Getty Columbia and Princeton will collide in an early-season Ivy League matchup of unbeatens on Saturday.
Ivy League unbeatens Columbia (2-0) and Princeton (2-0) will collide on the gridiron on Saturday in New Jersey.
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The game (1 p.m. ET start time) isn’t on TV anywhere, but anyone in the US can watch Columbia vs Princeton live on ESPN+:
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You can also watch on your computer via ESPN.com.
Columbia vs Princeton Preview
Columbia owns a six-game winning streak against Princeton, but Saturday’s matchup won’t come easy for the Lions.
“There’s a reason why they were the preseason pick,” Lions head coach Al Bagnoli said per the Columbia Spectator’s Matthew Kim and Bernard Wing.
“It’s one of those games that you look forward to playing,” Bagnoli added. “You’ll love the challenges involved with it, but you also recognize that you’re gonna have to bring your A-game.”
Princeton comes in averaging 47.5 points per game in two shutout victories over Lehigh and Stetson. The Tigers amassed 973 yards in those two games.
Tigers quarterback Cole Smith threw for 637 yards and six touchdowns in those wins, and he completed 69% of his passes. Princeton can also run the ball with 310 yards on the ground thus far, but it’s largely by committee. No Tigers running back has 100 yards individually yet.
Columbia ranks seventh in rushing defense for the FCS and third in first down defense according to GoColumbiaLions.com. The Lions surrendered 290 yards per game but have allowed only two touchdowns through the air thus far. Their defense held Marist to 14 points in a 37-14 season-opening win but gave up 24 against Georgetown in a 35-24 win.
Offensively, the Lions can control things on the ground and get big plays through the air per GoColumbiaLions.com. Columbia rushed for 543 yards and seven touchdowns, led by senior Dante Miller’s 208 yards.
Ranking sixth in the FCS for rushing, the Lions have several backs who get the job done. Ryan Young has 188 yards for the season, and Broderick Taylor has 42 yards and a touchdown.
Columbia has several quarterbacks getting snaps. Sophomore Joe Green has 280 yards passing, including a 69-yard touchdown pass, and a rushing touchdown. Senior Ty Lenhart has come up with three rushing touchdowns. Sophomore Gabriel Hollingsworth saw a few snaps against Marist and scored a rushing touchdown.
Princeton will get its toughest test against the run this far after shutting down opposing run games the past two weeks. When the Lions throw the ball, they’ll have to contend with pass rusher Cole Aubrey, who has three sacks this season.
“Cole Aubrey had a hell of a camp,” Smith said per The Trentonian’s Kyle Franko. “We have a freak defense.”
The Tigers haven’t allowed a point this season.
“You can’t lose if you shut somebody out,” Tigers head coach Bob Surace said per Franko.