Football still in running for second place as Elis loom

It's Yale.

Let's face it — next to the game against Harvard, Saturday's contest with the Elis is the biggest of the year.

Regardless of who is winning the Ivy League (which is Penn, in case you haven't figured it out yet), or what team in Division I-AA football is playing stellar this season, no other football game is as big as this one for Princeton fans.

It is no coincidence that this weekend is Homecoming.

This means that not only will Tiger fans and alumni be able to watch the game on the Yankees Entertainment Sports (YES) Network, but a whole lot of them will be in town to see the game.

While the Tigers (2-6 overall, 2-3 Ivy League) are out of the running for the H-Y-P championship — and hence the bonfire — because of the loss to Harvard three weeks ago, and nearly mathematically eliminated from Ivy League championship contention, they still have pride to play for. When it comes down to it, you don't lose your Homecoming game. That is the fear of every sports team.

While I have, personally, a huge reason for rooting for Princeton this weekend (my older brother Mike, who graduated from Yale in 2000, will be here for the game), there is one glaring reason why every Princeton football fan should either be glued to their bleacher in Princeton Stadium or glued to their television sets watching the game.

Second-place is up for grabs

Even though the Tigers have not had the most spectacular season thus far, they still have a chance to finish the league in second-place if they can capture two victories.

After losing so many players in the off-season, not many people picked the team to do well. But even with all that has gone wrong for Princeton this season, it has a chance now to get something right.

Below are the current Ivy League standings:

1. Penn (5-0)

2. Harvard (3-2)

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3. Yale (3-2)

4. Dartmouth (3-2)

5. Brown (2-3)

6. Columbia (2-3)

7. Princeton (2-3)

8. Cornell (0-5)

While the Tigers presently sit near the bottom of the league, in their final two contests they face teams (Dartmouth and Yale) separated from them by only one game. On top of that, Harvard — which is currently on a two-game skid — plays host to the league's best, Penn. Add into the mix that Brown and Dartmouth, two middle of the pack teams, play each other this weekend, and you're faced with a weekend that could very well decide the fate of the rest of the Ivy League (except Penn).

So what does that mean for the Tigers?

Should Princeton win out this season, defeating both Yale and Dartmouth, and Harvard loses one game (to either Penn or Yale), the team will be in a tie for second place.

And while second place is not first place, such a finish would be something worth noting — especially for a team that has struggled most of the season to find a rhythm.

However, before counting the accolades, one important task must be accomplished: the Tigers MUST win out. They cannot begin this weekend's match-up with the Elis in the same manner that they stepped out on to Franklin Field last weekend or the way they came out cold against Colgate. Dartmouth proved that Yale is a very beatable team, but only because it was ready to play. If Princeton can enter Saturday's game the way it started against Harvard or Cornell, firing on all cylinders with both the defense and offense in sync and ready to play, the team will have an excellent chance for success. Regardless, it will make a good game to watch in what is shaping up to be one hell of a good weekend for football.

Plus, it would be nice to have bragging rights over my big brother.