.png&width=24&type=webp)
Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Football Begins Stretch Run At Local Rival Penn
November 02, 2007 | Football
Penn-Princeton. It's OK to admit it, when you hear those two together, you think basketball. Many of the truly memorable moments in this local rivalry has come either at The Palestra or Jadwin Gym, but it was Princeton Stadium that played host to an all-timer last year. A double-overtime 31-30 Princeton win, which ended with SportsCenter's Top Play, began the Tigers' first perfect November since 1967. Each team is looking for a similar finish in 2007, and the first step will have to come at the expense of its closest, and arguably fiercest, rival.
Game Specifics ? Week 8
Date/Time: Nov. 3/12 p.m.
Field: Franklin Field
Location: Philadelphia, Pa.
TV: Comcast CN8
Radio: 103.3 FM, GoPrincetonTigers.com
All-Time Series: Princeton leads 63-34-1
Last Year: PRINCETON 31, Penn 30 (2 ot)
Last At Site: Princeton 30, PENN 13
Last Five Years: Penn leads 3-2
Current Streak: Princeton 2
Princeton Stats: click here.
Penn Stats: click here.
Projected Weather: click here.
Game Notes ? Week 8
Back And Forth ? After losing nine straight games to Penn from 1996-2004, Princeton has won the last two games in this series. The Tigers broke the nine-game skid with a 30-13 win at Franklin Field two years ago.
November Rain ? Princeton went undefeated in November last season for the first time since 1967.
Working Overtime ? Princeton, which has won four straight overtime contests, defeated Penn 31-30 in double overtime last season.
The Race Is On ? Princeton's win over Cornell moves the Tigers into a three-way tie for third place in the Ivy League with Brown and Dartmouth. Even if Princeton wins this weekend, it would be eliminated from the Ivy League race if Yale beats Brown and Harvard beats Columbia.
Top Of The Line ? Princeton tailback Jordan Culbreath recorded SportsCenter's “Top Play” Friday night when he scored the winning touchdown on a 58-yard option run against Cornell. It was Princeton's second time as the “Top Play” in the span of a year; the first was a fourth down pitch from Rob Toresco to Jeff Terrell to score the winning TD in a 31-30 double-overtime win against Penn in 2006.
I'm Honored ? Jordan Culbreath was named the Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 145 yards and two touchdowns in the 34-31 win against Cornell. He is Princeton's first Offensive Player of the Week since Jeff Terrell won the honor after the 34-31 win at Yale in 2006 and his second Ivy honoree this year (Ryan Coyle, special teams).
Senior Thesis ? With two more wins, the Class of 2008 would become the first Princeton graduating class without a losing season since the Class of 1995.
Conversion Chart ? Princeton is converting 50% of third downs in wins (24 of 48) and 33% in losses (21 of 63). In wins, the Tigers have a 32:06 time of possession; in losses, the time of possession is 26:53.
Give And Take ? Princeton is +5 in turnovers in victories and -10 in losses. Last weekend, Princeton recorded six takeaways against Cornell.
Apples And Orange ? For the first time under Roger Hughes, Princeton wore orange jerseys in Friday night's 34-31 win over Cornell. The Tiger players were unaware of the new jerseys until they came in the locker room following pregame warmups.
Who's Your Draddy ? Senior WR Brendan Circle is one of 153 national semifinalists for the Draddy
Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership. Circle was a first-team All-Ivy
selection in 2006.
Four Score ? Princeton avoided its first four-game losing streak since late in the 2004 season with the 34-31 win over Cornell. Following that fourth loss, a 21-9 loss at Yale, the Tigers went on to win 17 of its next 21 games and claimed the 2006 Ivy League title.
Golden Anniversary ? This is the 50th anniversary of Princeton's first Ivy League championship team (1957). The team, which was led by captain Jack Sapoch and eventual first-team All-Ivy selections Bob Casciola and Dan Sachs, was the first in the 12-year tenure of head coach Dick Colman. Colman replaced Princeton legend and College Football Hall of Famer Charles Caldwell, who was diagnosed with cancer and died during the season. Caldwell led Princeton to its last national championship season (1950) and coached Princeton's only Heisman Trophy winner (Dick Kazmaier, 1951). Colman, who would also be voted into the College Football Hall of Fame, posted winning records in 10 of 12 seasons.
Offensive Notes ? Week 8
Triple Threat ? Jordan Culbreath rushed for 145 yards in the win over Cornell. He is Princeton's first 100-yard rusher since Rob Toresco ran for 119 yards at Dartmouth in the 2005 season finale.
Deep (Cul)breath ? Jordan Culbreath recorded the fifth-highest single-game rushing total in Roger Hughes' tenure at Princeton with his 145-yard effort against Cornell, and it was the most since Jon Veach '05 ran for 205 yards in an overtime contest at Harvard in 2003.
Ground Attack ? When Princeton has had a 100-yard rusher under Roger Hughes, the team has gone 12-5. Of the five losses, two came in overtime, another came on a last-second Hail Mary and a fourth was lost by three points. The margin of victory in the 12 wins is 16.9 points per game.
Fo-ran ? Despite missing the Cornell game, senior quarterback Bill Foran leads in Princeton in both rushing yards (47.8 per game) and rushing touchdowns (five). Foran ran for a pair of touchdowns in consecutive home games against Columbia and Hampton earlier in the season.
Circle Pattern ? Brendan Circle became the seventh Princeton player with at least 100 career receptions when he caught Greg Mroz' first pass against Cornell. He is tied for sixth on the all-time receptions list with Blair Morrison '04 (104) and needs 20 catches in the final five games to tie Phil Wendler '00 for fifth.
