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Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Football Team Seeks First 4-0 Start Since 1995 Against Dangerous Colgate Squad
October 04, 2005 | Football
Oct. 4, 2005
PRINCETON - The 2004 Princeton Tigers, which started their season 3-0, had both the sixth- and seventh-ranked running backs in the Ivy League. The 2005 Tigers are currently 3-0, and they also have the sixth- and seventh-ranked rusher. Princeton hopes the similarities end there, and the differences start to show up Saturday at 1 p.m.
Despite starting 3-0 last season, the Tigers lost to Colgate 29-26 and went on to lose four of their next five afterwards. Princeton knows it had its chances last year against the always-tough Raiders; the Tigers led 26-14 late in the game, but couldn't stop Colgate on its last two drives.
This Princeton team enters the Colgate game with the same record, but significantly different momentum. After all, it's been 10 years since the Tigers were building on a 40-point victory. Princeton outgained Columbia 536-152 and stopped the Lions on 11-of-11 third-down opportunities in a 43-3 victory at Princeton Stadium.
While the talk out of this football team has been all about the team, there is at least one individual record to watch for this weekend. Senior placekicker Derek Javarone, who set one Ivy League record last weekend and tied another one (which he already owned), is one kick away from tying the Princeton career record for field goals.
Colgate (2-2) vs. Princeton (3-0) Gameday Release in PDF Format
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Game Notes
Home Sweet Homestand • Princeton is playing the final game of a three-week homestand today. The Tigers have won both of their first two games, 20-17 over San Diego and 43-3 over Columbia. Four Score • Princeton started last season 3-0 as well, but fell in the fourth game at Colgate. The last time Princeton started a season 4-0 was 1995, when the Tigers won their first eight games and the Ivy League title.
Rallying Cry • This game has been decided by the winning team's final drive in two of the last three games. In 2002, Princeton quarterback Dave Splithoff connected on a 73-yard touchdown pass to B.J. Szymanski with 2:43 remaining for a 14-10 win. Last season, Chris Brown found DeWayne Long on a 19-yard pass on fourth down to give Colgate a 29-26 win.
Pouring It On • Last weekend's 43-3 win against Columbia was the largest margin of victory for the Tigers at Princeton Stadium. It was also their largest margin of victory anywhere since defeating Lafayette 41-0 during the Ivy championship season of 1995.
Running Man • Cleo Kirkland rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns against Columbia. He was Princeton's first 100-yard rusher in nine games; the last was Branden Benson, who gained 133 yards and scored a touchdown in the loss at Colgate last season.
Family Affair • Cleo Kirkland's brother Andrew is a freshman defensive back at Colgate.
Mirror Images • Last season ended with two Princeton running backs (Jon Veach and Branden Benson) ranked sixth and seventh in the Ivy League rushing total. After three weeks, Princeton rushers Cleo Kirkland and Rob Toresco are ranked sixth and seventh in the Ivy League.
Ninth Inning • Nine different players ran the ball for Princeton last weekend against Colgate. Four were tailbacks, one was a fullback, two were quarterbacks and two were receivers.
The Hunt For Red October • Princeton opened October by maintaining its perfect red-zone percentage (14-for-14), a feat unmatched in the Ivy League. The Tigers have scored seven touchdowns (six rushing) and kicked seven field goals.
Senior Thesis • The senior offensive line has helped Princeton get near or at the top in several major offensive categories. The Tigers have allowed only two sacks, best in the Ivy League, and have helped Princeton control the ball for 32:19 per game, third-best in the league.
Junior Mint • Junior quarterback Jeff Terrell had his best game as a starter against Columbia, throwing for 186 passing yards with no interceptions and rushing for 79 yards and two touchdowns.
License To Drive • Princeton scored on nine of its first 10 drives against Columbia last weekend.
Playing From Ahead • Princeton has led for 160:28 of the season, been tied for 19:32 and has not trailed at any point.
Just For Kicks I • Princeton placekicker Derek Javarone tied his own Ivy League record last weekend when he booted five field goals in a league game. He previously set the record in the 2003 season finale at Dartmouth.
Just For Kicks II • Derek Javarone also set an Ivy League record last weekend when he scored 19 points in a league game. No kicker has ever scored more points in a single league game.
Just For Kicks III • Derek Javarone needs one field goal to tie Taylor Northrop for the most career field goals by a Princeton kicker. Javarone enters today's game with 37 career field goals.
Climbing Ivy • Besides being one field goal away from tying Taylor Northrop's career record, Derek Javarone needs four field goals to tie Penn's Jason Feinberg for the most career field goals in Ivy League history. Feinberg kicked 41 from 1998 until 2000.
I'm Honored • Princeton earned a weekly Ivy League award for the second consecutive week. One week following Jay McCareins' defensive honor, Derek Javarone was named the Special Teams Player of the Week.
Jaywalking • The Ivy League leader in interceptions and passes defensed, Jay McCareins tied a Princeton record two weeks ago when he intercepted three passes in the 20-17 win over San Diego.
Tim-ber • Prior to Jay McCareins' heroics against San Diego, the last Princeton player to record three interceptions in one game was Tim Strickland, who pulled it off last season at Colgate.
Playing The Percentages • Princeton leads the Ivy League in third-down conversion defense. The Tigers have allowed their opponents to successfully convert on third down 15% of the time (6 for 30). Columbia was 0-for-11 on third-down attempts last weekend.
D+ • Princeton is first in the Ivy League and eighth in Division I-AA in national scoring defense. The Tigers have allowed 13.7 points per game this season.
Block Party • Against Columbia, James Williams recorded Princeton's first blocked field goal since Jay McCareins recorded one a season earlier at Columbia.
