Football Hosts Georgetown Tonight in Battle of Early Unbeatens

Tonight at Harvard Stadium, the Crimson football team faces a pair of opponents: Georgetown and the probability of rain.

Both are slippery foes. The Hoyas, because they’ve started the year 3-0 after four straight losing seasons. The rain, because it is wet.

“I can’t remember going into a third game and never having some rain to acclimate,” Harvard coach Tim Murphy said. “It’s all about adapting to the environment, whether that’s a hostile environment on the road, rain, or wind.”

In recent years, however, the Crimson (2-0, 1-0 Ivy) has weathered all these difficulties. In 2015, Harvard wrapped up its third straight Ivy League title, capping a stretch in which the team played to a 28-2 record over its three championship seasons.

Those victories came in bright sunlight and blistering cold; they came in the hinterlands known as Ithaca, N.Y. and Hanover, N.H.; and they came in the homeland known as Harvard Stadium.

Dating back to 2013, the Crimson has won 16 road games in a row—second only to Ohio State, who has won 19 straight. More than any other statistic, this one demonstrates the program’s ability to adapt to different environments.

It is little surprise, then, that Murphy has already prepared his players for precipitation. This week in practice, Harvard went through a series of wet-ball drills; since no actual rain fell, coaches dunked footballs in water to simulate inclement conditions.

“We have to think about [ball security] every single game,” running back Semar Smith said. “You can’t lose sight of that even when it’s raining.”

The preparation began as long ago as last Saturday, when Smith ate up 89 yards on the ground against Brown. That performance cemented the junior’s status as top back and demonstrated the power of the Crimson’s run game—a crucial asset in wet weather.

Sure, Harvard can deal with harsh conditions—over the last few years, only the Postal Service has delivered more consistently.

But heading into tonight’s Georgetown matchup (7 p.m.)—and, beyond that, heading into the furor of Ancient Eight play—the Crimson faces as much of a challenge from internal opponents as external ones.

Take injuries. Fractures, strains, breaks, pulls, and separations are facts of football. As a coach, you just hope that the roulette ball doesn’t land on certain numbers.

Harvard number 79 is one such number. That jersey belongs to senior Max Rich, the left tackle and veteran heart of the offensive line. Against Brown he hobbled off the field after a goal-line rushing play and did not return; his status tonight is uncertain. Also questionable are sophomore wide receiver Justice Shelton-Mosley and junior left guard D.J. Mott, both starters.

“They’re all three good football players,” Murphy said. “If they can play, then we’d like to play them.”

High expectations represent another internal foe. To be sure, tough standards inspire excellence by demanding accountability. But those standards also exert a psychological burden.

Through two games, the Crimson has shouldered this weight through a full-proof tactic: keep winning. But expectations only dig deeper as the season progress.

“Once the game comes, that’s the easy part,” captain Sean Ahern said. “Practice is always the hardest thing....We have to get better and better any week to the point where we don’t give up any points.”

It’s dishonest, however, to present these challenges and provide no answers. In reality, Harvard remains a stalwart program, full of athleticism, talent, and hunger.

Besides a shaky stretch or two last Saturday, senior quarterback Joe Viviano has met all expectations. He’s completed 65 percent of his passes for 495 yards and no interceptions. Sophomore D.J. Bailey has emerged as a real threat on the defensive line, elevating a unit that already ranked as the strength of the team. And the secondary has recovered with panache after losing three starters from 2015.

“That group is talented,” Murphy said. “They’re really passionate. They give great energy to our team. They’re a lot of fun to be around.”

Certainly the Hoyas present a legitimate test. Georgetown’s rushing attack is averaging 125 yards per game. The team has converted 10 of 11 red-zone opportunities, including seven for touchdowns. Last year’s 45-0 blowout at Harvard Stadium belongs to last year, and this year’s Hoyas enter tonight with the deserved confidence of an undefeated team.

Moreover, Georgetown has proven an ability to beat Ivy League teams. At the Hoyas’ homecoming last Saturday, the hosts dispatched Columbia, 17-14, after jumping to a 17-0 lead.

Even so—even despite trying circumstances and a solid opponent—the Crimson reigns as a perpetual favorite. In 2016, this is what it means to be Harvard football. For how much longer, however, no one can say.

“[Georgetown] is now a veteran team that’s 3-0, coming in here with a lot of momentum,” Murphy said. “We’re still a work in progress.”

—Staff writer Sam Danello can be reached at sam.danello@thecrimson.com.