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Princeton University Athletics
Saturday, September 19
Smithfield, R.I.
1:00 PM
Princeton University
at
Bryant
Justin Selbert
Photo by: Sideline Photos, LLC
Football Ready For 2026 Season Opener at Bryant
September 18, 2026 | Football
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Game Notes
By Craig Sachson
PrincetonTigersFootball.com
Dareion Murphy capped a long drive with a five-yard touchdown run to open a 13-6 lead over Bryant in the first meeting ever between the two schools. Princeton, winners of 36 of their previous 41 games and a team that always seemed to find a way late in games, looked primed for another run at the Ivy League Championship.
Bryant scored the next 13 points, including a field goal in overtime, and that one result flipped one of the most impressive stretches in Princeton football history into one far less enjoyable. The Tigers went 10-19 from that point and have found themselves on the outside looking in during November championship races.
Over the last nine months, Princeton has shown no desire to remain in the Ivy League's second tier. High-level recruiting, changes within the coaching staff, and a focused, consistent effort from their roster has the Tigers believing it is time to flip the narrative once again. They have not only seen their Ivy League peers reach the NCAA tournament, but they watched them do some damage as well.
There were signs of progress late last season, but they occurred more on the field and less in the win column. Princeton went toe-to-toe with a Yale team that won the league and advanced in the NCAAs, and they were in every game over the last four weeks.
Progress continued through the year, but progress won't be enough for the locker room this year. It's time to flip the script once more and to get back to winning.
Who better to do that against than Bryant in Saturday's 2026 season opener?Â
Week 1 Game Notes
Welcome Back • Princeton opens its 155th season of football Saturday at 1 pm when it travels to Smithfield, R.I., to play Bryant (watch here). Princeton has lost its last two season openers, including a 42-35 home loss to San Diego in 2025, after winning nine straight between 2015-2023.
Meet Our Opponent • Bryant enters the weekend with a 2-1 record, with its lone loss coming at FBS opponent Army (59-3). Last weekend, Bryant quarterback Brennan Myer threw for 216 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions in a 31-3 win at Hampton. The Bears, who have two Preseason All-CAA performers in returner Keylijah Williams and offensive lineman Wyatt Whalen, already have two wins after going 3-9 last season.
O Captain! Our Captains! • Princeton named four captains for the 2026 season: defensive backs Evan Haynie and Torian Roberts, tight end Joey Wassler, and offensive lineman Oyintare Porbeni.
Staff Report • Princeton head coach Bob Surace announced changes to the coaching staff during the preseason. Mike Weick, who has spent the previous seven years coaching some of the most prominent linebacker in the Ivy League, has been named Defensive Coordinator and Associate Head Coach, while Stephen Thomas has returned to Princeton and will coach the defensive line. Steve Verbit, who enters his fifth decade on the staff, will now serve as Chief of Staff for the program.
We're Honored • The Princeton Football Team had 10 players named to the preseason Phil Steele All-Ivy team. Josh Robinson earned first-team honors at wide receiver and punt returner, while Barrett Eddlemon, Justin Selbert and Oytinare Porbeni nabbed first-team honors on the offensive line. Chase Christopher (linebacker) and Torian Roberts (defensive back) collected first team honors on the defensive side of the ball while Brady Clark was first team punter. Ethan Clark (running back), AJ Pigford (linebacker) and Evan Haynie (defensive back) were named to the second team.
Milestone Watch • Senior running back Ethan Clark, a second-team All-Ivy League selection last season, needs 60 rushing yards to surpass the 1,000-yard mark. Last season, Clark rushed 136 times for 594 yards and six touchdowns, and he added two touchdown catches as well. The last Princeton running back to gain more than 1,000 yards was John Volker, who ended his career with 1,183 in 2024.
Second Act • Sophomore wide receiver Josh Robinson posted one of the greatest freshman seasons in Ivy League history last year, as he broke the Princeton freshman records for both receptions (46) and receiving yards (569) on his way to Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors. The Jerry Rice Award Finalist, Robinson won Rookie of the Week honors five times over a seven-week stretch.
