tavish Rice connected on 32- and 33-yard field goals for Princeton.