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Out of Ivy championship race, football limps to Yale

For the seniors on the football team, the time has come when the word legacy seems very important. With just two games left in their careers — tomorrow's game at Yale and then a home finale against Dartmouth — the seniors must be asking themselves how they will be remembered in Tiger football lore.

Entering the season's final two contests, the Princeton seniors have a record of 15-22 over the past four years. Included in those 22 losses are more than a fair share of heartbreakers in games that the Tigers could (and probably should) have won.

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Among these was last year's loss to Yale, a tough pill to swallow for Tiger players and fans. The Bulldogs forced overtime with a 92-yard touchdown drive with 1:03 left in the game. Both teams scored touchdowns on their first possession in overtime. In the second OT Yale kicked a field goal, then on Princeton's first play from scrimmage wide receiver B.J. Szymanski caught a slant and turned upfield to try for the game-winning score. Unfortunately for Szymanski and the Tigers, the talented receiver fumbled the ball and Yale recovered. The turnover sealed a 27-24 victory for the Bulldogs.

Possibly preventing Princeton from avenging this disappointing result will be a Yale defense that gives up an average of 20 points per game. Linebacker Ben Breunig, third in the Ivy League in tackles with 83, anchors this unit.

Princeton certainly has offensive weapons to deploy against the Bulldog defense. Senior quarterback Matt Verbit has assaulted the Tigers' record book during his four years at Princeton. Last week against Penn he became just the second Princeton player to surpass 5,000 total yards for his career. Verbit has thrown touchdown passes to 13 different players in his career, and this week will make his 23rd straight start at quarterback for the Tigers.

One of Verbit's favorite targets will be all-purpose back Greg Fields. The diminutive junior is ranked ninth nationally in total yards, averaging 158.2 per game, and he leads the team with 33 receptions on the season.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs' offense is chock full of school record-holders. Senior tailback Robert Carr owns the Yale record for career rushing yards as well as all-purpose yards. This season, he leads the Ivy League in both categories as well.

When not handing the ball off to Carr, Yale quarterback Alvin Cowan is racking up impressive numbers of his own. His 5,079 career passing yards and 5,645 yards of total offense are both school records.

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Bulldog wideout Ralph Plumb added to the impressive statistical repertoire of the Yale skill players with his 18-catch performance against Brown last Saturday. The career day was good enough for the second best single-game reception total in Ivy League history.

All three have offensive lineman Rory Hennessy to thank for much of their cumulative success. Highly regarded by NFL scouts, Hennessy has yet to allow a sack during his career at Yale. To thwart this impressive collection of offensive talent, the Tigers will rely as always on junior linebacker Justin Stull and senior linebacker Zak Keasey, who have combined for 188 tackles this season. Keasey leads the league with 99 tackles, while Stull is close behind with 89. Both players will merit serious consideration for the All-Ivy League first team.

If the offense can put some points on the board and the defense plays tough, then the Tigers will have the chance to reverse recent history and earn a sorely needed victory. That should bring a smile to the face of the Princeton seniors and might just be enough for them to call it a career with their heads held high, leaving a legacy to be proud of.

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