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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Yale
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Players Mentioned
Explosive Yale Offense, Key Punt Block, Leads Bulldogs To Football Victory
November 15, 2014 | Football
Yale's running back, Tyler Varga, is a strong candidate for the Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year award. Princeton did everything it could to slow him down, but that wouldn't be enough to slow Yale down. The Bulldogs threw for more than 400 yards and got a critical punt block for a touchdown to claim a 44-30 victory in New Haven Saturday afternoon.
The loss eliminates Princeton (5-4, 4-2 Ivy) from the Ivy League race, while it sets up a championship opportunity for Yale (8-1, 5-1) next weekend in Boston. Harvard (9-0, 6-0) clinched a share of the championship with a comeback win at Penn Saturday, but Yale would earn a share of the title with a road win at Harvard.
Dartmouth (7-2, 5-1) can also get a piece of the title, but Princeton will do everything in its power to keep that from happening. The Tigers will conclude their 2014 season next Saturday at 1 pm when they host the Big Green on ESPN3.
Princeton needed a victory at Yale to stay in the championship race, and it stayed with the Bulldogs for more than three quarters, but big plays and mistakes cost the Tigers dearly. Yale quarterback Marcus Roberts completed 27 of 42 passes for 405 yards and two touchdowns, including a 13-yard pass to Varga early in the third quarter that opened a 16-point lead.
Offensively, Princeton applied plenty of early pressure on the Bulldogs, including twice opening a seven-point lead. Senior quarterback Connor Michelsen drove the Tigers down the field on the opening drive and connected with James Frusciante from 16 yards out for the first touchdown reception of the sophomore's career.
Yale evened it at 7-7, but an interception by Matt Arends on the ensuing drive set up Princeton at the Bulldog 29. Senior Quinn Epperly, the reigning Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year, scored his first of three rushing touchdowns to open a 14-7 lead.
It would be 14-10 when the Tigers were forced to punt deep in their own territory, and that is where everything changed. Marty Moesta came up the middle and got a hand on the Tyler Roth punt, and the ball deflected backwards into the end zone. Jaeden Graham dove on it to give Yale its first lead of the game.
Special teams remained an issue on the next drive, as Roth couldn't hold on to a high snap, and he was forced to secure the loose ball deep in the backfield. He managed to avoid the tackle attempt and get off a short punt, but Yale took advantage of the short field to kick a field goal.
Epperly cut the deficit to six points with 1:04 left in the half, but Yale drove 73 yards for a field goal to open a 9-point lead just before the half. Princeton got to within 10 points after an eight-yard run by Epperly, but it couldn't get the crucial stops it needed at the end.
Michelsen ended the game completing 21 of 39 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown, while sophomore Joe Rhattigan led all rushers with six carries for 29 yards. Both Connor Kelley and Frusciante had seven catches apiece. Senior linebacker Mike Zeuli had 12 tackles, including three for losses, while Arends had 10 tackles, an interception and a pass breakup in the loss.