Half and Half • The Princeton defense has not allowed a first-half touchdown this season.
Very Special Teams • While Derek Javarone was the Special Teams Player of the Week, junior punter Colin McDonough has been just as impressive this season. The two-time All-Ivy punter leads the league and ranks seventh nationally with a 43.3-yard average. Jay McCareins also ranks first in the Ivy League with 13.6 yards per punt return.
Tackling The Issue • Justin Stull has 248 career tackles. He needs 67 to tie Aaron Harris '93 for second on the Princeton all-time list and 104 to tie David Patterson '96 for first.
Justin Time • Justin Stull led the Princeton defense with 13 tackles, including two for losses, and a sack against Colgate last season.
Better Than Average • Of the six remaining teams left on the Princeton schedule, Colgate has done the best job of limiting Greg Fields' production. The senior wideout averages 8.7 yards per touch in his career against the Raiders. Dartmouth is the only other team left on the schedule that has limited Fields to less than 10 yards per touch.
Power Play • Princeton debuted at 14th on the first Gridiron Power Index of the 2005 season. I-AA.org describes the Gridiron Power Index as the BCS-style ranking for I-AA and top indicator of at-large playoff selection. It uses win-loss record, eight different computer rankings and three national polls. In the three national polls used, Princeton is ranked between 37th and 41st.
What's The Frequency, Kenneth • Princeton football returns to WHWH 1350 AM this year, with Ed Benkin (play-by-play) and Dan Loney (color) providing commentary. All audio broadcasts will also be available online at www.GoPrincetonTigers.com. WPRB 103.3 FM also plans to broadcast all Princeton football games this season.
Are You Sirius? • SIRIUS Satellite Radio, the nation's premier provider of live professional and collegiate sports events and sports talk on satellite radio, and the Ivy League have announced a multi-year agreement to broadcast a "Game of the Week" for football and men's basketball, plus a select number of men's hockey and other games from across the Ivy League sports landscape, on SIRIUS throughout the season.
Lights, Camera, Action • Princeton will have at least one football game televised by the YES Network in 2005 as the Tigers welcome the Cornell Big Red on Saturday, Oct. 29 at noon. Princeton's season finale at Dartmouth on Nov. 19 could also be televised as the Ivy League and the network left the final date open to choose a contest with Ivy-title implications. The YES Network is available to viewers in New York, Connecticut, and large parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The YES Network is also available nationally to DIRECTV subscribers who have the "SPORTS Pack," one of the provider's premium services. The YES Network airs on DIRECTV's channel 622. All home games can be seen locally on Patriot Media TV.
The Crystal Ball • Princeton gets back on the road with a pair of critical Ivy League road games in the next two weeks. On Oct. 15, the Tigers open that stretch with a 1 p.m. tilt against Brown in Providence. Princeton has won three straight matchups against the Bears, including a 34-14 road win two seasons ago that featured a 99-yard touchdown pass from Matt Verbit to Clinton Wu. The game can be heard live on WHWH 1350 AM or www.GoPrincetonTigers.com.
Last Year: Colgate 29, Princeton 26
Box Score
A pair of key penalties late in the game derailed the Princeton football team's effort to upset the No. 20 Colgate Raiders in front of 7,893 at Andy Kerr Stadium. Princeton held a 26-14 lead with six minutes remaining, but touchdowns from Jamaal Branch and DeWayne Long pushed the Raiders to a 29-26 victory.
Colgate cut the deficit to 26-21 on Branch's second touchdown of the game with 5:22 remaining. Princeton's first possession after the score began with a nine-yard scramble by quarterback Matt Verbit, but a holding call on the next play pushed the Tigers back to 2nd-and-long. The Tigers couldn't get the first down, giving the Raiders plenty of time to try for the go-ahead touchdown.
The drive started with two short runs, but a personal foul against the Princeton defense gave Colgate a first down at the Tiger 23-yard line. A four-yard pass to Long on third down forced a 4th and 6 at the 19-yard-line. Colgate quarterback Chris Brown found Long cutting into the middle of the end zone for the go-ahead score. Long caught another pass for the two-point conversion, leaving Princeton down 29-26 with 1:28 left.
Branden Benson led the Princeton offense with a career-best 133 yards, including an 84-yard touchdown run to open the second half, the longest rush of his career. He took a sweep and, following his pulling linemen, he found the left sideline and exploded past two defenders. He held off one final would-be tackler and scampered in for Princeton's longest touchdown of the 2004 season.
Verbit threw for 128 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Defensively, Justin Stull again led the charge with 13 tackles, including two for a loss, and a sack. Tim Strickland had five tackles and a trio of interceptions; his three interceptions tied a team record and were the most by a Princeton player since Damani Leech pulled off the hat trick in a 1997 contest against Harvard. It was the Tigers' first multiple-interception game since Jay McCareins intercepted two passes against Brown in 2002.
Tale Of The Tape
Colgate Princeton 23.5 Points Per Game 28.7 21.0 Points Allowed Per Game 13.7 75 First Downs 58 35/35/5 Rushing/Passing/Penalty 30/25/3 139.0 Rushing Yardage Per Game 181.3 5 Touchdowns Rushing 6 172.8 Passing Yardage Per Game 183.7 105/55/8 Att./Comp./Int. 80/47/4 4 Touchdowns Passing 1 14/117 Penalties/Yards 24/247 18/32.4 Punts/Avg. Per Punt 12/43.3 35:11 Time of Possession 32:19 5/36 Sacks By/Yardage 5 for 24 7/5 Fumbles/Fumbles Lost 3/0 6/6 Field Goals/Attempts 8/8 32 for 73 (44%) Third-Down Conversions 17 for 40 (42%)