It's not the last game of the season just yet, but it sure does feel like it. When Penn and Harvard face off tomorrow, for all intents and purposes, they will be competing for the Ivy League championship. The winner will garner at least a share of the title and, barring an improbable loss next weekend, own it outright -- Penn plays Cornell, to which they have not lost since 1999, and Harvard plays Yale, which is currently 2-3 in the Ivy League.
Franklin Field will be the venue for a rivalry that has developed over the past several years and is seemingly coming to a crescendo. The Crimson (8-0, 5-0 Ivy) handed the Quakers (7-1, 5-0) their last loss in the Ancient Eight -- three years and two days ago. The two teams have also combined to win the last four Ivy League titles, five if you count this year, and during all five years this game has had title implications for both teams.
The squads would be motivated enough if this was just a title game. The history simply adds another element.
Traditionally, the game against Harvard has been a high-scoring affair, with the matchup averaging 57.25 points during the past four seasons. The Quakers offense, which has had serious trouble scoring on multiple occasions this season, could be hard- pressed to put up points against the Crimson defense. Penn has not scored more than 20 points in its last four games.
Harvard is third in the Ivy League in pass defense, giving up 183.5 yards per game, which will only create more problems for the recently feeble Penn offense.
The Red and Blue may find that they are able to run the ball -- Harvard gave up 250 yards to Brown on the ground and are ranked fifth in the Ancient Eight in rush defense.
But the Penn offense could be in serious trouble. Quarterback Pat McDermott, who has led the Quakers to three fourth-quarter comebacks this season, sat out practice Monday and Tuesday with an undisclosed injury to his non-throwing shoulder. The junior was banged up during the Princeton game last week and was kept on the sidelines during practice for precautionary reasons.
McDermott's status for tomorrow is still in limbo, but with the Quakers having few viable options, it appears an injured McDermott is better than no McDermott at all. If he cannot play or proves to be ineffective because of the injury, freshman Bryan Walker, who has yet to throw a collegiate pass, will replace him.
Whether or not McDermott can go, running back Sam Mathews will be crucial to the success of the Penn offense. The junior has yet to recapture the form he displayed last season, when he gained 1,266 yards and recorded seven 100-yard performances.
The man who has taken over Mathews' spot as the premier rusher in the Ivy League will be on the opposite sideline and should provide Mathews with extra motivation. Sophomore Clifton Dawson has led the Crimson so far this season, gaining 1,022 yards and scoring 16 touchdowns.
Penn must be able to count on its stout defense to step up against one of the top players in all of Division I-AA. If Quakers safety Kevin Stefanski is making tackles on Dawson early in the game, as he was forced to against Princeton's Jon Veach last week, the Quakers could be in for a long day. The linebacking corps of Luke Hadden and Kory Gedin must fill the gaps and make plays -- if Dawson can get into the open field, Penn will be looking at the number 33 on the back of his jersey all afternoon.
The two-headed monster that Dawson and Crimson quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick pose will be a difficult assignment. Fitzpatrick can hurt Penn with both his arm and his legs. The senior also has two sure-handed receivers in Brian Edwards and Corey Mazza, who have combined for 83 receptions.
Although Penn does not have the balance at receiver displayed by the Crimson, the Quakers' top two receivers, Mathews and Dan Castles, have also combined for 83 catches.
With even matchups across the field, the game could come down to special teams. The Quakers' struggles with placekicking have been well-documented. The kicker-by-committee system has gone six-of-16 on field goals. They have also missed three extra points, which could prove crucial in a close game. Meanwhile, Harvard's Matt Schindel has gone 12-of-16, although his season-long is only 39 yards.
The Quakers do have a strong advantage in the punting game, which should help them in the field position battle. Penn's Josh Appell is averaging 41.3 yards per kick, while the Crimson's Mike King and Clem David have averaged only 36.5.
Harvard's Edwards has also provided a spark for the Crimson's kicking game, returning two punts and one kickoff for touchdowns. The Quakers have done neither all season.
