Princeton and Harvard have faced off in football since 1877, and I got to watch the 115th meeting Saturday at Princeton Stadium. The Tigers beat the Crimson 21-14 after scoring what turned out to be the winning touchdown with about a minute and a half left in the game.
One hundred years ago, a good percentage of American sports fans probably paid close attention to a game between the two universities, as much attention as, say, an Ohio State-Penn State matchup would generate today.
But college football has evolved into Big Deal and Lesser Deal strains, or perhaps better to call it Big Money and Lesser Money divisions. Princeton, Harvard and the other “Ancient Eight” members of the Ivy League don’t play in the same realm of national interest like the Buckeyes, Nittany Lions and other big-time schools in the power conferences.
Nonetheless, what Princeton and Harvard displayed on Powers Field yesterday was entertaining football. Princeton dominated in the first half, which ended with the Tigers ahead 14-0. Harvard, which couldn’t seem to be able to buy a first down for the first two quarters, turned things around in the second half, collaring the Princeton offense and finding the offensive footing to tie the score 14-14.
Princeton got the ball with 1:58 left in the game and drove in for a touchdown and extra point, and then time ran out on the Crimson.
When they played 100 years ago in 1923, Harvard prevailed 5-0. We Princeton fans got a better deal this time around.
Long live the rivalry!
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