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Yale prevails over Princeton in 2OTs, 27-24

Princeton, NJ - The Yale Bulldogs (6-3,4-2) overcame a 14-point deficit at halftime to tie Princeton(2-7, 2-4) with a 22-yard TD pass from QB Alvin Cowan to WR Chandler Henley as time expired in regulation, and PK John Troost booted a 26-yard FG in the second overtime to prevail over the Tigers, 27-24.  Princeton's final attempt to win in OT after Troost's conversion ended when WR B.J. Szymanski fumbled after being hit as he raced up field with a reception that at least had the Tigers in FG range to tie!  It was the sixth straight game attended by CFF with a margin of three points or less, and the fifth straight determined in the final minute of play.  A great tailgate party was had with a group of friends and a lot of food on a cool, crisp day in Princeton, where the Tigers and Bulldogs met for the 126th time, second most played rivalry in college football history! 

     Princeton got off to a fast start offensively against the favored Bulldogs as RB Jon Veach (25 carries for 130 yards) capped a 73-yard opening drive with a 20-yard TD run to put the Tigers ahead, 7-0.  The balance of the first period was like watching ping-pong as the two old rivals exchanged punts six times.

     Early in Q2, the Bulldogs made it to the PU two, DL Chris Browne met RB Robert Carr in the backfield for a loss, and the team from New Haven, also known as the Elis, settled for a 23-yard FG by PK John Troost to make the score, 7-3.  A bad call by the refs against Princeton for clipping killed the Tigers’ momentum on their next series, and the Tigers settled for a 25-yard FG by PK Derek Javarone to increase the PU lead to 10-3.  Yale’s subsequent series ended at the Tiger 43 where Princeton halted a play on fourth and three and took over at their own 41.  QB Matt Verbit took little time to get the Tigers on the board again, as he completed a 30-yard pass to TE John Dekker and followed up with a 29–yard TD pass to WR BJ Szymanksi (5 for 83 yards) streaking down the left sideline for PU’s second TD of the game.  The Tigers seemed in control, 17-3.  Later in the half, Princeton took over at its own seven and drove to the Bulldogs’ 30 with a third down and one to go.  A dangerous pass to the sidelined, however, was mishandled by a Yale DB with no one between himself and the end zone. So with :02 left in the half, PU lined up for a 42-yard FG attempt, but Javarone’s attempt was blocked by CB James Beck who streaked in from the left side to knock the ball down and thwart the opportunity to extend the lead before the teams went into their respective locker rooms.  For halftime, PU offered the typical wisecracking, holier-than-thou, Ivy League P.A. repertoire as the band in tiger-striped jackets played the appropriate music, but the school offered two other unique offerings.  “Challenge through the uprights” was played by two students who winged rolled newspapers for prizes from increasing distances as fast as they could to win prizes.  The newspaper, Trentonian, was the corporate sponsor.  The school also paid tribute to its retiring equipment manager, Hank Towns, whose picture graced the cover of the game’s official program.  The former Grambling football player played for the great Eddie Robinson and served the Princeton athletic department for 34 years.  Former Tiger and NY Giant Keith Elias was one of the PU dignitaries on hand to join in Mr. Towns’ send off.  Before the start of the second half, GGA Gunther Neumann (Rhode Island) announced that if Princeton scored two more times, he was heading back to the CFF tailgate party still going on out in the parking lot.   Gunther would not leave his seat for quite some time.