Highway Rob-bery ? Senior fullback Rob Toresco leads Princeton with 30 receptions this season. He has 90 receptions in his career, tenth most in Princeton history. The only running back with more career receptions than Toresco is Judd Garrett, who caught 137 passes from 1987-89.
Returning In Style ? Junior running back R.C. Lagomarsino returned from a concussion in the Hampton game midway through the second quarter at Harvard. On his first drive, he took an option pitch from quarterback Greg Mroz and scored on a 29-yard run.
Just One Minute ? In the first six games of 2007, Princeton had a total of two scoring drives that last less than one minute. Against Cornell, the Tigers had four touchdown drives of less than a minute.
Defensive Notes ? Week 8
Tackling The Issue ? Princeton senior Tim Boardman ranks fifth with 8.3 tackles per game this season. He has 58 stops this season, six more than he had all of last year when he led Princeton with 52 tackles.
Passed Out ? Sophomore Dan Kopolovich ranks second in the Ivy League with 1.57 passes defensed per game (nine breakups, two interceptions). He made a diving interception to end one Cornell drive in last weekend's 34-31 win over the Big Red.
On And Karacozoff ? Since injuries to both Tom Methvin and Aaron Carter, sophomore Joel Karacozoff has excelled on the defensive line. In the last two games, he has recorded 14 tackles, including 3.5 for losses, three pass breakups, two sacks and a fumble recovery.
McCarthyism ? Junior Collin McCarthy recorded a career-high 14 tackles, including eight solo stops, in Princeton's win over Cornell.
Lost Cause ? Sophomore John Callahan, who leads all Princeton underclassmen with 47 tackles, is the team leader with seven tackles for loss. He recorded 2.5 tackles for loss in the victory over Cornell Friday night.
First Down ? A pair of Princeton sophomores, Cart Kelly and Wilson Cates, recorded their first career interceptions last weekend.
Miscellaneous Notes ? Week 8
Un-Coyled ? Junior punter Ryan Coyle ranks second nationally with a 44.8 yard-per-punt average this season. Texas State's Chris MacDonald leads the nation with a 45.3 average.
Just For Kicks ? The single-season Princeton record for punting average in a season is 44.0 yards, set in 1998 by Matt Evans. Four-time All-Ivy selection Colin McDonough made a run at the record last year, but finished second at 43.6 yards per punt.
Louden Clear ? Junior kicker Connor Louden is a perfect 46-for-46 on extra-point attempts in his career. The Princeton record is 59, set by Robert Goodwin from 1985-1987.
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 on seven games. Tucker played his senior season during Hughes' first year as head coach.
Crystal Ball ? Princeton's 2007 home finale will be the 130th meeting against Yale, a series that has produced two dramatic finishes over the last two seasons. Yale ended the Tigers' 2005 Ivy championship hopes with a late 14-point rally in a 21-14 win in Princeton. Last season, the Tigers overcame three 14-point deficits and defeated Yale 34-31 in New Haven, a win that eventually led to a share of the Ivy League title. Yale is currently unbeaten this season, which includes a 26-20 triple-OT win over Penn. The Nov. 10 game can be seen live on the YES Network.
The Powers That Be ? At halftime of the Yale game, Powers Field, named for alumnus William C. Powers '79, will be officially dedicated. Powers, a former Tiger punter, made a $10 million gift to the football program, the largest donation ever to Princeton athletics.
Last Year: PRINCETON 31, Penn 30 (2ot)
PRINCETON, N.J. - It was 4th-and-goal at the 1-yard-line, and more than a game was on the line. Dreams of a championship, born out of 2005's devastating home loss to Yale, were on the line as well. Rob Toresco realized he wasn't going to get to that line, but he made sure his teammates would. His pitch to Jeff Terrell led Princeton to the game-winning touchdown in a 31-30 double-overtime win over Penn at Princeton Stadium.
Penn came back with a 25-yard strike to Matt Carre, but a botched snap on the extra-point attempt cost the Quakers their third straight overtime game and sent Princeton into a first-place showdown with Yale, which the Tigers rallied from a trio of 14-point deficits to win 34-31.
After watching a 14-point lead evaporate in a fourth quarter filled with big Quaker plays, Princeton and Penn played a scoreless first overtime with a pair of failed field goal attempts. Penn tried first, but the snap was dropped by holder Matt Reinert and Pat McGrath made a drive-ending tackle to set Princeton up with a score-to-win opportunity. Following a first down by Toresco, Princeton was stopped on its next three plays, and Connor Louden's field goal attempt was blocked at the line of scrimmage.
That set up the wild second overtime, one which will long be remembered by the Princeton faithful. The Tigers started with an incomplete pass and a holding call, setting up a 2nd-and-20 at the 35-yard-line. Terrell responded with one of his prettiest passes of the year, a 32-yard deep corner route that fell over the hands of a Penn defender and was secured by a diving Brian Brigham. Two rushes by Toresco, one which appeared to reach the goal line but was ruled short, and a third by Terrell got Princeton within inches of the end zone. Head coach Roger Hughes decided to forego the field goal attempt and called a Toresco run. He was hit at the line of scrimmage but never stopped his forward motion, and he pitched the ball to Terrell, who went around the right side of the line for the score. The play would be shown as SportsCenter's Top Play of the evening.
The score and Louden's extra point gave Princeton a 31-24 lead, but a resilient Penn squad was primed for another big play. Quarterback Robert Irvin faked a short pass and found Carre in the deep right corner of the end zone. It was another swing of the emotional pendulum, and it sent the Penn sideline into delirium.
Unfortunately for Penn, which had lost two straight overtime games on special teams miscues, there was a final swing to come. The extra point snap was low and bounced to Reinert, who tried to run it in to the left corner of the end zone. He was caught at the 2-yard-line by McGrath, and a relieved Princeton squad celebrated its hard-earned win in a game neither team deserved to lose.