Gridders Invade Princeton; Top Spot Is at Stake

PRINCETON, N.J.--We're talking about the afternoon of Saturday, November 8, 1975, when August weather and Princeton football visited the fair city of Cambridge.

We're talking about a score of Princeton 24, Harvard 0, with the third quarter drawing to a close. And we're talking about then sophomore quarterback Tim Davenport, who entered the game in the fourth quarter, put 21 quick Crimson points on the scoreboard, and came within a bobbled snap from center of Frank Champi-like immortality.

But that was last year.

When the two teams collide here this afternoon (WHRB-FM, 1:25 p.m.), what we'll be talking about is a battle of Ivy leaders. The winner will remain deadlocked with Brown for first place, the loser will only have next year's high school draft to look forward to.

Yes, that's correct, the Tigers are indeed tied with Harvard at 2-1 in the Ivy standings. Yale also stands at 2-1, while Brown, having played one more game and having triumphed in it, brings a 3-1 mark into today's non-league affair with Holy Cross.

Princeton's triumphs, though, have come against two lesser powers, Columbia and Cornell--regardless of what happened two weeks ago, Cornell is still a lesser, if not the least, power--and when journeying outside the Ivies, the Tigers have fallen prey to both Rutgers and Colgate.

So, before you get worried, don't. The Tigers probably won't win this afternoon, mostly because their strong defense can't make up for their anemic offense, but also because Joe Restic simply wouldn't have it.

The season is nearing the point, you see, that usually brings out the best in Restic-coached teams. After last weekend's narrow escape, it seemed obvious that Harvard isn't about to go flip-flop just yet, if ever. And besides, the big upset which seems to be scheduled each year occurred early this time around. Cornell, stand up and take a bow.

"We're going to be ready," Restic said yesterday before departing for the land of tweed and khakis "We know that we can get better, and we will get better."

And if you don't believe Restic, then you've probably been off finding yourself in the Himalayas the last two years.

As is his wont, though, Restic later softened his view by a trifle. "Princeton is in it as much as we are," he said. That statement might very well prove true--if there's a hurricane or if the Tigers' defense bottles up Jim Kubacki the way Dartmouth's did throughout much of last week's contest.

Everyone familiar with the Jim Kubacki story knows that he missed last year's upset with a shoulder injury, which makes Princeton the only Ivy League team in the world never to have been defeated by a Kubacki-quarterbacked team.

Kubacki is healthy this time around, however, and so is everyone else of importance, including cornerback Andy Puopolo, who missed the Dartmouth game but is scheduled to return to the gridiron today.

As far as the Tigers are concerned, they're a young team, and "pleasantly surprised to feel we're in a contending position at this stage," their coach, Bob Casciola, said. "I hate to get too excited, though," he added. "There's still a month to go."

In that month, Casciola can look forward to the continued development of his offensive line, which consists of five sophomores, and of quarterback Kirby Lockhart, a junior with a sophomore's experience, as well as the continued fine play of running backs Mike Carter, whom Casciola likens to Tommy Winn, and Bobby Isom.

Defensively the Tigers, anchored by All-Ivy performer Ted Schiller, are solid and experienced--they stand fourth in the country in pass defense--but a defense generally can't score points, just prevent them.

Unfortunately for Princeton, however, its offense can't score too many points either. "We haven't had a big offensive day yet," Casciola said. "But nor have we Jost our enthusiasm."

"Harvard is still the team to beat,"-Casciola said. "But this is always a great series. The schools have a mutual respect for each other, which they don't necessarily have for some of the others."

Which means that the players will probably shake each other's hands after the game, a probable Crimson victory. And Tim Davenport might even get a chance to play again. Only this time, if he enters the game in the fourth quarter, the 24-point advantage will probably be in Harvard's favor.