With both Penn and Princeton eliminated from FCS playoff contention, Saturday’s matchup may not mean anything for the rest of the Ivy League.
But it would be hard to find a member of either team’s locker room that would say the same.
With a rivalry stretching longer than the NBA’s Lakers and Celtics, the Penn (5-4, 3-3 Ivy) is gearing up to play arch rival Princeton (3-6, 2-4) for the 116th time. Penn, which is no longer in FCS playoff contention, is looking to close out its season with a win for the first time since 2022.
“It’s definitely a storied rivalry,” senior linebacker Kadari Machen said. “Of course, it’s always the last game of the season, so it makes it even [more competitive].”
Senior quarterback Liam O’Brien, who ranks third in passing yards the Ivy League, is also looking forward to his last go-around in the rivalry. “Princeton, as long as I’ve been here, and years past, is the last game of the season. So it’s always meaningful.”
O’Brien’s team is coming off a heartbreaking loss at Harvard.
On Penn’s final drive, O’Brien marched the offense down the field with less than a minute left in the game. Having no timeouts left, the Quakers settled for a field goal on third down, giving Penn a 43-42 lead. Then, the Crimson came back. With 22 seconds on the clock, O’Brien could only watch as Harvard drove for 40 yards and split the uprights with a game-winning 53-yarder as the clock showed zero.
“Last three years in a row, we’ve come off tough losses against Harvard,” coach Ray Priore said. “Guys have played their hearts out, and it’s really tough.”
Even after being eliminated from Ivy contention, Penn is looking to finish a disappointing season on a high note and a winning conference record. Priore praised his team for staying focused during practice after the “very, very tough” defeat.
“That’s probably one of the hardest things to do in sports,” Priore said. “How have they been on the field this week? They’ve battled back. … They’ve put it together.”
Princeton is looking for a win of its own. Though the Tigers are coming off four consecutive losses, their last three games were decided by just a field goal. Princeton’s defense also has looked formidable, holding Yale and Dartmouth to under 21 points.
As the season comes to an end, this Saturday will be the last time Penn’s seniors will suit up and walk out onto Franklin Field.
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“It’s definitely bittersweet,” Machen said. “Time has flown by. I remember my first game, my first start. It feels like yesterday, and now we’re already at the end of it.”
O’Brien, one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the conference, is staying focused on the matchup ahead.
“I don’t think the moment has truly set in for some of us,” O’Brien said. “Come the final whistle on Saturday, you know, there’s probably going to be some tears and some realization. But right now our focus is finishing the season strong with a win.”
“This is the last time a lot of the guys on our team are going to ever touch a football field,” O’Brien added. “So going out with a win is the ultimate goal.”
