By Craig Sachson
PrincetonTigersFootball.com

The rivalry between Princeton and Dartmouth dates back more than 125 years, but the past decade has seen a number of pivotal – and highly memorable – showdowns between the two Ivy League rivals. Many of those meetings have resulted in an Ivy League championship.


There were title implications in both 2015 and 2016, when the home teams won on the final day of the regular season to clinch a share of the Ivy League championship. The title wasn’t on the line in 2017, but the game had one of the craziest endings you’ll see; Princeton led the game with two seconds left, but ultimately lost by 10 points.


The Ivy League Game of the Quarter Century was the 2018 battle between #14 Princeton and #20 Dartmouth, a pair of undefeated Ivy powerhouses who met in Princeton Stadium and delivered a match that more than lived up to expectations. Eventual Bushnell Cup winner John Lovett scored from five yards out with 6:33 remaining and Princeton’s defense pitched a shutout over the final 52:10 in a thrilling 14-9 Tiger victory.


Yankee Stadium hosted the 2019 meeting during a yearlong celebration of college football’s 150th season, and Dartmouth rushed for 225 yards en route to victory and a share of the Ivy League title. The Big Green defeated a nationally ranked Princeton squad at home in 2021, although both teams would share the Ivy League title.


Over the past two years, both teams have claimed home victories in matches decided by a total of five points. The Big Green got the win last year, which helped them earn a three-way share of the Ivy League title.


Dartmouth is once again tied in the Ivy League rankings this year (along with Columbia and Harvard, who play each other this weekend), so Friday’s nationally televised game (6 p.m., ESPNU) will once again have title implications. The Big Green brings the Ivy League’s top run offense (177.6 yards/game) and second-ranked run defense (112.4 yards/game) to Powers Field, where it hasn’t won since 2014.


“Dartmouth is having a great year,” said head coach Bob Surace said. “They have always been a physical, intelligent, high-effort team and this group is as good in those areas as any dominant Dartmouth team we have faced. I also think they have been excellent on their special teams. kick it, cover it and block it as well as anyone in the country.”


Princeton is looking for a strong finish to the 2024 season, which has been beset by injuries and inconsistency. What better way to take that step than to do it in front of a national audience and at the expense of a team at the top of the Ivy standings.



Week 8 Game Notes



History lesson • This will be the 103rd meeting between Princeton and Dartmouth in a series dating back to 1897. Dartmouth leads the series 52-46-4 and has won 10 of the last 13 meetings, although Princeton has won its last three games at Princeton Stadium (2016, 2018, 2022).



Closing conversations • Each of the last two meetings between Princeton and Dartmouth was decided by a field goal or less. Princeton earned a 17-14 home victory in 2022, as Dartmouth’s Owen Zalc converted a 47-yard field goal with 1:29 remaining to help the Big Green post a 23-21 win.



Title Lecture • Since 2015, the winner of this game has earned at least a share of the Ivy League championship six out of eight times.



Friday evening lighting • Princeton is 11-5 on Friday nights in the 2000s, including a 6-2 mark at home. One of those home wins came three weeks ago when the Tigers used a 19-0 start to defeat Brown 29-17.



Friday Enemies • Princeton’s last two losses on Friday night were both to Dartmouth, although both were at Memorial Field in Hanover, NH The Big Green won 31-7 in 2021 during a season in which both teams would share the Ivy League title, winning by 23 -7. 21 last year.



Twice as much fun • Senior wide receiver Lucas Colella surpassed a few career milestones last weekend against Cornell. He caught his 10th career touchdown pass, which ranks ninth in program history, and he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for career receiving yards. Colella, who caught a 62-yard touchdown pass against Dartmouth last season, currently ranks eighth in the Ivy League with 53.9 receiving yards per game.



Barber shop • Senior wide AJ Barber needs three receptions to reach the 100-catch milestone for his career. He had a season-best nine catches for 59 yards last weekend against Cornell.



Hook up • Junior Charley Rossi entered last weekend with one career reception, but he caught four passes for 41 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter against Cornell.



The chase has begun • Sophomore Chase Christopher leads Princeton with 46 tackles on the season. He has posted two double-digit tackling performances, including 11 against nationally ranked Mercer.



Just for kicks • Senior kicker Jeffrey Sexton hit the longest field goal kicked by a Princeton Tiger this century when he made a 51-yarder at Harvard two weeks ago. The only other Princeton player to kick one of at least 50 yards was Taylor Northrop, who did so during the 2000 season.



Just for kicks II • Five of the six longest field goals in the Ivy League this season were made by players in Friday’s game. Dartmouth’s Owen Zalc has made field goals of 54, 50 and 48 yards this season, while Jeffrey Sexton has been converted from 51 to 44 yards.



Block party • Matthew Mahoney blocked a punt in the Cornell game last weekend; it was Princeton’s first blocked punt since then Connor Hulstein blocked a Lehigh punt on September 24, 2022.



Crystal ball • The second most played rivalry in college football resumes next weekend when Princeton travels to New Haven to take on Yale on Saturday at noon. This will be the 146th meeting between the two teams and Yale leads the series 80-55-10.