Six yards. The football team was that close to tasting victory for the second straight week. The Tigers traveled to Hampton on Saturday, looking to replicate the success they had against Columbia last week. In the closing minutes of the game, it looked as though Princeton could pull off a remarkable comeback win on the road. But the Tigers (1-3 overall, 1-0 Ivy League) fell six yards short of a touchdown in the final minutes, falling to the Pirates (3-2) in a hard-fought 28-23 contest.
“I thought our effort was terrific,” head coach Bob Surace ’90 told GoPrincetonTigers.com after the game. “But obviously we’re going to watch the film tomorrow, and we’re going to be sick to our stomachs. Whether you lose the game on the last play or you lose by 40, it still goes in the other side column.”
The Tigers’ defense willed Princeton back into contention in the third quarter, starting when junior defensive lineman Matt Landry sacked Hampton quarterback David Legree. Landry forced a fumble during the sack that senior linebacker Steve Cody recovered, setting up senior kicker Patrick Jacob for a 26-yard field goal.
Later in the third quarter, junior defensive tackle Caraun Reid sacked Legree on third down, bringing the Pirates back to their own 2-yard line. A bad snap on the ensuing punt went out the back of the end zone, resulting in the Tigers’ first safety since 2006.
“You love the look in our eyes,” Surace said. “We’re down there and it’s 21-10 at halftime and nobody is panicked. From the coaches to the players, we go in there and say, look, we just have to make these corrections. We can get back in this game.”
The Tigers’ next possession ended in a beautifully placed punt by senior punter Otavio Fleury, pinning Hampton at its own 3-yard line. After holding form on the first two plays, the Tigers forced another safety when Hampton was flagged for holding in the end zone. Another field goal by Jacob brought Princeton within one point, 21-20.
The Pirates scored early in the fourth, turning an 80-yard drive into a touchdown, a 1-yard pass from Legree to wide receiver Dyrri McCain, but the Tigers responded with a 22-yard field goal from Jacob. With just under three minutes to go in the game and the score at 28-23, the Tigers took over at the Hampton 29-yard line, a favorable field position, as a result of a defensive stand and a poor punt by Pirates punter Jordan Stovall.
Senior quarterback Tommy Wornham completed a 20-yard pass to freshman wide receiver Matt Costello, but Princeton only made it as far as the 6-yard line. Indeed, the Tigers were moved back 10 yards due to a holding penalty, a problem that has plagued Princeton all season long in the red zone. The Tigers failed to convert on fourth-and-16, sealing the victory for Hampton.
“It’s hard to run the ball [in the red zone] because the safeties move up and some of those 8-yard and 6-yard runs turn into three or four,” Surace said. “So we’ve got to do a better job throwing it. We have to be better with our accuracy, our routes, our pass protection.”
For the first time this season, Princeton did not score first. After trading the first two possessions, Legree got his potent offense up and running, spreading the ball around to several of his receivers. Pirates running back Antwon Chisholm then capped the drive with a 6-yard touchdown run.
The Tigers could not respond on offense, but senior defensive back Chance Cross picked Legree off during the next possession, giving Wornham and the offense a second opportunity and a short field at the Hampton 40-yard line. A 20-yard end-around run from freshman quarterback Quinn Epperly, who lined up out wide and got his first collegiate touch, brought Princeton just shy of the goal line. Freshman tailback Chuck Dibilio then pounded the line with three consecutive runs. On the last, from 4 yards out, Dibilio broke into the end zone, tying the game up at 7-7 near the end of the first quarter after the successful PAT.
The Tigers’ running game was running on full cylinders for the second straight week, as Dibilio had 147 rushing yards, complemented with a 48-yard game from junior tailback Akil Sharp and 37 yards from sophomore tailback Brian Mills.
“All those guys are running the ball well,” Surace said. “The line is blocking better for the run. We’re doing better with our read game for our quarterback. Those things are really positive.”
Even though the Pirates missed a long 42-yard field goal on the next possession, they showcased their offense’s quick strike ability early in the second quarter when Legree torched the Tigers’ secondary with a 57-yard strike to McCain. Wornham opened up the next series with a 14-yard pass to junior tight end Mark Hayes, followed a few plays later by an explosive 33-yard run from Dibilio. But red-zone issues bit the Tigers again, and the long drive ended in a 23-yard made field goal from Jacob.
The Pirates had a long drive of their own on the next series, as Legree connected with wide receiver Isaiah Thomas on several passes before tailback Jeremiah Schwartz scored on a 26-yard touchdown run late in the second.
Even though Hampton stopped Princeton on the next drive, the Tigers had another opportunity on offense when Cross forced a fumble on McCain after a 47-yard completion from Legree. After Cross recovered on the Princeton 30-yard line, Wornham connected on a 23-yard pass to senior wideout Isaac Serwanga, bringing the Tigers into Pirates territory. The drive came up empty on the next play, however, when Hampton defensive back Destin Route picked Wornham off. Princeton trailed 21-10 at halftime.
Despite the Tigers’ strong third quarter, they were unable to complete the comeback in the final minutes.
Princeton continues its three-game road trip next weekend, traveling to Brown for the Tigers’ second Ivy League contest.
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