Pictured: Victor Ojukwu and the Crimson stand 2-0 in Ivy
League action.
Photo courtesy: David Silverman Photography
The Particulars
Harvard continues a three-game home stand at Harvard Stadium this
weeked as the Crimson welcomes Princeton for a noon kickoff.
Follow At Home
All Harvard home football games will feature live streaming audio
and video. Fans can visit the Multimedia page to purchase a single
game event or a season pass. The real-time broadcast includes a
television-quality, four-camera production with play-by-play
commentary from longtime radio voice Bernie Corbett and color
commentary from analyst and former QB great Mike Giardi '94.
On Radio
All Harvard games can also be heard on a variety of radio stations
including AM 1120 (Boston), 1390 (Plymouth), 970 (Sturbridge) as
well as Harvard's student station, WHRB-FM 95.3.
Live Statistics
All Harvard home football games will feature live game statistics.
Fans can visit the Live Stats page to follow along on their
computer.
Series History
Saturday’s game will be the 102nd meeting on the football
field between these two schools. The Tigers hold a 52-42-7
edge.
Princeton won close games in 2005 and 2006 but Harvard has won
every other game played since 1995 - winning 11 of those 13 games
including a nine-year victory march enjoyed by Harvard from
1995-2004.
Last Year’s Meeting
Chris Pizzotti threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score as
Harvard rallied for a 24-20 win over Princeton, bringing the
Crimson back from an early 11-point deficit. Pizzotti completed 17
of 26 passes for 247 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown strike to
Chris Lorditch. He also scored on a 33-yard run while Patrick Long
added a 25-yard field goal.
Pizzotti also kept the game-winning drive alive late in the fourth
quarter when he hit Jason Miller for a 13-yard gain on a 4th-and-1.
Three plays later, Gino Gordon put the Crimson ahead for good when
he ran in from 6 yards out with 3:34 left to play.
Eric Schultz (16 tackles) then sacked Princeton QB Brian Anderson
for a loss of 13 yards to the 34 on third down to help seal the
win.
Harvard’s Last Time Out
Two first half giveaways in its own territory and three critical
defensive penalties paved the way for Lafayette to score 28 first
half points en route to a 35-18 setback last week.
Harvard trailed 14-0 after one quarter and 28-3 at halftime in
losing to Lafayette for the first time in nine chances and losing
at home for the first time in over two years after winning 11
straight since the begining of the 2007 season.
Princeton’s Last Time Out
Brown’s Buddy Farnham scored two touchdowns and amassed 309
all-purpose yards to help Brown beat Princeton 34-17.
Farnham caught 10 passes for 199 yards, including an 80-yard
touchdown, and returned a punt 92 yards for a touchdown.
Kyle Newhall went 23-for-36 with 309 yards and two touchdowns for
the Bears. The Tigers were led by Tommy Wornham, who passed for a
touchdown and ran for another.
He was 28-for-35 for 193 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown pass
to Meko McCray. Wornham also scored on a 12-yard run.
McCray caught seven passes for 57 yards.
Ivy Updates
Harvard and Penn are tied atop the standings at 2-0 apiece
following Penn’s win over zColumbia last weekend. They are
the only two undefeated teams in league play.
Harvard Coach Tim Murphy
In his 16th season as Harvard’s head coach, Tim Murphy
enters Saturday’s game with a 100-54 record with the Crimson
and a 132-99-1 overall head coaching record, which includes five
years at Cincinnati and two years at Maine. Murphy is one of just
five coaches to win 100 games since the formation of the Ivy League
in 1954. Murphy has led Harvard to five Ivy League championships
(1997, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008). He is 11-4 all-time against
Princeton.
Princeton Coach Roger Hughes
Roger Hughes is in his ninth year on the Princeton sideline, and
he enters Saturday’s game with a 41-43 overall record. Hughes
had his best year with the Tigers in 2006, taking Princeton to a
9-1 record while tying Yale for the Ivy League title. He is 2-7
against Harvard.
Stingy
After allowing just seven first downs in the first three quarters
against Lehigh on Oct. 3, Harvard allowed just nine first downs in
a win at Cornell on Oct. 10.
Poison Ivy
Harvard allowed 182 total yards to Cornell and has now held Ivy
League foes under 200 yards of offense five times in its last 16
games and six in its last 20 dating back to 2006.
Teamwork
Against Cornell, four different Harvard players recorded a sack
for the second consecutive game and five players had a tackle for a
loss for the third straight game.
Rushmore
Harvard recorded four rushing touchdowns for the first since Oct.
27, 2007 in a 28-21 win against Dartmouth.
Elite Company
With 100 career victories on the Harvard sideline, head coach Tim
Murphy ranks second on the Crimson’s all-time wins chart.
Murphy is 17 wins away from Joe Restic’s school record 117
wins (from 1971-93).
Ivy Era Coaches
Since the formal naming of the Ivy League in 1956, just five
coaches have reached the 100-win plateau with two of them being
Harvard men.
Carm Cozz, Yale: 179
Bob Blackman, Dartmouth 127
Joe Restic, Harvard: 117
Al Bangnoli, Penn: 116
Tim Murphy, Harvard: 100
The Stadium
Harvard’s record at Harvard Stadium since 2001 is 37-7 while
winning 17 of its last 19 there. The team has four undefeated home
marks in that stretch (6-0 in 2001, 5-0 in 2004, 5-0 in 2007, 5-0
in 2008).
Unwelcome Wagon
Prior to its loss last weekend against Lafayette, Harvard had won
six straight home games against Patriot League teams and nine of
its last 10.
Lorditch and Lafayette
Chris Lorditch (Chalfront, Pa.) has two career 100-yard receiving
games with both of them coming against Lafayette. In 2008 he had
four catches for 106 yards and a 67-yard touchdown. In 2009 he had
four catches for 100 yards and a 47-yard TD.