Princeton football, Week 5

Princeton (2-2, 1-0 Ivy) vs. Brown (2-2, 1-0 Ivy)

Oct. 18, 1 p.m. -- Princeton Stadium, Princeton, N.J.

History

Brown has never won at Princeton Stadium, dropping each of its five games in the Tigers' 10-year-old home. The Bears are anxious to end that streak, said coach Phil Estes, who noted that his team already snapped one string of futility, beating Harvard Sept. 27 after losing its previous eight games against the Crimson. Princeton lost at Brown, 33-24, in 2007.

This year

Both teams won their Ivy League openers, and both lost close non-league games on the road last week. For the Tigers, a late field goal buried their chances in a 27-24 loss at Colgate. The Bears were outgunned, 41-34, at Holy Cross.

Players to watch

Princeton tailback Jordan Culbreath ’10

With a 153-yard performance at Colgate, Culbreath nudged ahead of Yale's Mike McLeod and into the No. 1 spot on this year's list of Ivy rushing leaders. Head coach Roger Hughes said Culbreath, a mechanical engineering major, sets a great example for his teammates, managing a rigorous course load and excelling on the field. He's also improved greatly over the last three years, Hughes said, increasing his quickness while learning to be a more patient runner.

Brown senior quarterback Michael Doughtery

Doughtery's astounding 526 passing yards in the loss to Holy Cross last week broke a 27-year-old Ivy record, set by Bob Holly ’82 in Princeton's 1981 win over Yale. Colin Cloherty (14 catches) and Bobby Sewall (10 catches) were the top targets, but Doughtery completed passes to five other receivers as well. "It's frustrating anytime you lose, but I think it's good we finally got the offense back into rhythm heading into our Ivy schedule," he told The Brown Daily Herald.

Around the Ivies

Only three teams remain undefeated in Ivy play: Princeton, Brown, and Penn, which hosts Columbia Oct. 18. Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, and Yale complete their non-league games this week.

Roster notes

Connor Louden ’09 is sidelined with a strained groin, so Ben Bologna ’10 likely will handle Princeton's kicking duties against Brown. He scored his first collegiate point against Colgate, kicking an extra point in the second quarter. Do not expect long field-goal attempts this week -- Bologna does not have the same range as Louden. But, Hughes said, "Within his range, he's every bit as consistent."

Final quote

On the physical effects of carrying the ball nearly 20 times per game: "During the week, the coaches do a good job of letting me get back to full strength before the games, and during the game, the adrenaline is running high enough that you can't feel the little bumps and bruises. Sunday morning, though, I've got to do a lot of icing."

-- Jordan Culbreath ’10, Princeton tailback