Princeton at Penn: Important rivalry game on homecoming

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It’s homecoming weekend at Penn as the streaking Quakers welcome rival Princeton to Franklin Field for an important Ivy League game. Here’s a closer look at the matchup:

Princeton (5-2, 2-2 Ivy) at Penn (4-3, 3-1 Ivy)
Franklin Field
Saturday, noon, American Sports Network

Scouting Penn
The Quakers’ offense has been clicking on all cylinders recently as the team has averaged more than 42 points per game over its last four contests, capped by a huge 48-28 win over Brown last week. After getting shut out at Brown in their last two trips there, the Quakers rode three touchdown passes from red-hot QB Alek Torgersen and three TD runs from Tre Solomon. Penn’s opportunistic defense also came away with five takeaways en route to the team’s third straight league win. With three games left, the Quakers — picked sixth in the Ivy preseason poll — are in control of their own destiny to win at least a share of the conference title.

Scouting Princeton
The Tigers rebounded from back-to-back road losses at Brown and Harvard with a 47-21 home rout of Cornell last week. Senior running back Dre Nelson scored twice in the win, including a 100-plus-yard kickoff return, and helped Princeton’s rushing attack churn out 261 yards and four TDs. Princeton’s passing offense, though, has been less effective than its rushing offense, and the Tigers have also struggled on defense, allowing 440.9 yards per game, seventh in the Ivies.

History
In a series that dates back to 1876, Princeton holds the 65-40-1 edge. Princeton has also prevailed in the last two meetings but before that Penn had won 15 of 17.

Storyline to watch
On paper, this should be a good matchup for Torgersen, who’s hitting his stride this season and now gets to face the league’s worst pass defense. But we’re beginning to hit unchartered territory for the junior QB, who will be playing meaningful games in November for the first time in his career. It will be interesting to see if he can keep the offense rolling.

What’s at stake?
For Penn, a win would set up a showdown with unbeaten Harvard the following week with the Ivy title hanging in the balance. It also could eliminate Princeton from the race.

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