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Princeton University Athletics
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Princeton, Hampton Meet Saturday In First Showdown Of Ivy, MEAC Champions
October 05, 2007 | Football
Princeton and Hampton have never met on the gridiron. In fact, only one other time has an Ivy League school competed against a Historically Black College or University, and that was in 1984. So there is some history to this matchup, but there should also be plenty of good football. Both teams have winning records this season, and both are coming off championship seasons in 2006. For Princeton, Saturday's 3:30 showdown will provide one final stiff test before it heads into the heart of Ivy League play.
Date/Time: Oct. 6/3:30 p.m.
Field: Powers Field at Princeton Stadium
Location: Princeton, N.J.
TV: Comcast CN8, GoPrincetonTigers.com
Radio: WPRB 103.3 FM
All-Time Series: 0-0-0
Last Year: ?
Last At Site: ?
Last Five Years: ?
Current Streak: ?
Game Notes ? Week 4
We Are The Champions, And So Are You ? Princeton is playing its third matchup of 2006 conference champions in four games this season. The Ivy League champions split a pair of games against the Patriot League co-champions Lehigh and Lafayette and will face Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion Hampton Saturday.
History Lesson ? Saturday is Princeton's first game ever against a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). An Ivy League team has competed against an HBCUonce, a 41-0 victory for Yale over Morgan State in 1984.
Hampton Makes, Trenton Takes ? Trenton mayor Douglas Palmer is a 1973 graduate of Hampton University.
Poll Position ? Both Princeton and Hampton spent much of last season in the national Top 25. The Pirates are currently ranked #21, while the Tigers were among others receiving votes.
Opening Act ? Princeton has now won seven of eight Ivy League openers under Roger Hughes, all of which have come against Columbia. The only loss was a 33-27 loss in 2003, when the Lions hit a 49-yard pass on the final play to win.
The Powers That Be ? Princeton is 6-1 on the new Powers Field at Princeton Stadium. On FieldTurf and similar surfaces, the Tigers are 9-1 in their last 10 games.
Close Calls ? In the last two seasons, Princeton is 11-2. The Tigers' wins have come by an average of seven points per game, and five games have been decided by four points or less.
Three-Peat ? Princeton is looking for its third straight win today. It would mark the third consecutive season that the Tigers have recorded at least a three-game winning streak, which hasn't happened since 1993-95.
Era Of Excellence ? Princeton has won 15 of its last 18 games dating back to a 27-24 win at Harvard in 2005. Since the mid-1960s, when Hall of Famers Dick Colman and Cosmo Iacavazzi were part of the championship program, Prince-ton has won 15 of 18 games in only two eras: the Keith Elias-Dave
Patterson years (1991-95, several occasions), and the current one.
Rallying Cry ? Dating back to last season, Princeton has come from behind to win seven of its last 11 games. Five of the seven rallies have come in the fourth quarter.
Listen Up ? All Princeton games can be heard live on WPRB 103.3 FM and on GoPrincetonTigers.com. Ed Benkin returns for his seventh year as the Princeton play-by-play man, while former Tiger and NFL offensive lineman Ross Tucker '01 will serve as the color man. Tucker played his senior season during Hughes' first year as head coach.
Watch Out ? Starting today, Princeton will be on television each of the next six weeks. Today's contest vs. Hampton will be shown on Comcast channel CN8. Princeton's Ivy road games at Brown and Harvard will both be shown on NESN (DirecTV 623). Princeton returns home Oct. 26 for a 7 p.m. showdown with Cornell on ESPNU (609), then will return to CN8 for a road game at Penn. Princeton's annual showdown with Yale can be seen on the YES Network (610).
Offensive Notes ? Week 4
Tending The Yard ? Princeton gained 570 total yards against Columbia, 65 more than the Tigers gained in any game during the 2006 Ivy League championship season. Princeton did it against a Lions defense that entered the game ranked second in the Ivies in total defense.
Good Point ? Princeton's 42 points against Columbia were its most since scoring 43 in a 2005 home game against Columbia, which were its most since the Tigers had scored 44 in a 2001 home game against Columbia. The Tigers' scoring record at Princeton Stadium is 55 points, set against Brown in 2000.
