The Yale Bulldogs and the Princeton Tigers need more than the stars to align for either of them to win the Ivy League title. That won’t stop them from engaging in an intriguing battle between two middle-of-the pack Ivy League teams this coming Saturday. Read on for more about this matchup. You can also click here for a breakdown of the matchup between Michigan and Indiana.
[sc:NCAAFArticles ]Yale Bulldogs vs. Princeton Tigers Preview
Where: Princeton University Stadium, New Jersey
When: Saturday, November 14, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Yale Bulldogs vs. Princeton Tigers – view all NCAA Football lines
Betting on the Yale Bulldogs (5-3)
[sc:NCAA240banner ]Perhaps overly frustrated about suffering back-to-back losses to Penn and Columbia, the Bulldogs vented on Brown on Saturday and handed the Bears a severe 41-14 beating to stop a two-game skid. Now back in the win column, Yale travels to New Jersey to face Princeton.
The Bulldogs had an easy time tearing apart Brown’s punching bag defense that ranks last in the Ivy League. Morgan Roberts dissected the Bears for 267 passing yards on 28 of 41 completions, while Dale Harris and Deshawn Salter combined for 116 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Salter was particularly effective, as he blasted Brown’s stop unit for three touchdowns on 13 carries. Harris and Salter could once again have a field day in the next game, as Princeton’s defense against the run is worse than Brown’s, allowing 156.4 rushing yards per game.
Salter is third in the Ivy League in rushing yards with 548 and tied for fourth in touchdowns with seven.
That said, Roberts and the Bulldogs’ passing attack should also have their share of the limelight, given Princeton’s equally horrid pass defense that ranks last in the league with 278.8 yards surrendered per contest.
On defense, the Bulldogs will have to watch out for Princeton’s backfield that is regarded as the best in the conference. The Tigers are averaging 184.8 yards on the ground thus far this season. That should be a big test for Yale’s stop unit that allows 128.3 rushing yards per game.
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Betting on the Princeton Tigers (5-3)
It’s been pretty bad for the Tigers of late. After stitching together four-straight wins to start the season, Princeton has dropped three of the next four, including a 26-23 overtime setback at the hands of Penn last Saturday. With the Ivy League title virtually out of reach, the Tigers can only look to finish the season on a positive note, beginning with a clash with Yale this week.
As mentioned, Princeton’s defense is one that needs a lot of work. That was more than apparent in the Penn game, as the Tigers allowed the Quakers to burn them for 395 total yards. Princeton was particularly abused on the ground, letting the Quakers run for 217 yards and two touchdowns.
Yale doesn’t have a robust running game (it has the Ivy League’s second lowest average of 116.3 rushing yards per game), but Princeton’s stop unit isn’t that sturdy either to thwart the Salter and company’s attack. Even Princeton’s passing defense is vulnerable against the pass, giving up 278.8 passing yards per game. If there’s anything positive to say about the Tigers’ defense, it’s that the secondary has shown some semblance of life this season, as evidenced by the team’s nine interceptions.
On offense, the Tigers will rely on their backfield that is first in the conference in rushing yards with 184.8 per game. Princeton, which has generated 21 touchdowns on the ground thus far this season, has the tandem of Joe Rhattigan and John Lovett to lead the ground attack. Rhattigan has 524 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 101 carries. Lovett, on the other hand, has 284 and nine on 43 carries.
Writer’s Prediction
Yale wins, 28-21.
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