The Brown Bears (2-2) take on the Princeton Tigers (1-3) on Friday, Oct. 18. The game can be seen live on ESPNU, and kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET.
While there's no line as of writing, Princeton is projected as a small favorite, and the total is projected to be around 52.5.
Both teams are coming off back-to-back losses and looking to get their seasons back on track. With the Ivy League still wide open, this becomes an important game for the conference standings.
Brown vs Princeton Prediction
My Brown vs. Princeton best bet is to back Princeton. I'd back the Tigers at -2.5 or better.
- Princeton vs. Brown Pick: Princeton -2.5
Brown vs Princeton Odds
| Brown Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -115 | 50.5 -110 / -110 | +125 |
| Princeton Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -105 | 50.5 -110 / -110 | -150 |
- Brown vs Princeton Point Spread: Brown +3.5 (-110) · Princeton -3.5 (-110)
- Brown vs Princeton Total: Over/Under 50.5
- Brown vs Princeton Moneyline: Brown +125 · Princeton -150
Brown vs Princeton Preview
Brown Bears Betting Preview: Defense Looking to Rebound
Brown is coming off a loss at Rhode Island last week. The Bears led the game in the fourth quarter but were stopped on downs at the URI 30-yard line and surrendered a touchdown two plays later.
The final three Brown drives ended with a missed field goal and two turnovers. Brown's defense has been a liability in its past two losses after two decent performances to open the season.
The Bears will be looking to finish strong this week after being outscored, 36-14, in the fourth quarter over the past two weeks.
Princeton Tigers Betting Preview: Bounce-Back Opportunity
Princeton lost to Mercer, 34-7, in its most recent contest.
The Tigers were dominated in all three phases with the offense committing six turnovers and achieving only nine first downs. Mercer had both a special teams and a defensive touchdown in the victory.
Princeton has played well below expectations this season and its quarterback play has been especially bad. Quarterbacks Blaine Hipa and Blaine McCallister have combined to hit just 42% of their passes for 572 yards and a 4:9 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
The offensive line has been equally bad as Princeton is averaging just 2.9 yards per carry and has surrendered 15 sacks. The defense hung in there for three quarters against Mercer, but the six turnovers were very deflating.
Brown vs Princeton Pick & Prediction
I'm going to take Princeton if the line comes out under a field goal.
Princeton has played about as bad as a team possibly could on offense over the past two games. The Tigers have had very little continuity and have struggled to put drives together.
Princeton has gone up against two really solid FCS defenses over the past two weeks, which has made it a struggle to score points.
In the loss against Mercer, the Tigers moved the football into the red zone three times in the second half before those drives stalled out. Mercer has an exceptional FCS defense that ranks first in the FCS in passing efficiency and second in scoring defense.
It's hard to trust Brown's defense on the road given the recent performances against Bryant and Rhode Island. Over the past two weeks, Brown has surrendered 475 yards and 36.5 points per game. The secondary has been shredded against the pass and the defensive front seven has given up 5.3 yards per carry during that stretch.
I expect Princeton's offense to give senior running back John Volker plenty of touches in this one. He's an explosive back and one of the few bright spots we've seen from the Tigers offense this season.
The Princeton defense has been solid in Ivy League play year after year, and while it hasn't played up to expectations thus far, this could be a spot where it gets it figured out.
Brown struggles to protect the quarterback and the offensive line has surrendered 11 sacks on the season. The Bears' run game is averaging only 128 yards per game and 3.3 yards per carry. Princeton also has a veteran defensive line, as all four starters have started for multiple years and are quite familiar with Brown's offensive attack.
This could be the turning point for Princeton to get its season back on track. The Tigers lost to the Bears in overtime last year and will be playing for revenge this week.
The quality of the defenses Princeton has faced has made the offensive numbers look really rough.
The Tigers are a veteran team, and this performance will be very telling as to how the remainder of their season will look.
Pick: Princeton -2.5 or Better
How to Watch Brown vs Princeton Live: Start Time, TV Channel, Location
| Location: | Princeton Stadium, Princeton, NJ |
| Date: | Friday, Oct. 18 |
| Kickoff Time: | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPNU |
Brown vs Princeton Weather