Throw It Around • For the seventh time in the last eight seasons, Princeton will have a new starting quarterback to open the year; two of those quarterbacks (John Lovett, 2018; Cole Smith, 2021) went on to lead Princeton to the Ivy League title. While five of the seven new starters were seniors (current senior West Smith could make it six of eight), three of the Tigers' four potential starters are underclassmen. If either Eli Friend or Ty Ciongoli start, it will be the first time a Princeton sophomore starts the opener since Chad Kanoff did so in 2015. If Wyatt Becker starts, it would be the first time a Princeton freshman ever started a season opener, and it would be the first time one started a game of any kind since Quinn Epperly started the 2011 season finale.
Tackling The Issue • Senior Chase Christopher is the only returning Ivy player who ranked in the Top 10 in tackles in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons. He ranked seventh in 2024 with 7.2 stops per game, and he ranked tenth last season with 7.9 per game. A two-time All-Ivy League honoree, Christopher enters his senior season with 152 career tackles.
1-2 Punch • The defensive back combination of Torian Roberts and Evan Haynie have combined to play 56 of a possible 60 games over the last three seasons. Roberts, a 2025 second-team All-Ivy honoree who has played in all 30 games of his career, recorded 42 tackles, four interceptions and six breakups last season. Haynie is a 2026 captain who earned All-Ivy honorable mention last season after recording 38 tackles and three interceptions, while Roberts earned
Good Work • Rashad Caldwell has been named the Princeton Football nominee for the AllState AFCA Good Works Team. The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team recognizes college football student-athletes who demonstrate exceptional commitment to community service, academics and athletics. Established in 1992 and presented by Allstate since 2008, the program honors players who use their platforms to strengthen communities and support causes important to them. Caldwell served as a David K. Rose '88 Civic Service Coordinator, dedicating six weeks during the summer to full-time community engagement in Trenton, New Jersey.Â
Coach 'Em Up • Head coach Bob Surace enters his 16th season as the Princeton head coach this weekend, 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 (84). He is currently five 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.
Crystal Ball • Princeton will play its 2026 home opener on Saturday, Sept. 26 (3 pm), against Albany. This will be the first meeting between the two programs, one of two first-time matchups for Princeton this season (Oct. 10 vs. Wagner
Listen
Live Stats
Tickets
Game Notes
By Craig Sachson
PrincetonTigersFootball.com
Dareion Murphy capped a long drive with a five-yard touchdown run to open a 13-6 lead over Bryant in the first meeting ever between the two schools. Princeton, winners of 36 of their previous 41 games and a team that always seemed to find a way late in games, looked primed for another run at the Ivy League Championship.
Bryant scored the next 13 points, including a field goal in overtime, and that one result flipped one of the most impressive stretches in Princeton football history into one far less enjoyable. The Tigers went 10-19 from that point and have found themselves on the outside looking in during November championship races.
Over the last nine months, Princeton has shown no desire to remain in the Ivy League's second tier. High-level recruiting, changes within the coaching staff, and a focused, consistent effort from their roster has the Tigers believing it is time to flip the narrative once again. They have not only seen their Ivy League peers reach the NCAA tournament, but they watched them do some damage as well.
There were signs of progress late last season, but they occurred more on the field and less in the win column. Princeton went toe-to-toe with a Yale team that won the league and advanced in the NCAAs, and they were in every game over the last four weeks.
Progress continued through the year, but progress won't be enough for the locker room this year. It's time to flip the script once more and to get back to winning.
Who better to do that against than Bryant in Saturday's 2026 season opener?Â
Week 1 Game Notes
Welcome Back • Princeton opens its 155th season of football Saturday at 1 pm when it travels to Smithfield, R.I., to play Bryant (watch here). Princeton has lost its last two season openers, including a 42-35 home loss to San Diego in 2025, after winning nine straight between 2015-2023.
Meet Our Opponent • Bryant enters the weekend with a 2-1 record, with its lone loss coming at FBS opponent Army (59-3). Last weekend, Bryant quarterback Brennan Myer threw for 216 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions in a 31-3 win at Hampton. The Bears, who have two Preseason All-CAA performers in returner Keylijah Williams and offensive lineman Wyatt Whalen, already have two wins after going 3-9 last season.