     Yale started its second series of the second half after a PU punt to its own 3-yard line.  The Elis converted three third downs during this drive to get to the Tiger 8-yard line.  On third and eight in the shot gun, QB Alvin Cowan (21 of 44, 235 yards) hit WR Ron Benigno who made a nice over the shoulder catch with his right foot still in bounds on the left side of the end zone to close the gap, 17-10.  The score remained that way until very late in the last period.  Princeton head coach Roger Hughes decided to punt on fourth and eleven at the Eli 33 to put Yale in a hole late in the game with little time remaining.  P Colin McDonough obliged with a punt that bounced out of bounds at the seven with 1:03 remaining.  Yale had two time-outs left.  Cowan completed several sideline passes to get the ‘Dogs their own 45 with :24 left.  On third and four, Yale used its last time-out.  Cowan found Benigno along the right sideline where he stepped out on the Princeton 22-yard line with only seven seconds left.  As the clock clicked toward :00 on the next play, Cowan fired to the left side of the end zone where WR Chad Henley made a high, leaping catch for a Yale touchdown.   Troosts’ extra point knotted the score at 17, and the teams prepped for OT, CFF’s second of the season. 

     Princeton struck quickly as Verbit (18 of 29, 265 yards) rolled left and reversed field to find RB Jon Veach wide open in the end zone for a 25-yard scoring play.  PU led 24-17. Yale countered when Cowan found RB Alex Faherty in the end zone from three for his only reception of the day and six points to send the game into OT #2.  Yale’s Troost put the visitors up by three when he booted the ball through the uprights from 26 yards away.  Princeton smelled victory needing a TD in the bottom half of OT.  On the first play, Verbit fired to Szymanski on the left side. He cut over the middle where he was met by CB James Beck who knocked the ball loose at the 12.  The ball bounce toward the end zone before DL Bryant Dieffenbacher ended the Tigers’ hopes with a recovery at the five.  The Bulldogs rejoiced while some Tiger players collapsed to the ground in agony and disbelief.  In a game with nothing but pride on the line, both teams gave their all in an exciting, well-played football game right down to the very end.  To CFF’s surprise, the Ivy rivals added another thrilling game to our string of six straight games decided in the final minute(s) of play by a total of three points or less!  The Ivy League finishes its 10-game season next weekend.  Yale hosts Harvard in its annual rendition of The Game, while Princeton travels to Dartmouth for its 2003 finale.  The Tigers have many key players returning for their senior season in 2004, which could possibly be a fun year for the Tigers.

 Extra Points:  Junior GGA’s Blake Neumann and Buddy Jacobson were among the loudest and most vocal fans in the stands as they shouted their displeasures at the Bulldogs early – “ You Stink!”  GGA Andy Jacobson (Florida) envisioned his Gators competing tin the Ivy League – athletically.  GGA Charlie Roberts (Lehigh) would like to see a new twist added to overtime periods – “half-field” games” – similar to half-court basketball games we used to play at the playground.  If a team intercepts in OT, they should run it out to the 50 before turning around and trying to return it to the end zone selected for the overtime period.  GGA Dave Headden (Ohio Northern) didn’t have much to say during the game for fear of being quoted by CFF.  How do we know?  He told us so!  GGAs Matt Wiley and Eric Koreivo are great students of the game who like to ask questions, talk football and buy snacks.  A great tailgate party was had by all!  CFF will keep future Novembers in mind for big tailgate parties when everybody’s kids get a break from Saturday sporting events, especially soccer!

 CFF has now seen PU face off against each of its Ivy foes and as we check our annals, the Tigers fared under .500 in these games.  In the initial games we saw against each foe, PU only came up Roses versus Brown, Columbia and Cornell.

 In the end zone, opposite our seats in the sun-warmed, northern end zone where OT was being played, stood one Yale fan with a banner stretched over his head reading “For God, County and Yale.”  It worked.

 Princeton does a lousy job of parking people after they take your money.  There is no one to directing traffic in unmarked fields where traffic jams are caused because people park in spaces they don’t realize allow the free flow of traffic.  We had a great spot for finding each other, but it got more dangerous as the lot filled up and more traffic was diverted our way as kids were playing ball.  PU definitely needs to organize the parking better for safety’s sake.

 You can’t beat the ticket prices here.  $7 for adults and $5 for kids, but for each adult ticket, you get one kid in for free.  And then the four-color programs are free as well.  $40 grand in tuition must cover these costs.