When the football team takes the field at Harvard Stadium tomorrow at 12:30 p.m., it will mark the 100th time that Princeton (2-3 overall, 1-1 Ivy League) and Harvard (3-2, 2-0) have lined up against each other. The astonishing longevity of the sportsmanlike contention between these two Ivy League schools is difficult to fully grasp. Few college rivalries last more than a lifetime, let alone more than a century.
The first players who stepped on the field for Princeton and Harvard in 1877 were mere memories by 1897 when another notable rivalry began. Yes, Princeton-Harvard is 20 years older than Ohio State-Michigan.
Back then football was still scored in (field) goals and touchdowns — with the former being worth four of the latter in the rule system of those bygone days. Ironically, the first Tigers to play in this rivalry could not even refer to themselves as such, since the two tiger statues outside Nassau Hall, and hence the nickname, were not installed until 1911.
In that nearly prehistoric contest, Harvard won by a score of one goal, two touchdowns to Princeton's one touchdown. The Tigers' beginnings, were almost as inauspicious as Ohio State's inaugural 34-0 drubbing at the hands of Michigan.
In the years since, despite a decade-long refusal to play and years stolen by world war, the Orange and Black has seen quite a bit of its Crimson nemesis from the north. Princeton has done much to avenge its original defeat since 1877 and leads the historic series 52-40-7.
The Tigers of today, however, can hardly afford to ruminate or reminisce about history. With one league loss already and burdened with the knowledge that it has been 25 years since a team won the Ivy title with two league defeats, Princeton faces a must-win game on the road.
"Our backs are against the wall," head coach Roger Hughes said. "We need to run the table to have a shot."
Hughes' players concurred with him, even to the point of echoing his language.
"We've been in this situation before," senior fullback Rob Toresco said. "We know what it takes; we've been in big games with our backs against the wall."
Princeton will need such confidence in Cambridge. The Crimson is the worst sort of matchup for the turnover-prone Tiger squad: It has a fast, aggressive defense that creates strong pressure up front and has plenty of ball-hawks in the secondary ready to prey on wounded-duck passes.
Cornerback Steve Williams leads Harvard with four interceptions, while fellow corner John Hopkins has three — including two second-half picks last weekend in a 27-17 victory over Lafayette. Last but not least, defensive back Andrew Berry — twin brother of Princeton's junior wide receiver Adam — collected a pick of his own against the Leopards.
"[The Harvard secondary]'s very good," Hughes said. "The Williams kid is always around the ball, [and] they're never out of position."
Hughes noted that because of Harvard's athletic ability up front, the Crimson often collapses the pocket using only its four linemen. Its corners then play an aggressive man-to-man style and frequently utilize press coverage, confident that the linebackers and safeties can bail them out of trouble.
The challenge for the Tigers will be to match this physical style of play. The team's receivers — senior Brendan Circle, junior Will Thanheiser and Berry — will need plenty of separation to ensure Harvard's rapacious defenders do not get their hands on the ball.
Anyone who has watched Tiger football over the last two weeks knows that crucial interceptions and fumbles have often left the defense with a short field and a tough job. Princeton's defense, however, remains resilient in the face of such reversals of fortune. Defensive coordinator Steve Verbit refused to use the burden of the short field as an excuse for the 31.8 points his defense has given up each game, which is fifth worst in the league.
"It doesn't matter if you're defending 99 yards or one yard," Verbit said. "It doesn't matter if the offense turns it over one time or 10 times. There's never any excuse for a lack of performance on our side."
For its part, Princeton's defense is raring to go. Senior linebacker Tim Boardman emphasized the unit's desire to get turnovers of its own.
"We need to make the big play and stop letting the big play happen," Boardman said.
Indeed, in the century or so since this rivalry began, that statement's truth is one thing that hasn't changed.
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