All Ivy eyes turn to Harvard-Yale

A matchup with Yale is all that stands between Harvard and an outright Ivy League title, not to mention an undefeated season.

But if anyone thinks that the Crimson is a lock to win tomorrow, they do not know about the history of these two teams.

This is "The Game." In terms of tradition and history, this rivalry is up there with Michigan-Ohio State or Cal-Stanford. Harvard is 9-0, but even if Yale was 0-9, the Elis would have a chance in this game. It's that type of rivalry.

With that in mind, here's a look at how Harvard-Yale, and this weekend's other Ivy League football games stack up.

Yale (5-4, 3-3 Ivy)

at Harvard (9-0, 6-0)

Fresh off last weekend's convincing win at Franklin Field, the Crimson return home for what it hopes is a coronation cloaked in Ivy.

But not so fast.

Yale looked convincing in a 21-9 win over Princeton last weekend, and before the season started, the Elis were a chic pick to win the Ancient Eight title. Those hopes were dashed at the season's outset when Yale was shocked by Cornell in Ithaca, N.Y., 19-7 .

Since that defeat, the Elis have had trouble getting on track. Quarterback Alvin Cowan has suffered through a disappointing season, and the offense has not put up points commensurate with its talent.

But Yale pulled itself together against Princeton. Running back Robert Carr sliced and diced the Tigers defense for 160 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries. And the Elis defense continued its strong play, holding Princeton to three field goals.

Still, it would take an extraordinary performance to beat a confident Crimson team. There is simply no comparison in the Ivy League to Harvard quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and running back Clifton Dawson.

Fitzpatrick began last Saturday's game erratically, but by the end of the afternoon it was clear why there was an Oakland Raiders scout in attendance. Fitzpatrick makes throws that no one else in the league can, and Penn cornerback Duvol Thompson found that out the hard way last weekend.

Anything can happen in a rivalry like this, and the Crimson could have problems with Carr and the Elis' running game. However, unless the Crimson fall apart, there will be a lot of disappointed Penn players when they look up at the Schoellkopf Field out-of-town scoreboard tomorrow.

Dartmouth (1-8, 1-5)

at Princeton (4-5, 2-4)

How much does momentum matter in Ivy League football?

If it does, Dartmouth has a big advantage this weekend. The Big Green won its first game last weekend, beating Brown, 20-7.

Dartmouth's fortunes have turned for the better ever since coach John Lyons turned to running back Chad Gaudet. The freshman from Burlington, Vt., has revived a dormant Big Green rushing attack. Against the Bears, Gaudet carried the ball 37 times for 137 yards and a touchdown. It appears that Dartmouth has found its identity.

Princeton, on the other hand, seems to be lacking in this regard. The Tigers have dropped four games in a row following a 4-1 start. Head coach Roger Hughes blew a gasket following the loss to Penn. A loss here would send him into the stratosphere and maybe onto the street after another losing season.

Columbia (1-8, 1-5)

at Brown (5-4, 2-4)

These are two teams that are coming to the end of the season with their tails between their legs. Last weekend, Brown lost to a previously winless Dartmouth team, and Columbia blew a 19-point fourth-quarter lead at home to Cornell, a squad not known for its explosive offense.

It's surprising that the Lions have regressed so badly following an encouraging 2003 season. The team has had problems in all areas: offense, defense, even kicking the ball. It's just a mess.

Brown is a team that has played much better than its record suggests. The Bears lost to Penn and Harvard by a combined five points. With a running back like Nick Hartigan, there's no way Brown should lose to a team like Columbia. But the Bears have been disappointing all season. Don't put it past them to disappoint again.

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