Rivalry, Ivy title at stake as Tigers invade

The Penn football team can see an Ivy League title, but archrival Princeton would love to play spoiler. The Princeton football team has been the Ivy League's version of a traveling show this season. Playing without the benefit of a home field since the destruction of Palmer Stadium, the nomadic Tigers (4-3, 1-3 Ivy League) have been surprising opponents all season. Tomorrow's game at 1:30 p.m. against Penn (4-3, 3-1) will be the closest thing to a home performance for the Tigers yet this season. The Homecoming crowd at Franklin Field will catch the next act in the Tigers season, and the theme will probably be defense. "On paper it appears that way," Penn coach Al Bagnoli said. "If the past games are any indication, points will be at a premium." The Quakers' defense has been dominating in its last two games. First Penn shut down a Brown offense that was steamrolling opponents, then the Quakers forced Yale into a performance that probably made Carm Cozza happy he retired. For the season, Penn is the top-ranked defense in the Ivy League, allowing only 265 yards a game, an amazing turnaround after struggling against Bucknell and Lehigh. "We were probably at an all-time low after Lehigh," Penn defensive coordinator Mike Toop said. "But we knew that if we stepped things up enough and played with consistency, confidence and attitude, we would not let people score." During the season, Princeton has done a decent job preventing itself from scoring. The Tigers have scored 16.1 points per game, and rank ahead of only Yale in total offense. Quarterback Harry Nakielny has completed 41 percent of his passes while the running attack has picked up only 2.7 yards per carry. "The three games we've lost have all been in rain storms, which has had a big effect on our passing game," Princeton coach Steve Tosches said. "We are not strong enough to go up and down the field with just our rushing offense." While Princeton's stats are far from impressive, the Quakers have noticed a disturbing trend in films this week. Penn has seen a talented Tigers team that has trouble playing well together. "The one thing they have shown on film is inconsistency," Penn safety John Bishop said. "If the quarterback throws the ball well, the receiver might not catch it, or sometimes the receiver might be open and the quarterback doesn't hit him." The Quakers believe Princeton is talented enough to put points on the board, and understand the offense could break out with a big performance. Toop knows his defense has to take away Princeton's running game first to limit the Tigers' big-play options. "They traditionally have gone up top on us," Toop said. "They like to run play action or bootlegs, but not too many drop-back passes." Every point the Quakers allow could be critical because of Princeton's defensive performance this season. The Tigers lead the Ivy League in scoring defense, and have controlled the top two offenses in the league, Harvard and Brown. Linebacker Tim Greene and defensive back Damani Leech are both All-Ivy performers who have helped shut down Penn's offense in the past two meetings. Two years ago, Princeton bombed the Quakers 22-9 in another Homecoming clash. Last season, Penn rode Jasen Scott's 45 carries to a 10-6 win at Palmer Stadium. "We know Penn has picked it up offensively," Tosches said. "We have to play good team defense. The linebackers have to play both the run and pass. We also can't rely on just the blitz to get pressure because they'll hit big plays." The last three games have seen an offensive surge for the Quakers, thanks in no small part to running back Jim Finn. Quarterback Matt Rader has been one of the major beneficiaries of Finn (eight touchdowns in the last three games) and his 6.1 yards per carry. "It's taken a lot of pressure off of me," Rader said. "I don't have to make the play every time I drop back. When we start running the ball the other team uses eight-man fronts to try to defend it and that opens up the passing game." If the game does turn into a defensive battle, then special teams could be the deciding factor. Princeton has the best special teams unit in the league. Leech is one of the top return men, averaging 24 yards a kickoff return. Alex Sierk has not missed a field goal or extra point this year, and Matt Evans leads the league with 42.1 yards per punt. "They play very well on special teams," Bagnoli said. "There is as much pressure on special teams as on any unit for this game." While Princeton has finally felt the effects of its season-long road trip with two recent losses, the Tigers are not a struggling team. Their two-point loss to first-place Harvard probably had a carry-over affect in their 17-0 loss to Columbia. But Bagnoli and the rest of the Quakers expect Princeton to be better prepared for Saturday's game. "We can't take them lightly," Bishop said. "They have exactly the same record as us. We are not in the position to take anyone lightly."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.