June 26, 2025
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An early look of the 2025 Princeton football season

Tigers will open at Newman, play five home games

By Kevin Hieronymus
Princeton coach Ryan Pearson celebrates Friday's 57-20 win over Mercer County at Bryant Field with his son, Roman.

Princeton coach Ryan Pearson celebrates a 57-20 win over Mercer County at Bryant Field with his son, Roman, last season. The Tigers will open the 2025 season at Sterling Newman on Friday, Aug. 29. (Mike Vaughn)

Princeton has made four straight Class 3A quarterfinal appearances with six Three Rivers Mississippi championships in seven years.

The Tigers, 10-2 (4-1) in 2024, will look to get past the quarterfinals hurdle and get back on top of the conference in 2025.

Here’s an early-look at their 2025 season, which will find the Tigers playing at home five times with four road trips.

Friday, Aug. 29 at Newman - The season kicks off with the excitement with the crossover matchup between the Comets from the Three Rivers Rock and the Tigers from the Three Rivers Mississippi. The Tigers beat the Comets 28-14 in last year’s opener at home. Newman was undefeated division champs, finishing 8-3 overall with a loss in the second round of the 2A playoffs.

Friday, Sept. 5 vs. Rockridge - The Tigers face the Rockets in another Three Rivers crossover for their home debut. The Tigers won 27-18 at Rockridge last year. The Rockets went 8-3 last year, bowing out in the second round of the 2A playoffs.

Friday, Sept. 12 at Sherrard - Week 3 sends Princeton to Sherrard to kick off conference play. Princeton won the battle of the Tigers at home last year in a 60-0 blowout. Sherrard, which finished 2-7 (2-3) in 2024, is under the direction of new head coach Dan McGuirre.

Friday, Sept. 19 vs. Kewanee - The longtime rivals will meet at Bryant Field for Week 4. The Tigers boiled over Kewanee 44-15 a year ago. The Boilermakers finished 5-5 overall, 3-2 in the Three Rivers Mississippi, falling in the first round of the 4A playoffs.

Friday, Sept. 26 vs. Monmouth-Roseville - Princeton remembers the Titans very well, having lost 31-3 at Monmouth last year to unseat the Tigers as Three River Mississippi champions. This Week 5 contest will serve as Princeton’s 2025 homecoming game. Mon-Rose finished 8-2, falling in the first round of the 3A playoffs.

Friday, Oct. 3 at Hall - The Red Devils await the Tigers for a Week 6 showdown at Nesti Stadium in Spring Valley. The Tigers beat their Bureau County rivals 41-0 at home last year. Hall, which went 2-7 (1-4) in 2024, brings back alum Nick Sterling as its new head coach.

Friday, Oct. 10 vs. Mendota - Princeton will entertain a longtime rival with a new coach when the Trojans visit Bryant Field for Week 7. Former St. Bede coach Jim Eustice takes over the Trojans helm coming off a 0-9 campaign, including a 57-14 loss to the Tigers.

Friday, Oct. 17 at Mercer County - Princeton makes its first trip to Aledo in a Three Rivers Conference crossover. The Tigers won last year’s first meeting 57-20 at home. The Golden Eagles finished 4-5 last year in the midst of a late-season coaching change.

Friday, Oct. 24 vs. Erie-Prophetstown - It will be senior night for the Three Rivers crossover to close out the regular season at Bryant Field. The Tigers beat the Panthers 61-14 last year at Prophetstown. E-P finished 5-5, bowing out in 2A first-round playoff play.