Football Seeks Upset Win Over Undefeated No. 18/23 Princeton

Princeton is averaging 52 points per game. Its opponents are averaging 8.6. The latter number has produced a season in which the Tigers have yet to allow an opposing team notch more than 10 points — a feat that was last achieved in 1935 when the captain of that team was nominated for the Heisman trophy. The last time a Princeton team scored 260 points in its first five contests was in 1888.

On Saturday, Harvard (3-2, 1-1 Ivy) will meet this historically hot No. 18/23 Princeton (5-0, 2-0) team for the 111th rendition of the matchup on the turf of Harvard Stadium at noon.

“[This is] probably the best Princeton team, conservatively, in the last 40 years,” Harvard coach Tim Murphy said. “We’re always excited to play. We’re always particularly excited to play big games like Princeton, but this will be a tremendous challenge because they appear to have no weaknesses.”

This is the second consecutive season that Harvard will host Princeton at its coliseum. The duplicity is a result of the Ivy League shifting its schedule this season and is the first time since a series of Harvard home games beginning in 1973 that the two teams have squared off at Harvard Stadium twice in a row.

Last season, the home field advantage didn’t do much good as Princeton obliterated Harvard in its own house, 52-17 — the worst home loss for Harvard in over 50 years. Speaking of second times, Harvard has already squared off against one ranked team this season: No. 20/22 Rhode Island. The 23-16 loss to the Rams was the team’s first of the season.

Princeton, however, hasn’t lost — a feat only four other FCS teams have managed to replicate. Those three other teams are No. 1/1 North Dakota State, No. 13/17 Colgate and No. 24 Dartmouth. This is the first time since 2006 that Princeton has tallied wins in each of its first five games.

That domination comes in part from the return of quarterback John Lovett. The 2016 Ivy League Player of the Year missed last season due to a shoulder injury but now sits atop multiple FCS lists. He leads the nation in rush yards per carry (8.98) and in points responsible per game (27.5), and he is second in passing efficiency (187.5). He likewise is top three in the Ancient Eight for rushing yards and passing yards per game with 101 and 233, respectively. Lovett is the only Ivy League player to rank top 10 in both.

“He’s kind of a perfect storm of that big type of wildcat quarterback … and at the same time he’s certainly skilled enough to get the ball down the field,” Murphy said. “The combination has been pretty unique.”

Against Lehigh on Oct. 6, Lovett suffered an injury. The starter was sidelined for the following Brown matchup but the team’s offensive production did not stutter. Instead, junior Kevin Davidson made his first collegiate start, throwing for 304 yards and adding four touchdowns for the cherry on top.

Lovett is currently being evaluated as day-to-day and there’s no word yet whether the senior will lead Princeton in Saturday’s contest.

Harvard is facing injuries of its own. Against Cornell, senior wideout Justice Shelton-Mosley was enveloped by a squad of defenders on a punt return. The standout senior will not return to play this season.

Supplementing Princeton’s quarterback, whoever that may be, is senior wide receiver Jesper Horsted. He is Princeton’s all-time leader in touchdown catches with 23, third in the institution’s history for career receptions with 159, and fourth in career receiving yards with 2,192.

Horsted’s best game, however, was last season’s trouncing of Harvard in which the then-junior notched personal bests in receptions and yards.

For Harvard, it has been the field goal unit that has been the most pristine thus far. Junior kicker Jake McIntyre is only three boots away from tying the program record of 30 in a career. The junior currently ranks second in the nation for field goals per game with two. McIntyre tallied the final points for Harvard last week in a walk-off field goal against Holy Cross.

The team’s defense has also been consistently solid. The squad is third in the nation for first down defense and fourth-down conversion defense. Princeton, conversely, has converted a perfect four for four on fourth downs during the last two games.

Under center for Harvard will be senior Tom Stewart. Saturday’s game will represent the senior’s third start for team, after taking first snaps last week against Holy Cross.

“[Tom Stewart has] been giving us an dynamic presence, offensive and in general,” Murphy said. “His ability to get the ball down the field accurately has really opened up a new dimension for our offense because we have some kids who can run.”

While it’s Stewart’s third career start, he’s been throwing with some of his receivers for almost five years. Namely senior Adam Scott.

“We’re both from Texas so we kind of have that Texas connection,” Scott said. “Prior to us coming here we would both train together. When we found out we were both committed here … he would drive up to my high school, like 45 minutes away, we would throw and just kind of visualize ourselves on the field and now it’s unfolding right now. It’s pretty cool.”

Harvard will need the connection to convert into points Saturday as so far this season, Princeton hasn’t lost a single quarter.

“I think we keep it a close game and keep in it into the fourth,” McIntyre said. “They haven’t had to play a full game yet so I think we can tire them out.”

—Staff writer Cade Palmer can be reached at cade.palmer@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @THC_CadePalmer.