O Captain! Our Captains! • Princeton named four captains for the 2026 season: defensive backs Evan Haynie and Torian Roberts, tight end Joey Wassler, and offensive lineman Oyintare Porbeni.
Staff Report • Princeton head coach Bob Surace announced changes to the coaching staff during the preseason. Mike Weick, who has spent the previous seven years coaching some of the most prominent linebacker in the Ivy League, has been named Defensive Coordinator and Associate Head Coach, while Stephen Thomas has returned to Princeton and will coach the defensive line. Steve Verbit, who enters his fifth decade on the staff, will now serve as Chief of Staff for the program.
We're Honored • The Princeton Football Team had 10 players named to the preseason Phil Steele All-Ivy team. Josh Robinson earned first-team honors at wide receiver and punt returner, while Barrett Eddlemon, Justin Selbert and Oytinare Porbeni nabbed first-team honors on the offensive line. Chase Christopher (linebacker) and Torian Roberts (defensive back) collected first team honors on the defensive side of the ball while Brady Clark was first team punter. Ethan Clark (running back), AJ Pigford (linebacker) and Evan Haynie (defensive back) were named to the second team.
Milestone Watch • Senior running back Ethan Clark, a second-team All-Ivy League selection last season, needs 60 rushing yards to surpass the 1,000-yard mark. Last season, Clark rushed 136 times for 594 yards and six touchdowns, and he added two touchdown catches as well. The last Princeton running back to gain more than 1,000 yards was John Volker, who ended his career with 1,183 in 2024.
Second Act • Sophomore wide receiver Josh Robinson posted one of the greatest freshman seasons in Ivy League history last year, as he broke the Princeton freshman records for both receptions (46) and receiving yards (569) on his way to Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors. The Jerry Rice Award Finalist, Robinson won Rookie of the Week honors five times over a seven-week stretch.
Throw It Around • For the seventh time in the last eight seasons, Princeton will have a new starting quarterback to open the year; two of those quarterbacks (John Lovett, 2018; Cole Smith, 2021) went on to lead Princeton to the Ivy League title. While five of the seven new starters were seniors (current senior West Smith could make it six of eight), three of the Tigers' four potential starters are underclassmen. If either Eli Friend or Ty Ciongoli start, it will be the first time a Princeton sophomore starts the opener since Chad Kanoff did so in 2015. If Wyatt Becker starts, it would be the first time a Princeton freshman ever started a season opener, and it would be the first time one started a game of any kind since Quinn Epperly started the 2011 season finale.
Tackling The Issue • Senior Chase Christopher is the only returning Ivy player who ranked in the Top 10 in tackles in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons. He ranked seventh in 2024 with 7.2 stops per game, and he ranked tenth last season with 7.9 per game. A two-time All-Ivy League honoree, Christopher enters his senior season with 152 career tackles.
1-2 Punch • The defensive back combination of Torian Roberts and Evan Haynie have combined to play 56 of a possible 60 games over the last three seasons. Roberts, a 2025 second-team All-Ivy honoree who has played in all 30 games of his career, recorded 42 tackles, four interceptions and six breakups last season. Haynie is a 2026 captain who earned All-Ivy honorable mention last season after recording 38 tackles and three interceptions, while Roberts earned
Good Work • Rashad Caldwell has been named the Princeton Football nominee for the AllState AFCA Good Works Team. The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team recognizes college football student-athletes who demonstrate exceptional commitment to community service, academics and athletics. Established in 1992 and presented by Allstate since 2008, the program honors players who use their platforms to strengthen communities and support causes important to them. Caldwell served as a David K. Rose '88 Civic Service Coordinator, dedicating six weeks during the summer to full-time community engagement in Trenton, New Jersey.Â
Coach 'Em Up • Head coach Bob Surace enters his 16th season as the Princeton head coach this weekend, 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 (84). He is currently five 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.
Crystal Ball • Princeton will play its 2026 home opener on Saturday, Sept. 26 (3 pm), against Albany. This will be the first meeting between the two programs, one of two first-time matchups for Princeton this season (Oct. 10 vs. Wagner
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