Football Takes On Columbia Friday In Ivy Opener

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By Craig Sachson
PrincetonTigersFootball.com

Bob Surace knows what it felt like to be Columbia last season. The Lions had their fair share of near misses to go along with struggle-filled seasons throughout the 21st century, but they had never quite gotten over the top. They were picked to finish last entering last fall under new head coach Jon Poppe.

Then they went out and claimed Columbia's first Ivy League title since 1961.

The drought wasn't nearly as long when Surace returned to his alma mater before the 2010 season, but the Tigers suffered five straight losing seasons before the program turned everything around in 2012. Over the next decade, Princeton would win four Ivy League titles and post one of the best eras in the long, long history of Tiger football.

Princeton and Columbia both enter the 2025 season in an interesting position. Nobody expects a title run from either team — neither received a first-place vote in the Ivy League preseason poll — but nobody expects them to be bottom-dwellers either. Columbia and Princeton were picked to finish fourth and fifth, respectively.

Neither team put in the offseason work to finish right in the middle of the Ivy League, and one will take a critical first step Friday night in a nationally televised game on ESPNU.

Princeton (1-1) and Columbia (1-1) both enter their respective Ivy League openers with momentum after Week 2 wins. The Tigers scored in every quarter of a 38-28 win over Lafayette, while Columbia limited Georgetown to two scoring drives in a 19-10 win in the Lions' home opener. They also both enter Week 3 with serious questions they would like to answer: Princeton is ranked last in the Ivy League in scoring defense, while Columbia is ranked last in scoring offense.

What better way to fix some issues and build on momentum than to do so on ESPNU?

"Columbia is coming off a terrific year and had an excellent win last weekend," head coach Bob Surace said. "They combine athleticism, physicality and discipline on all three sides of the ball as well as anyone I've studied post COVID. Most aggressive teams make more errors, but Columbia has consistently kept mistakes at an absolute minimum. It will be a big challenge Friday night, and we're excited for the opportunity to play a strong team on national television."

Ivy League play is here, and somebody will find itself in a great position to surprise people once again as they move into the heart of Ivy League competition.

Week 3 Facts and Figures

History Lesson • This will be the 94th meeting between Princeton and Columbia, and the Tigers hold the all-time edge 75-17-1. Columbia carries the momentum of a 34-17 home win over the Tigers last season, its first step towards an Ivy League title. Princeton has been especially strong at home in this series, where it has won six of the last seven meetings, including a 10-7 win in a Friday night downpour two seasons ago.

Friday Night Lights • Princeton is 11-6 on Friday nights during the 2000s, including a 6-3 mark at home. Over the last two years, Princeton has home Friday night wins over both Columbia (2023) and Brown (2024), though it lost a Week 8 matchup to Dartmouth last season.

Five Alive • Over the last 11 seasons, the team that has won this matchup has finished either first or second in the Ivy League seven times. That total includes five championships (Princeton 2013, 2016, 2018, 2021; Columbia 2024).

Top Score • Princeton ranks second in the Ivy League and 13th nationally in scoring offense with 36.5 points per game.

Seeing Red • The red zone has been a good news/bad news location for Princeton through the first two weeks of the season. Offensively, the Tigers have scored on all eight trips to the red zone, including seven touchdowns. Defensively, the Tigers have allowed touchdowns on all eight trips to the red zone.

Ground Attack • Princeton is tied for the Ivy League lead with seven rushing touchdowns, including a team-best three from Dareion Murphy. The senior scored on both of his attempts in the season opener against San Diego, and he added one in the win over Lafayette last week.

Double Threat • Ethan Clark shares the team lead with Murphy with three touchdowns, though he caught one of his three scores. Clark leads Princeton in rushing yards (92) and all-purpose yards (142), and like Murphy, he has scored in each game this season.

Cobra Kai I • Senior quarterback Kai Colón, who threw only one varsity pass prior to this season, leads the Tigers in passing yards (164.5 per game) and passing touchdowns (two). Colón is one of two starting quarterbacks in the league who has yet to throw an interception.

Cobra Kai II • Sophomore running back Kai Honda led Princeton in rushing yards (37) in the win over Lafayette last weekend.

On The Chase • Junior linebacker Chase Christopher ranks second in the Ivy League with 23 tackles this season, including 14 stops in the win over Lafayette. Christopher had 12 solo tackles and a forced fumble against the Leopards.

Marco Polo • Senior linebacker Marco Scarano topped Christopher's tackle total in the season opener. Scarano had 18 tackles, including 10 solo stops, in the season opener against San Diego.

Tackling The Issue • Four of the Ivy League's top seven tacklers will be playing on ESPNU Friday night. Christopher (11.5 per game) and Scarano (10.5) rank second and third, while Columbia's Charlie Newton (8.5) and Caleb Solomon (8.0) rank fifth and seventh, respectively.

Turning Defense to Offense • Junior Torian Roberts, who recorded three interceptions in his first year as a starter last season, scored on a 38-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Week 2 win over Lafayette.

O Captain, Our Captains • Princeton names seniors Kai Colón, Nasir Hill, Blaine Hipa, and Marco Scarano team captains for the 2025 season.

Coach 'Em Up • Head coach Bob Surace is now in his 15th season as the Princeton head coach Saturday, the longest run of consecutive seasons for any head coach in program history (Hall of Famer Bill Roper coached 17 years over three different stints). He has the second-most wins in program history (82). He is currently seven behind Roper for the all-time program lead, and his four Ivy League titles match the Princeton record set by Hall of Famer Dick Colman. Surace, who also coached a year at Western Connecticut, earned his 100th win as head coach in the Week 2 victory over Lafayette.

The Constant • Senior Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Steve Verbit is in his 40th season at Princeton. Throughout his time at Princeton, Verbit has coached everything from multiple NFL players (Mike Catapano '13 and Caraun Reid '14) to his son Matt Verbit '05. He has been on the coaching staff for eight of Princeton's 13 Ivy League championship teams.

Looking Ahead • Princeton will host #22 Mercer in its final nonleague game next Saturday at Princeton Stadium (12 pm, ESPN+). Last season, Mercer was ranked seventh when it defeated Princeton 34-7 at Five Star Stadium in Macon, Georgia. The game did feature the breakout of Ethan Clark, who rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown.

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Chase Christopher

Ethan Clark

Nasir Hill

Blaine Hipa

Kai Honda

Dareion Murphy

Torian Roberts

Marco Scarano

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