Princeton remains undefeated with 16th straight win
PRINCETON >> The Princeton University football team had to work hard for its Sweet 16 celebration against Ivy League rival Harvard.
But the party on Old Nassau will continue.
The defensive came up with three timely interceptions, Kevin Davidson tossed three touchdowns and the No. 13 Tigers held off the Crimson, 30-24, on Saturday afternoon to remain undefeated.
“It was an all-around team effort,” said defensive back Matthew Winston, who snatched Princeton’s third interception with 4:41 left in the fourth quarter. “We just kept fighting. That was the message not just on defense, but as a team. We just knew at halftime that it was going to be a fight.”
The Tigers (6-0, 3-0) won their 16th consecutive game, which is the second longest active streak in the FCS behind the 28 in a row won by No. 1 North Dakota State. If Princeton can win next week at Cornell it will match the second longest run in program history set over the 1964-65 seasons.
“With a young team, they play with such great emotion and sometimes that emotion leads to errors we have to correct,” coach Bob Surace said. “I have to keep their emotions at just the right spot. Me head butting guys, that’s not going to do it.”
The Tigers scored 17 points off their three interceptions, with the game’s key sequence coming in the third quarter. Trailing 1410, Princeton was stopped on 4th-and-1, but on Harvard’s first play after the change of possession, Daniel Beard picked off Jake Smith. Davidson then connected with running back Collin Eaddy for a 31-yard score one play later.
In total, the Tigers went from down four on defense to up two in three plays.
“The defense did an amazing job all day,” Davidson said. “Whenever we had to come off (the field), they were right there to pick us up. That’s the team aspect. All offseason, we’re battling back and forth, but once it’s gametime, we come together and work for each other.”
Davidson completed 20-of-35 passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns. He tossed two of those scores to Dylan Classi (7for-107), including a 13-yard pass with 3:16 remaining to give the Tigers a 30-21 lead.
On that crucial play, Davidson avoided a sack by leaping over a defender and lofting a throw that a diving Classi hauled in.
“We were on the same page,” Davidson said. “I kind of gave him a look and said ‘go.’ It’s going to be fun to watch on film tomorrow.”
That touchdown was set up by Winston’s interception, which he returned 28 yards to the Harvard 18.
Jeremiah Tyler also picked off a pass in the first quarter and returned it 26 yards to set up a Tavish Rice field goal and a 10-0 lead.
Harvard (4-2, 2-1), which had a four-game winning streak snapped, led, 14-10, at halftime after Smith hooked up with Jack Cook on a 73-yard catch-and-run with 23 seconds remaining.
Smith competed 24-of-37 passes for 289 yards, but Princeton’s interceptions were the difference between a 16th straight win and a rare taste of defeat.
“There’s going to be a big play in the game, you just never know when it’s going to be,” Winston said. “You play every play the same. You got to work your butt off and have 11 hats to the ball on every play. That’s how we play our football. When you see the ball thrown, and everyone swarming, that’s our brand of football. That’s what we do.”