Editorial | Penn football has one shot to defeat Princeton. Students must show up.

‘Penn football blown out in season finale as Princeton claims outright Ivy title.’ 

This is the headline that ran around this time last year, when Princeton University's football team capped off its undefeated 2018 season with a rout of the team from The University of Pennsylvania. The Tigers are coming to Franklin Field this Saturday and will have an outside shot at the Ivy title if they beat the Quakers. As the centuries-old rivalry once again comes to a head, Penn students should come out and support their football team.

The Red and Blue’s Ivy League season got off to a rocky start, with an 0-3 record, but the Quakers then went on a three-game winning streak with victories over teams from Brown University, Cornell University, and Harvard University to get to 3-3. Although eliminated from contention for an Ivy title weeks ago, Penn still has a lot to play for.

After a disappointing start to their Ancient Eight season, the Quakers now have a shot at a winning Ivy record. Even more important than its own season, Penn football has a chance to spoil rival Princeton's year, and will need the support of Penn students to do it.

In a heated rivalry like this one, the stakes would already be high. But this season, they are even higher. Princeton’s Ivy record currently sits at 4-2, trailing the teams from Yale University and Dartmouth College, which both have a 5-1 record. If Harvard can beat Yale on the road, in another big rivalry matchup, and Brown can upset heavy favorite Dartmouth in Providence, R.I., Princeton will clinch a share of the Ivy title with a win over Penn. In a final stand at Franklin Field, the Quakers have a chance to deny Princeton this opportunity. 

Penn students must be there to support them.

There are a lot of reasons not to have school spirit. Whether it’s the administration’s inaction on sexual assault, refusal to divest from fossil fuels, or fight against a graduate student union, there’s no question that Penn as an institution is flawed. But there are also times when the Penn community can band together and fight for a common goal. 

When Penn football comes out onto Franklin Field on Saturday, Penn students should unite as a community to support the team. With all the stresses and complexities of student life at Penn, it can be incredibly rewarding and relaxing to spend time with friends focused on something simple — beating Princeton. That’s why this weekend is such a great opportunity, and why members of the Penn community must take advantage of it.

Editorials represent the majority view of members of The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc. Editorial Board, which meets regularly to discuss issues relevant to Penn's campus. Participants in these meetings are not involved in the reporting of articles on related topics.