Missed extra point costs Tigers
By: Charles Person
ITHACA, N.Y. — Princeton University’s Ivy League football title hopes took a big hit Saturday as the Tigers fell to Cornell, 25-24, when they failed to convert an extra point with 11 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
Title hopes weren’t the only things falling on the day. Princeton kicker Taylor Northrop fell while trying to convert the potentially game-tying extra point with 11 ticks remaining on the clock. The Tigers appeared to have given themselves an opportunity to take the game into overtime after driving 63 yards on eight plays in 1 minute, 37 seconds to score. A 24-yard touchdown pass from fourth-string quarterback Brian Danielewicz to Chisom Opara capped the brilliant drive, Princeton’s longest on the day.
Princeton, which fell out of a first-place tie for the Ivy lead with the loss, was surprisingly unable to move the ball most of the day, despite Cornell claiming the title of worst defense in Division I-AA. The Big Red entered the game allowing 511 yards of offense on average, including an Ivy record 690 yards last week against Brown.
"I thought our defense played outstanding," said Cornell head coach Pete Mangurian. "Our defense was physical, they executed, and we had an attitude about us defensively."
Cornell took the lead on its final drive of the afternoon, scoring on a bootleg throw from junior quarterback Ricky Rahne to sophomore tight end Mike Parris to take a five-point lead. A two-point conversion pass to senior All-Ivy receiver Joe Splendorio put the Big Red ahead by an important seven points.
Princeton opened the scoring in the contest after Northrop put a 40-yard field goal through the uprights with 12:18 remaining in the first quarter. Princeton only moved the ball five yards on the drive, but a poor punt by Cornell’s Joe Hull had started the Tigers at the Cornell-28.
Cornell then applied the defensive pressure for the next Princeton drives, holding the Tigers to two three-and-outs. The Tiger defense held Cornell up on two drives as well, but the Big Red finally broke through with 1:13 remaining in the first quarter. Running back Evan Simmons broke through the Tiger defensive line for a two-yard touchdown run that put Cornell ahead, 7-3.
The teams traded three-and-outs before Cornell made a key defensive stop on their own 43-yard line, holding Kyle Brandt on a fourth-and-one. The offense used the momentum to its advantage, as Ricky Rahne tossed a perfect 57-yard strike to Keith Ferguson on third-and-10 to put Cornell up 14-3.
Princeton’s offense was anemic in the first half, managing only 133 yards behind 9-for-15 passing from Jon Blevins, who returned from an ankle injury to lead the offense. Cameron Atkinson led the Tigers in rushing with 33 yards on six carries.
The third quarter was a quarter of defensive dominance for the Tigers. Princeton forced four Cornell turnovers, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries, giving the Tigers the field position they needed to score on what had been a very tough Big Red defense.
"I thought overall our defense played their lights out," said Princeton first-year head coach Roger Hughes.
Princeton’s first touchdown of the quarter came courtesy a dropped punt by Cornell’s Justin Dunleavy and subsequent recovery by the Tigers’ Paul Simbi. The turnover gave the Tigers the ball at the Big Red 23. Four plays later, Atkinson danced into the end zone on a four-yard romp that left Princeton down 14-10.
Princeton’s next two drives started with excellent field position, getting the ball at its own 46 and Cornell’s 34, but the home team’s defense stifled both drives and kept the Tigers from putting further points on the board. The Big Red’s offense was doing no better, as Princeton was forcing turnovers and stopping the passing game. With 5:27 left on the clock in the third, linebacker Chris Roser-Jones intercepted a Ricky Rahne pass at the Cornell-23 and returned it all the way to the Cornell seven-yard line.
Princeton would not be denied a third straight time, as Atkinson rushed for his second touchdown of the day on his first shot at the end zone. A botched snap on the extra-point forced holder Gary Baumwoll to roll right and heave up a prayer. That prayer was answered by Mike Chiusano, who leapt over three Cornell defenders to haul in the two-point conversion and put Princeton ahead, 18-14.
Cornell’s Peter Iverson would add a field goal with 6:38 remaining in the game to put Cornell down by a point, 18-17. The next drive would be the turning point in the game however.
With Princeton 5:47 away from a huge road victory, Blevins tried to scramble up the middle of the field, but Cornell’s Rich Zacek forced the ball from the senior’s hands. The Big Red’s Jordan Hase recovered the ball, giving Cornell its best field position of the day at the Princeton-36. Eight plays later, including two critical third-down conversions, Parris caught the pass that put Cornell in the lead for good.
After the game, Northrop had little explanation for the crucial slip up.
"I don’t really remember what happens during the kicks, all I remember was I took my steps and I was sitting on my ass," he commented. "I slipped and fell, but that’s no excuse."
A disappointed Hughes summed the contest up after the game.
"It’s very disheartening to fight that hard and not come out ahead," he said. "Second place [in the Ivies] is for losers. Am I proud of how our kids are playing? Yeah, but winning is winning."
"Bottom line of this game is you win or lose. We made enough mistakes to get us beat, but we found a way to overcome it," Mangurian said.
Princeton will face Penn at home next week. The Quakers defeated Brown Saturday, 41-38, on a late touchdown.