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Princeton University Athletics
Saturday, September 27
Easton, Pa.
3:30 PM
Princeton University
at
Lafayette
Charley Rossi and Ethan Clark
Photo by: Sideline Photos, LLC
Football Heads To Lafayette Saturday
September 26, 2025 | Football
Football Game Notes
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By Craig Sachson
PrincetonTigersFootball.com
Glass half full, glass half empty. Which do you prefer?
If you're a glass half full person, you left last Saturday encouraged by what you saw in the first half against a San Diego team that has already played two ranked FCS teams and beaten one of them. You saw an offense that put up 35 points over its first six drives and spread the ball to six different rushers and 10 different receivers throughout the game. You saw a defense that was led once again by the All-Ivy duo of Marco Scarano and Chase Christopher combined for 27 tackles, and one that could have been up three touchdowns at halftime if not for a brilliant one-handed catch.
If you're a glass half empty person, the second half had plenty for you as well.
Either way, the Princeton football team will look to fill its cup Saturday at 3:30 pm when it heads to Easton, Pa., to play a Lafayette team that enters the weekend on a three-game win streak, including a 38-14 home win over Columbia last weekend.
"Lafayette has started the season incredibly strong," said head coach Bob Surace, who is in his 15th season as head coach at Princeton. "They are built like so many of the excellent teams in the Dakotas and Montana. They are big, physical and long on both sides of the line, they have explosive skill players and their quarterback is a terrific decision maker who is both accurate and a very good athlete. This is a great challenge for our team this week and one of the best non-conference teams we have faced the past 15 seasons."
Fans who can't make it to Easton, Pa., can watch the game on ESPN+. This will be Princeton's last game before its Ivy League season opens next Saturday against Columbia.
Week 2 Game Notes
The Matchup • This will be the 54th meeting between Princeton and Lafayette in a series that dates back to Oct. 22, 1883. The Tigers won that game 47-7, and they have won 44 of the other matchups as well, but Lafayette is the team on the one-game win streak in this series. The Leopards earned a narrow 12-9 win on Powers Field two seasons ago.
Maintain The Quick Start• Princeton had one of its best offensive halves in years last weekend, scoring 35 points against the University of San Diego. The Tigers reached the 35-point mark for a full game only once in the last two seasons, a 49-35 home loss to Cornell last season.
Avoid The Slow Start • Princeton is looking to avoid its first 0-2 start to a season since 2012, when Surace was in his third season at his alma mater and entered Week 3 with a 2-20 mark as head coach. The Tigers would end up winning the next three games that season, and then an Ivy League title the following year.
Grounded • Princeton had two running backs score multiple touchdowns last weekend. Junior Ethan Clark averaged more than 10 yards per carry and scored touchdowns of 55 (rushing) and 25 (receiving) yards, while senior Dareion Murphy scored on runs of 1 and 18 yards. Lafayette ranks in the Top 20 in rushing defense in the FCS, and in the Top 10 among teams that have played more than one game.
Cobra Kai • Senior quarterback Kai Colón had never completed a varsity pass before last weekend, but he went 12 for 18 for 196 yards and a touchdown in the loss to San Diego.
A Perfect 10 • Ten different Princeton players caught at least one pass last weekend, including Charley Rossi, who posted a team-high 79 receiving yards on two catches. No Tiger player had more than three catches.
Marco Polo • Senior linebacker and captain Marco Scarano, a 2024 All-Ivy League honoree, was all over the field last weekend. He led the team, and the Ivy League, with 18 stops, including 10 solo tackles. His 10 solo tackles alone would have tied Scarano for sixth in the league in total tackles last weekend.
Break it Up • Scarano did more than just tackle last weekend. He also broke up three passes, which was also tied for the most in the Ivy League.
Chase Them Down • Junior linebacker Chase Christopher also had a standout effort last weekend, recording nine tackles and a sack against San Diego.
Just For Kicks • Two-time All-Ivy League punter averaged 53.8 yards per punt last weekend, the best of any Ivy punter. He had three punts of over 50 yards last weekend, including a 65-yarder; Clark's career long was a 70-yard punt against Howard last 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 (81). He is currently eight 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.
