A victory would continue the hot streak that has bolstered the energy and excitement currently surrounding the football program. After a double overtime victory last weekend at Schoellkopf, there will be hope that some of that magic will carry over into the upcoming matchup against Princeton (3-3, 2-1 Ivy).
“[I’m] pleased with the kind of commitment, dedication to competition that we showed,” said head coach Dan Swanstrom regarding last week’s victory. “I thought that was really crucial. I wouldn't say it was great football all the time, far from it. But we got good fight, we got good toughness, we play together as a team, those are things that we can work with, and we can continue to work and build on execution as we go.”
The last time these two teams faced off, it resulted in a loss for the Tigers on their own turf, by a score of 49-35. If the Red (2-4, 1-2 Ivy) can replicate this offensive display in the upcoming matchup, fans of the team will not have to worry about a lack of entertaining football.
The Tigers are coming off a tough home loss last week against the current Ivy League leader, No. 12/15 Harvard. However, Princeton remains undefeated in away matchups, meaning the Red will need to be on point if it wants to keep its current home winning streak alive.
While the Red currently sits towards the bottom end of the Ivy League standings, a win in this matchup would see it leapfrog over Princeton and put Cornell in prime striking distance of the current mid-tier teams.
Sophomore running back Jordan Triplett has quickly established himself as a star in the making after securing three touchdowns in last week’s double overtime victory over Brown (3-3, 0-3 Ivy). The backbone of this year’s team has been junior quarterback Garret Bass-Sulpizio, who has now led the Red to two straight wins. The performance of Bass-Sulpizio was dominant last week, throwing for 346 yards and also securing one rushing touchdown.
When asked about who has led the team throughout the season and during the current winning streak, Swanstrom noted multiple upperclassmen who he believes have set the precedent for the Red’s younger core.
“Seeing some of those guys from James Reinbold, Max Van Fleet, Ben Sahakian, and Damon Barnes are the guys that are really laying the groundwork for these young guys,” said coach Swanstrom.
Princeton will be led by quarterback Kai Colón, who has been the anchor of the Tiger offense this season. Colón has thrown for over 1000 passing yards and secured eight touchdowns through the first six games of the season. The Tigers also utilize running back Ethan Clark as a main part of their offense scheme. Clark has already secured over 300 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
Swanstrom has proven throughout the course of this season that the Red is always prepared for whatever is coming its way. While this matchup will be tough, the Red have the talent and leadership to come away with a statement victory that would put the rest of the Ivy League on notice.
The Red will take the field at 1 p.m. this Saturday. The match will also be available on ESPN+.
Matthew Leonard is a member of the Class of 2028 in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. He is the assistant sports editor of the 143rd Editorial Board. He can be reached at mleonard@cornellsun.com.
