At this stage in the Penn football team's season, the potential turning point has come and gone.
A victory against heavy favorite Yale last week could have been the last opportunity for an Ivy title run, but after the last drive in triple-overtime stalled, it's time for the Quakers (2-4, 1-2 Ivy) to shift gears.
After preparing to clamp down on the run to stop Yale's terror-of-a-tailback Mike McLeod, the Penn defense will have to do a complete 180, and make sure it's ready for Brown's wide-open passing attack.
"It's a big turnaround from what we had last week where we were so geared up for the run, and so geared up for stopping McLeod," senior linebacker Joe Anastasio said. "Now we need to come out with a whole new different mindset."
While Penn had the Football Championship Subdivision's top rusher on its plate last weekend, the top passing threat awaits in Providence, R.I. tomorrow.
Quarterback Michael Dougherty, whose 340 passing yards per game put him 20 yards ahead of the field, has spread the wealth in the Bears' spread offense, finding three different receivers for over 70 yards per game each.
The pass-first approach has always been a staple of coach Phil Estes' offense, but with starting tailback Dereck Knight out for the season, Brown (2-4, 1-2) has had to rely on Dougherty and his minions more than usual.
The Quakers' 5-2 defense, which is built to stop the run, could be particularly vulnerable against such an attack.
"They're scary explosive," coach Al Bagnoli said. "We're gonna have our hands full."
Paul Raymond represents the Bears' biggest playmaking threat, with 118.2 yards per game, good for third in the nation. He has also been an effective kick returner, averaging 27.4 yards per return.
But, like Penn, Brown has lacked the oomph to close out winnable games this year.
"We're capable of playing with anyone, but we've gotta have a better finish," Estes said. "And I think that just comes down to toughness. They gotta be tougher, they gotta have a better attitude, they gotta have a finish. And it's no different with Penn."
Now, the Quakers and Bears sit uncomfortably close to the League's basement, something that both teams would love to change.
"My brother plays at Brown, and I know that they're pretty hungry to get a win," Anastasio said. "I expect a good, hard-fought game. It's probably gonna come down to the last play like it did last year."
Penn, for one, couldn't think of anything that it would want less than another overtime. And while a win wouldn't put them in the thick of the race by any means, it could put the Quakers back into the realm of relevance again.
Calling this game a must-win would probably overstate Penn's chances at the title, but if nothing else, the Quakers are motivated to show that they are better than their 1-2 record shows.
Anastasio isn't letting himself - or his team - get caught up in miracle scenarios or never-say-die rhetoric. Right now, this is just a football team trying to win a game.
"If it turns out that somehow we win the championship this year, great," Anastasio said. "But if there's one last thing our senior class can leave with this team [it's] that we can help get it in the right direction . and pick it up in the dominant form it was before."
