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Princeton University Athletics
Late Show
September 23, 2000 | Football
Sept. 23, 2000
Princeton football hasn't exactly been lacking for fourth-quarter thrills in its first two games this season.
For the second straight week, the Tigers' game wasn't decided until the final minute. Unfortunately for the Tigers, they slipped to 0-2 with a thrilling 20-18 loss to Lehigh, the 19th-ranked team in Division I-AA, in front of 14,306 who watched the second night game in Princeton Stadium history.
Fortunately for the Tigers, the revamped schedule had them playing Patriot League teams the first two weeks. The Ivy League season will kick off this coming Saturday, Sept. 30, at Columbia (1:30 kickoff).
Princeton marched 86 yards in 15 plays in the fourth quarter a week ago to tie Lafayette in its opener, only to have the Leopards rally on their final drive to win with two seconds to play. Against Lehigh, it was almost the same script.
Princeton picked up four field goals from Taylor Northrop, including kicks of 50 and 46 yards, but trailed 20-12 in the fourth quarter. The Tigers then marched 85 yards in 15 plays, scoring a touchdown on a four-yard Kyle Brandt run with 1:18 remaining to cut it to 20-18. The Tigers then went for the two-point conversion and a tie, but an end-around pass by Chisom Opara was knocked down in the end zone.
Lehigh, who had defeated Princeton 31-0 last year at Princeton Stadium, led 10-0 and 13-3 in the first quarter, but the Tigers settled down from there.
Northrop's 50-yard field goal made it 13-6 after one, and a 27-yarder by Northrop made it 13-9 midway through the second quarter. Lehigh scored a backbreaking touchdown with 24 seconds remaining before the half, however, and it was 20-9 Mountain Hawks at the break.
Northrop cut the lead to eight with a 24-yard field goal with 19 seconds to go in the third quarter.
Brandt led Princeton with 90 rushing yards on 26 carries. Bob Farrell had six tackles and two sacks, and he also blocked a field goal.