Crimson Travels to Take on Columbia

Coming off two nail biters in the last two weeks, the Harvard football team (6-1, 3-1 Ivy) is looking to put away this week’s opponent, Columbia (0-7, 0-4 Ivy), in a more decisive fashion Saturday so that it will not have to rely on the leg of kicker junior Andrew Flesher as it has in week’s past.

A win for Harvard is crucial, as it would give the Crimson a share of the Ivy League lead if Penn beats Princeton this Saturday.

This would lead to a three-way tie for first place in the Ancient Eight with just two weeks left in the season, guaranteeing an exciting finish to an already hectic season.

Harvard’s battle this weekend should be easier than most. The Crimson has had considerable success against the Lions in recent years, as the team has defeated Columbia by at least two touchdowns in every season since 2003.

Despite the history, the Lions have shown enough spark for a potential upset.

Less than a month ago, Columbia fell to Penn, which is tied with Harvard for second in the Ivy League, by just two touchdowns. The Lions kept the Quakers scoreless in both the first and third quarters, and it held on to a lead 10 minutes into the second quarter.

Even so, if this season’s record is any indicator of the outcome of the game to come, things do not bode well for Columbia, which is looking for its first win in nearly a year.  In the Lions’ last eight games, they have lost more than half by 41 or more points.

Harvard, however, is not without its own problems.

Much of its team has been hampered with injuries, especially on offense. Sophomore running back Paul Stanton has been tasked to carry much of the load, and he has averaged nearly 100 yards and more than one touchdown a game.

Junior quarterback Conner Hempel has also been playing well, recording nearly 250 yards and more than two touchdowns per start.

“We have a few people who might be injured, and that might affect the rotation, but from what I’ve seen in previous weeks, when one player goes down, there’s another player that is ready to step up,” Flesher said.

The defense, too, has also had its struggles. The Crimson is giving up 27.1 points per game, third worst in the Ivy League. Harvard’s passing defense has given up more than 300 yards per game, and opposing quarterbacks have been able to complete 63 percent of their passes against the Crimson. That said, the run defense has held opposing teams to just over 100 yards per game.

The Crimson can use this game to develop its play and strategy on both sides of the ball. The team, however, does not foresee itself working on anything too complex.

“We’re going to be sticking to the basics,” Stanton said.

It is unlikely that Columbia will take the same approach to the game, as the Lions are still seeking their first win of the season.

A player that could push this upset is senior running back Marcorus Garrett, who is averaging 83.3 all-purpose yards per game and has all four rushing touchdowns for Columbia. On defense senior linebacker Brian East has two picks, two recovered fumbles, and one forced fumble. Fellow linebacker Vinny Pugliese leads the team with five tackles for a loss with an average of 4.6 yards lost per tackle.

In general, however, the Lions are looking for more production on both sides of the ball. The offense is scoring under ten points a game, and the defense is giving up more than 42 points per game.

This team is looking for players to step up and carry the team to some success on the year, and this game will no doubt be another experimental period for the coaches and players.

The game serves as an opportunity for two teams that have very different records to improve and work towards their goals.

Harvard coach Tim Murphy will be looking for something more than just the win.

“Our goal is not just to win but is to play to our potential, and to get better every week,” Murphy said. “Sometimes we’ve done that, and sometimes we haven’t, but we have certainly played hard.”