Lafayette
Princeton opens its season with a home night game against Lafayette (2-0 overall), a middle of the pack Patriot league team last year. Although the Tigers lead the all-time series by a whopping 33-4-3 margin — including a 140-0 win in 1884 — the Leopards easily defeated the Orange and Black a year ago, 28-13.
Lafayette will enter the game with the advantage of already having two games under its belt. The Leopards may well need that edge to sort out their quarterback situation — four-year starter Marko Glavic graduated last spring. But running back Joe McCourt, who tore up the Tiger defense to the tune of 108 yards and two touchdowns last year, is back.
San Diego
For the first time in school history, Princeton's football team heads to the West Coast for a game. The Tigers will take on San Diego (1-1), coached by former University of Michigan and Chicago Bears quarterback Jim Harbaugh.
The Toreros, who went 8-2 last season, also open the season with a question mark at quarterback. They seem to have found an answer in their first two games, however, in Todd Mortensen, a 25-year-old graduate student who spent three years as a backup at BYU.
Columbia
The Tigers open their Ivy League slate with a road game against perennial Ancient Eight doormat Columbia. The Lions showed promise under first year coach Bob Shoop last season, finishing 4-6 overall (3-4 Ivy League), including a win over Princeton, after going winless the previous season.
Last year's Columbia game foreshadowed the heartbreaking season to come for the Tigers. The Lions rallied from 20-0 first quarter deficit to win, 33-27, with a 49-yard hail mary on the game's final play. The men who threw and caught that fateful ball, quarterback Jeff Otis and tight end Wade Fletcher, return to lead the Lion's offense.
Colgate
Although Colgate crushed Princeton, 30-3, last season, the loss was one of the Tigers' easiest to swallow — the Raiders would finish the season 15-1, their only loss coming in the I-AA championship game. They enter this season ranked No. 4 in the nation expected to challenge for the title once again.
But Colgate (0-1) has already been proven beatable this year, falling to Massachusetts in its season opener. That said, with All-American senior running back Jamaal Branch leading the Raider offense, losses will likely be few and far between once again.
Brown
After starting last season 1-4, the young Brown team gelled to finish in a tie for second place in the Ivy League (5-5, 4-3). With All-American junior running back Nick Hartigan, the leading I-AA rusher, and a more experienced offensive line returning, the Bears should get off to a faster start this season.
Princeton won last year's match up, 34-14, despite allowing Hartigan 156 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. The game featured a 99-yard touchdown catch by then junior wide receiver Clint Wu, the longest reception in Ivy League football history.
Harvard
Princeton and Harvard waged a classic back-and-forth battle in Cambridge last season, with the Crimson ultimately prevailing 43-40 in overtime. With senior quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, arguably the best at his position, and a talented offense back, this year's game will likely turn into a high-scoring shootout once again.
Defensively, however, Harvard will be weaker then in the past few years, after losing seven starters. If the replacements can mature quickly, the Crimson will challenge Penn for the league title; if not, they'll be hard-pressed to match last year's 7-3 (4-3) record.
Cornell
Only one team fared worse than Princeton in Ivy League play last year — the Big Red, who finished 1-9 (0-7). The Tigers' 28-6 victory was one of their few bright spots of the season, as then junior quarterback Matt Verbit tossed three touchdowns.
Unfortunately for new head coach Jim Knowles, who returnees to take the helm of his alma mater, there's little help in sight. Barring a miracle turn around, the Big Red are headed back to the league cellar. On the positive side, All-Ivy punter Mike Baumgartel should get plenty of chances to use his powerful leg.
Penn
After thoroughly outclassing the competition en route to a perfect 10-0 season last year, Penn is the early favorite to take home its third straight Ivy League championship. But they're by no means invincible, after graduating 13 starters, including the Ivy player of the year, quarterback Mike Mitchell.
Still, the Quakers return plenty of offensive firepower, including the All-Ivy tandem of wide receiver Dan Castles and running back Sam Matthews. Matthews and Castles each produced two touchdowns in Penn's 37-7 shellacking of the Tigers last season.
Yale
For all the heartbreak the Tigers suffered last year, no game was more painful then the 27-24 double overtime loss to Yale. The Bulldogs needed a 92-yard drive in the final 63 seconds just to tie the game and only snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in the second extra session when star Princeton receiver B.J. Szymanski fumbled the ball just a few feet short of the end zone.
Yale (6-4, 4-3 last year) returns 19 starters, including all 11 on defense. Senior quarterback Alvin Cowan, who missed most of last season due to injury, returns under center. He'll spend plenty of time handing off to senior running back Robert Carr, who rushed for 10 touchdowns last season.
Dartmouth
Princeton concludes its season with a contest against Dartmouth, one of the four teams that tied for second in the Ivy League last season (5-5, 4-3). But the Big Green are expected to drop a bit this year, after losing All-American tight end Kasey Kramer and All-Ivy wide receiver Jay Barnard.
Dartmouth's defense, which limited the Tigers to five field goals in a 21-15 victory last year, returns nine starters and should be stingy once again. All-Ivy senior defensive end Ryan Conger, who made 14 tackles for loss last year, is the best of the bunch.
Read More
What’s an offseason? Jackson Green and Jay Mentink on being multi-sport athletes at Princeton
Doug SchwartzPrinceton sophomores Jackson Green and Jay Mentink embrace the challenge of playing two Division I sports while tackling Ivy League academics head-on.
Princeton sophomores Jackson Green and Jay Mentink embrace the challenge of playing two Division I sports while tackling Ivy League academics head-on.
No. 3 men’s lacrosse routs No. 14 Towson 22–12, Mackesy breaks career goals record
Hayk YengibaryanWith the win, the Tigers advance to the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time in 2022. Princeton will take on No. 5 Syracuse in Hempstead, N.Y., next weekend for a spot in the final four.
With the win, the Tigers advance to the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time in 2022. Princeton will take on No. 5 Syracuse in Hempstead, N.Y., next weekend for a spot in the final four.
Senior Coulter Mackesy, Pace Billings ’24, and Sam English ’23 drafted to Premier Lacrosse League
Hayk YengibaryanThe PLL, founded in 2018 by brothers Mike and Paul Rabil, is North America’s professional lacrosse league. The league currently features eight teams that compete in a tour-based format, traveling to different cities each weekend throughout the summer season.
The PLL, founded in 2018 by brothers Mike and Paul Rabil, is North America’s professional lacrosse league. The league currently features eight teams that compete in a tour-based format, traveling to different cities each weekend throughout the summer season.