Harvard...uh, Princeton up next for the 'Dogs

JULIA TIERNAN/YH Tailback Derek Bentley, SM '99, and the rest of the Bulldog seniors hope more plays like this touchdown run happen in their last home game against Princeton.

The "Harvard Sucks" T-shirts are being printed and the bus trips to Cambridge are being planned. Tickets to The Game are being purchased and housing arrangements are being made. Yes, the annual Harvard-Yale skirmish is just a week away and there's a buzz around campus. Is this the year we will finally beat Harvard?

For Yale players and coaches such thoughts have been put off until Sunday. That's because on Sat., Nov. 14, Princeton visits the Yale Bowl for a game that has Ivy League title implications. The Bulldogs and the Tigers (4-4 overall, 3-2 Ivy) both enter the contest in a four-way tie for second place with Brown and Harvard, one game behind league-leading Pennsylvania. A win would keep both teams' respective championship chances alive, while a loss would all but kill their title hopes. "Going into Princeton and Harvard, we're usually just playing for the H-Y-P title," Nate Boxrucker, BK '99, said. "But it's a lot different this year. There's more at stake."

As if title hopes were not enough motivation, Yale's seniors have an added incentive for winning. "It's our last home game after four years of Yale football," captain Corwynne Carruthers, MC '99, said. "It's a special game that means a lot to every senior on the team. Our last game at the Bowl. That's something we'll remember."

But whether or not those memories will be fond ones will depend on which Yale team shows up to play on Saturday. Will it be the Bulldog squad that shocked Brown and hammered Columbia? Or, will it be the team that rolled over for Pennsylvania and Colgate? "We have been inconsistent," head coach Jack Siedlecki said. "We're good enough to beat Princeton. We've just got to start better."

In each of Yale's last three contests, the opposition has scored on its first possession of the game. Against lowly Columbia and Cornell, the Bulldog offense was able to overcome its initial 7-0 deficit. At Pennsylvania, however, in a game that may cost Yale the Ivy crown, the Bulldogs failed to dig themselves out of an early 21-0 hole. "I don't really know why we've come out flat, but it's unacceptable," Carruthers said. "Stopping that first drive is a must. That's been a focus this week."

As well it should be. Should Yale fall behind early, the strong Princeton defense may not allow the Bulldogs to climb back into the game. The Tigers lead the league in total defense (301 yards per game), rush defense (73), and scoring defense (14.8 points per game). They are led by David Ferrara '00, a strong, quick defensive end who has recorded 12 sacks on the year. "He is one of those top three or four players in the league," Siedlecki said. Offensive lineman Chris Ryan, BR '99 concurred. "I have heard good things about him. But I think we match up well. I'm confident we can do the job."

Yale's offensive line certainly did the job last week against Cornell, allowing just one sack in helping the Bulldogs amass 429 yards of total offense. Tailback Rashad Bartholomew, SY '01, topped the century mark for the fourth time this year, rushing for 176 yards and a touchdown. "The pride of the offensive line is rushing yards," Ryan said. "When Rashad gets over 100 yards, it makes everyone feel good." The Bulldogs lead the league in rushing offense, averaging 193 yards per game.

Just as impressive as the ground game was the air attack. Quarterback Joe Walland, TD '00, completed 20 of 27 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns. Even without injured wideout Ken Marschner, SY '99, who will likely miss the game on Saturday, the Bulldogs' receiving corps showed marked improvement over its disastrous performance at Pennsylvania.

But while Yale's strength has been its offensive firepower, Princeton's offense has been somewhat less remarkable. The Tigers have an unorthodox substitution pattern, alternating between four different running backs. "I think the fact that they have four tailbacks means that none of them are outstanding," Carruthers said. "I don't think they should be too much trouble." Princeton quarterback John Burnham '99, who struggled early in the season, has played well recently, compiling more than 200 yards passing in each of the last three games. "He's a good athlete," Carruthers said. "He's comparable to [Cornell quarterback Mike] Hood '99, but I don't think he's quite as good as [Pennsylvania signal caller Matt] Rader '99." At least that's the Bulldogs' hope. While Hood was stifled by the Eli defense, Rader dominated Yale.

This week, the challenge of stopping the Quaker duo of Rader and running back Jim Finn '99 is Harvard's. A Crimson victory over the Quakers, coupled with a Yale win over Princeton, would put Yale and Harvard in a tie atop the league and set up a championship showdown at The Game. "I don't have any problem rooting for Harvard this week to beat Penn," Carruthers said. "Beating [Harvard] for the championship next week would be a fairy-tale ending to this season." But, of course, Princeton comes first.

This weekend, Yalies must hope that Harvard doesn't suck and acknowledge that Princeton does matter.

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