Georgetown’s football team will play before a national television audience for the first time ever when it travels to Princeton on Sept. 21.

The game, which will air live at 7 p.m. on ESPNU, will be the fourth contest of the Hoyas’ season.

“Our kids are very excited about playing on national television against a storied program like Princeton,” Head Coach Kevin Kelly said. “This is a well-deserved opportunity to gain exposure for Georgetown football and what we continue to build on the Hilltop.”

The Tigers, who went 1-9 last season, are one of three Ivy League opponents the Hoyas will face this season. Georgetown are set to play host to Yale and Brown, the latter as its homecoming foe.

Kelly’s team is coming off an 8-3 campaign in 2011, the Blue and Gray’s best since 1999. Much of last year’s strength came from a defense that was one of the best in the nation.

While several top players graduated in May, including defensive end Andrew Schaetzke, two seniors — cornerback Jeremy Moore, who is also a top kickoff returner, and linebacker Robert McCabe — will return to anchor the defense.

Senior quarterback Isaiah Kempf is expected to again represent an offensive force to be reckoned with. Last season, Kempf and then-senior Scott Darby split time in the position. Kempf, however, played a major role in making Georgetown’s red-zone offense the nation’s third most efficient.

The Hoyas begin their season Sept. 1 when they travel to North Carolina to take on Davidson.