The Tiger-Bulldog matchup, which will take place Saturday at noon, will be the 131st between the two teams. It is the second-longest rivalry in all of college football.
Head coach Roger Hughes recognizes the meaning of the rivalry as well as the importance of the game for the morale of his football team.
“I’ve come to learn that the Yale-Princeton game is a very special rivalry,” Hughes said. “Our kids are looking forward to the opportunity to get back on the field and win a game. We are taking this game very seriously.”
Last Friday, under the lights of Princeton Stadium and in front of the cameras of ESPNU, Princeton fell to Penn, 14-9. The Tigers look to improve on their performance from last weekend when they take the field against the Bulldogs.
If Princeton is going to have any success against Yale, the team will need to see production from its star in the backfield, junior tailback Jordan Culbreath, a consistent offensive threat for the Tigers. Last Friday, Culbreath ran for 109 yards and scored his ninth touchdown of the season in the loss to the Quakers.
Against Penn, Culbreath suffered an ankle injury, but offensive coordinator Dave Rackovan is confident that his workhorse running back will be back on the field Saturday.
“He should be ready to go,” Rackovan said. “He’s really sore and hasn’t practiced yet, but, knowing him, it would take somebody [cutting] off his leg to get him off the field. He’s one of the premier backs in the league.”
While Princeton has seen consistent production from Culbreath, the Bulldogs have a running threat of their own in standout running back Mike McLeod.
Throughout his career at Yale, McLeod has posed a threat to opposing defenses. In his four years as a Bulldog, McLeod has reached the endzone 54 times, putting him second on the Football Championship Subdivision list among active running backs.
Yale comes off an impressive 13-3 victory over Ivy League title contender Brown, a game in which quarterback Brook Hart completed 22 of 32 passes for 292 yards.
Hughes noted that, along with McLeod, Hart is a threat the Tiger defense will have to contain to be successful in Saturday’s matchup.
“Hart is improving every week,” Hughes said. “He makes enough plays with his feet, and he can take a game over.”
In addition to the formidable danger posed by the tandem of Hart and McLeod on the offensive side of the ball, Yale’s defense is also a capable group with the ability to shut down opposing offenses, as evidenced by the victory over the high-scoring Bears last weekend.
Rackovan acknowledges the potential that the Bulldog defense possesses.
“What stands out with Yale’s defense is that they don’t make a lot of mistakes,” Rackovan said. “Their back seven are veteran guys that are always in place. They are a tough, physical defense.”
With the experience Yale has on defense, the key for Princeton will be to remain physical on the offensive line to give senior quarterback and tri-captain Brian Anderson time to throw the ball to his favorite target, senior wide receiver Will Thanheiser.
This season, Thanheiser has had much success in the open field, averaging 17.2 yards per catch and 98.6 receiving yards per game. If Anderson can evade the pressure of Yale’s front seven and connect with Thanheiser, the Tigers may be able to put some points on the board.
Hughes knows that the pressure rests on his offensive line to remain physical and create opportunities for Princeton to stay in the game.
“We have to play fundamental football,” Hughes said. “We tend to play better when the offensive line is playing physical.”
Though an Ancient Eight title is out of the Tigers’ reach, they are still anxious to get back on the field and compete. A victory against Yale would be huge for Princeton, giving the team momentum heading into its final game against Dartmouth as well as building confidence for next year.
Junior offensive lineman Andrew Hauser said he feels that the Tigers still have something to play for.
“Our desire to win hasn’t diminished at all,” Hauser said. “We still go out every week. We give it everything we have.”
Senior defensive back Pete Ploszek agreed with Hauser’s assessment of the team’s mentality.
“This program is very much built on finishing and giving 100 percent effort to the very end,” Ploszek said.
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