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 open its Ivy League season Friday, Oct. 3, when it welcomes reigning Ivy League co-champion Columbia to Princeton Stadium for a 7:30 pm kickoff. The game will be televised on ESPNU.
Watch | NBC Sports Philadelphia +
Live Stats
Listen
Tickets
By Craig Sachson
PrincetonTigersFootball.com
Glass half full, glass half empty. Which do you prefer?
If you're a glass half full person, you left last Saturday encouraged by what you saw in the first half against a San Diego team that has already played two ranked FCS teams and beaten one of them. You saw an offense that put up 35 points over its first six drives and spread the ball to six different rushers and 10 different receivers throughout the game. You saw a defense that was led once again by the All-Ivy duo of Marco Scarano and Chase Christopher combined for 27 tackles, and one that could have been up three touchdowns at halftime if not for a brilliant one-handed catch.
If you're a glass half empty person, the second half had plenty for you as well.
Either way, the Princeton football team will look to fill its cup Saturday at 3:30 pm when it heads to Easton, Pa., to play a Lafayette team that enters the weekend on a three-game win streak, including a 38-14 home win over Columbia last weekend.
"Lafayette has started the season incredibly strong," said head coach Bob Surace, who is in his 15th season as head coach at Princeton. "They are built like so many of the excellent teams in the Dakotas and Montana. They are big, physical and long on both sides of the line, they have explosive skill players and their quarterback is a terrific decision maker who is both accurate and a very good athlete. This is a great challenge for our team this week and one of the best non-conference teams we have faced the past 15 seasons."
Fans who can't make it to Easton, Pa., can watch the game on ESPN+. This will be Princeton's last game before its Ivy League season opens next Saturday against Columbia.
Week 2 Game Notes
The Matchup • This will be the 54th meeting between Princeton and Lafayette in a series that dates back to Oct. 22, 1883. The Tigers won that game 47-7, and they have won 44 of the other matchups as well, but Lafayette is the team on the one-game win streak in this series. The Leopards earned a narrow 12-9 win on Powers Field two seasons ago.
Maintain The Quick Start• Princeton had one of its best offensive halves in years last weekend, scoring 35 points against the University of San Diego. The Tigers reached the 35-point mark for a full game only once in the last two seasons, a 49-35 home loss to Cornell last season.
Avoid The Slow Start • Princeton is looking to avoid its first 0-2 start to a season since 2012, when Surace was in his third season at his alma mater and entered Week 3 with a 2-20 mark as head coach. The Tigers would end up winning the next three games that season, and then an Ivy League title the following year.
Grounded • Princeton had two running backs score multiple touchdowns last weekend. Junior Ethan Clark averaged more than 10 yards per carry and scored touchdowns of 55 (rushing) and 25 (receiving) yards, while senior Dareion Murphy scored on runs of 1 and 18 yards. Lafayette ranks in the Top 20 in rushing defense in the FCS, and in the Top 10 among teams that have played more than one game.
Cobra Kai • Senior quarterback Kai Colón had never completed a varsity pass before last weekend, but he went 12 for 18 for 196 yards and a touchdown in the loss to San Diego.
A Perfect 10 • Ten different Princeton players caught at least one pass last weekend, including Charley Rossi, who posted a team-high 79 receiving yards on two catches. No Tiger player had more than three catches.
Marco Polo • Senior linebacker and captain Marco Scarano, a 2024 All-Ivy League honoree, was all over the field last weekend. He led the team, and the Ivy League, with 18 stops, including 10 solo tackles. His 10 solo tackles alone would have tied Scarano for sixth in the league in total tackles last weekend.
Break it Up • Scarano did more than just tackle last weekend. He also broke up three passes, which was also tied for the most in the Ivy League.
Chase Them Down • Junior linebacker Chase Christopher also had a standout effort last weekend, recording nine tackles and a sack against San Diego.
Just For Kicks • Two-time All-Ivy League punter averaged 53.8 yards per punt last weekend, the best of any Ivy punter. He had three punts of over 50 yards last weekend, including a 65-yarder; Clark's career long was a 70-yard punt against Howard last 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 (81). He is currently eight 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.
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 open its Ivy League season Friday, Oct. 3, when it welcomes reigning Ivy League co-champion Columbia to Princeton Stadium for a 7:30 pm kickoff. The game will be televised on ESPNU.
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