Football expects the unexpected in battle against Yale

It's the Yale game.

The Princeton Tigers (1-6 overall, 1-4 Ivy League) play host to the Yale Elis (3-4, 1-4) this Saturday at Princeton Stadium in what is one of the most historic rivalries in college football.

And that is all that really matters.

As for an example of how important a game this big is, cast your memory back to last season's matchup. Princeton was trailing Yale after the first half, 14-3. In the second half, the Tigers scored nine unanswered points. In the closing seconds of the fourth quarter, after Princeton had marched down the field, quarterback Jon Blevins '01 found then-sophomore wide receiver Chisom Opara in the endzone to end the Elis' hope of an H-Y-P championship.

Once again, Yale is coming into the game looking for the elusive H-Y-P championship that will add the silver lining to its dismal Ivy League season. While Princeton has already lost its chance at that championship with the loss to Harvard earlier in the season, it is trying to win this one because, as head coach Roger Hughes learned from several alumni, "You just don't lose to Yale."

Both teams have struggled this season to put W's in the win column in Ivy League competition. In what has been typical Princeton fashion in the Hughes era, all of Princeton's losses have been close. Against the top two teams in the League, Harvard and Penn, the Tigers went into the second half with the lead, only to have something go wrong in the fourth quarter.

"We're right there," senior cornerback Jon Ganter said. "We just need to move over that hump."

Getting in the way of both teams have been injury problems. As of Wednesday, Yale still did not know who was going to be their starting quarterback. Peter Lee has been the starter for most of the season, but injury has kept him out of two games, and T.J. Hyland has stepped in and done just as well. Against Brown last week, he rushed for 139 yards and passed for 146.

Princeton will have different defensive challenges depending on which quarterback is in the game. Lee is more of a pocket passer, while Hyland is the more athletic scrambler of the two.

"Not actually knowing who the starting quarterback is going to be, you probably have to put together a couple of different game plans," defensive coordinator Steve Verbit said.

Because the Tigers have had to prepare for the two different styles, they have had to limit what they can do against each one.

Princeton's injury problems come in the form of a knee injury to junior running back Cameron Atkinson that put him out of the Penn game. Taking his place was freshmen Jon Veach, who brought in 66 yards on 14 carries, and Branden Benson, who carried six times for 25 yards. If Atkinson is healthy enough to play on Saturday, Princeton's versatility in their running game will be something that the Yale defense will have to counter.

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As if the Tigers don't have enough to worry about, this weekend is homecoming weekend. And returning to Princeton this year are the members of the '51 and '52 football teams, including Heisman Trophy-winner Dick Kazmaier. He will address the team at their dinner tonight.

Kazmaier's Heisman will also be on display in Princeton Stadium during the weekend, following a ceremony at halftime.

But coach Hughes is keeping his team focused on the end goal, a victory over Yale. In order to be successful, Princeton is going to have to get over its fourth quarter failures.

"I was very pleased with our efforts for three quarters, and I thought we played very well against Penn," Hughes said. "We need to put a fourth-quarter game together and play a full 60 minutes."

Given the comparable strengths and weaknesses of each team, their similar records in the Ivy League, the history of this rivalry, and all the other events going on this weekend, it could prove to be a huge weekend for the football team — or it could prove to be another nail in the coffin for Princeton's season.

Regardless, it should be a great weekend of football. After all, it's the Yale game.