Driven To Excellence ? Princeton is averaging nine plays per scoring drive this season. The Tigers have had six scoring drives of at least 10 plays and only one of under five plays.
Sixth Sense ? Princeton had six players rush for at least 20 yards last weekend, including a team-best 84 yards from senior quarterback Bill Foran. The Tigers, who rushed for 12 touchdowns last season, have rushed for seven scores in their last two games.
Circle Pattern ? First-team All-Ivy wideout Brendan Circle leads Princeton and ranks fourth in the Ivy League with 90.3 receiving yards per game. He averages 15.5 yards per catch and 61.5 receiving yards per game in his career. Hampton's Jeremy Gilchrist ranks fourth nationally with 122.3 receiving yards per game.
Nine Lives ? Brendan Circle needs nine catches to become the seventh Princeton player to record at least 100 receptions in his career. He currently ranks ninth on the career list with 91 catches, five behind Cris Crissy '80 and eight behind Michael Lerch '93.
Plenty In Reserve ? Quarterback Greg Mroz came in last weekend and led Princeton on consecutive scoring drives, including the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter. Before leaving with an injured hand, Mroz completed six of eight passes, rushed for 22 yards and averaged 6.4 total yards per play.
Conversion Chart ? Princeton converted on 11 of 15 third-down chances against Columbia, including four of five in the second half.
Red Alert ? In 12 trips to the red zone this season, Princeton has scored nine touchdowns, kicked two field goals and taken a knee to run off the final seconds of the Lafayette victory.
Double Trouble ? Both Bill Foran and R.C. Lagomarsino scored two touchdowns last weekend. It was the first career multiple-touchdown game for both players.
Defensive Notes ? Week 4
Chairman Of The Board ? Linebacker Tim Boardman leads the Ivy League and ranks ninth nationally with 11.3 tackles per game this season. The former defensive lineman has led the Tigers in tackles every game this season, including his 11-stop effort last weekend against Columbia.
Just A Second ? Princeton ranks second in the Ivy League in total defense, allowing 326.3 yards per game. The Tigers rank behind only Cornell, which is averaging five fewer yards per game.
Twice As Nice ? Kevin Kelleher recorded two interceptions last weekend against Columbia. The last Princeton player to record two interceptions in a game was Kelleher, who picked off two passes in a 31-28 home victory against Harvard last season.
Home Sweet Home ? Kevin Kelleher has recorded six career interceptions, all of which have come in Ivy League games at Princeton Stadium.
Cart Before The Horse ? Sophomore defensive back Cart Kelly recorded eight unassisted tackles and two pass breakups last weekend. The first-year starter leads Princeton with 12 solo stops this season.
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do ? Princeton has recorded 20 pass breakups in three games this season. Sophomore Dan Kopolovich, a former all-state quarterback in Pennsylvania, leads the team with five.
Miscellaneous Notes ? Week 4
Un-Coyled ? Junior punter Ryan Coyle, the Ivy League Special Teams Player of the Week two weeks ago, leads the league with a 43.5 yard-per-punt average this season.
Just For Kicks ? Two of the Top 10 punters in the nation will compete today at Princeton Stadium. Hampton's Jahmal Blanchard currently leads the FCS with a 46.8 average, while Coyle's 43.5 average ranks seventh.
Louden Clear ? Junior placekicker Connor Louden is a perfect 36-for-36 on extra-point attempts in his career after converting on all six last weekend. The Princeton record is 59, set by Robert Goodwin from 1985-1987. Louden is 13-for-13 on all kicks this season (11 PATs, two field goals).
Oh Captain, Our Captains ? Senior wideout Brendan Circle and senior linebacker Jon Stem will serve as Princeton's 2007 captains. Circle was a first-team All-Ivy selection last season after catching 56 passes, the ninth-best single-season total in Princeton history. Stem recorded 35 tackles, including three sacks, and helped lead a linebacking corps that lost four starters from the previous season.
Crystal Ball ? Princeton will head to Providence, R.I., next weekend for a 12:30 p.m. showdown with Brown and its high-powered offense. The Bears are averaging a league-best 440.7 total yards per game, which ranks 13th in the FCS, and scored 42 points last weekend in an overtime loss to Rhode Island.