Penn Readies For Key Showdown With Rival Princeton

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The University of Pennsylvania football team will be looking for a sixth straight win on Saturday afternoon. The Quakers will take to the road to take on rival Princeton in a critical Ivy League match-up.

Penn improved to 5-2 on the season with their fifth straight win last weekend, beating Brown at Franklin Field, 21-14. The Quakers jumped out to a 21-0 lead at the half in that one. Brown scored twice in the third quarter to close within seven and the Bears threatened more than once in the fourth quarter, but the Quakers turned them away every time.

"You look at our defense, I really truly believe they played real well," Penn head coach Ray Priore tells KYW Newsradio. "Some real key fourth down stops in that fourth quarter. (Sophomore safety) Sam Philippi on a fourth down little sprint out pass, he had a pass break-up and obviously with the big pick at the end of the game."

Listen to the entire interview with Penn's Ray Priore:

Phillippi's game clinching interception came in the end zone with just 1:28 remaining in the game.

The win improved Penn to 4-0 in Ivy League action and that has them tied with Harvard (next week's opponent) for first place. Princeton is 5-2 overall and the Tigers are just a game back in the Ivy race with a 3-1 mark. This rivalry is intense and when both teams among the elite in the Ivy League, it is taken to a whole new level.

"It's exciting time for our kids," Priore says. "Our kids know obviously it's always a big game. The rivalry is in all sports, basketball, football, it's there. We're excited to hit the field on Saturday."

Princeton is coming off a 56-7 dismantling of Cornell up in Ithaca last week. The Tigers rolled up 645 yards of total offense and got a career performance from one of their quarterbacks, junior John Lovett. He accounted for seven touchdowns against the Big Red (four rushing, two passing and one receiving). This success is nothing new for the Princeton offense or Lovett. The Tigers average 35.6 points per game and Lovett is tied for the lead in FCS in rushing scores with 14.

"They do so many different things," Priore says. "Their offense is very creative, a lot of different sets, formations, two quarterback situations on the field (Lovett and senior Chad Kanoff). So they really force you to cover sideline to sideline, end zone to end zone on every single play. They have some really talented kids."

This will be the 108th edition of this rivalry. Princeton leads the all-time series 65-41-1.

Last year, these two teams met at Franklin Field. Penn winning a classic in overtime, 26-23.

Saturday's game in Princeton starts at noon.