“It will be fun playing on a Friday night,” Anderson said. “It reminds you of your high school days, playing under the lights.”
Princeton (3-4 overall, 2-2 Ivy League) will take on the Quakers (4-3, 3-1) in the 100th-ever game between the two teams. To add to the hype, the game will also be nationally televised on ESPNU, with coverage starting at 7 p.m. from Princeton Stadium.
Head coach Roger Hughes said he believes that playing in a nationally televised game will benefit the Tigers.
“Our kids are always excited to play on Friday night,” Hughes said. “It’s great to get Princeton and our league in general exposure on national television. It’s a great venue for us to showcase Ivy League talent.”
The national game under the lights is a chance for Princeton to gain some confidence heading into the home stretch of the season. After losing a close game to Harvard by a score of 24-20 on Oct. 25, the Tigers bounced back with a 31-26 victory over Cornell on Nov. 1.
One key player who has stepped up for Princeton, especially in the last two games, is junior tailback Jordan Culbreath. The workhorse running back, who currently sits atop the Ivy League in rushing yards, ran for a combined total of 323 yards and three touchdowns in the games against the Crimson and the Big Red.
Penn defensive coordinator Ray Priore noted that Culbreath is definitely a threat that his defense will zero in on.
“He has the ability to see the hole,” Priore said. “He has great vision.”
While Culbreath poses a formidable threat on the ground, senior wide receiver Will Thanheiser has become Anderson’s go-to target through the air. Thanheiser caught two touchdown passes against Cornell and is on pace to become only the third Tiger to break the 1,000-yard mark in receiving yards in a single season.
On the other side of the ball, a Princeton defense that gave up 555 yards to the Big Red is certainly a concern for the Tigers heading into Friday night’s matchup against the Quakers, who managed to put up 27 points against Brown, a strong contender for the Ivy League championship crown.
Defensive coordinator Steve Verbit noted that it will be essential for his defensive unit to put pressure on Penn’s offense, especially early in the matchup.
“They have a strong rushing attack, and they try to pound the ball at you,” Verbit said. “Our challenge will be up front to really take away their rushing attack and force them to put the ball in the air, giving our guys a chance to go up and get it.”
Penn utilizes a quarterback-by-committee system, sometimes using three quarterbacks in a single game, but Verbit noted that this is nothing new to a Princeton defense that sees a number of different quarterbacks under center in practice each week. This factor could make Princeton better prepared than other teams to deal with a Penn offensive assault.
The past few meetings between the two southern Ivy rivals have been exciting games decided by only a few points. If this holds true for Friday night’s battle, then the kicking game could be a factor. Junior placekicker Ben Bologna has done an excellent job filling in for injured senior Connor Louden, going a perfect four for four on his field goal attempts. But the Quakers have a kicking threat of their own in Andrew Samson, who has connected on 13 of 15 field goals this season, with a long of 38 yards.
Hughes said he expects the game to be a physical one, and the key for Princeton will be to remain intense and focused, especially on the offensive line.
“It seems like, as a team, we play better when our offensive line steps up,” Hughes said. “We need to match Penn’s intensity and physicality at all times.”
So, though the game may not mean much for the league standings, Anderson and the rest of the Tigers are certainly gearing up for a good matchup against their rival.
“It’s a chance for us to let everyone know what Princeton football is all about,” Anderson said.
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