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Penn at Harvard at a glance

Penn looks to stretch its Ivy League win streak to three in Cambridge.

Penn players celebrate after wide receiver Eric Markes catches a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of last Saturday's 21-20 victory over Cornell.
Penn players celebrate after wide receiver Eric Markes catches a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of last Saturday's 21-20 victory over Cornell.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
    by Sam Britt
    Published 

Saturday, noon, Harvard Stadium, Cambridge, Mass.

TV/Radio: NESN; PennAthletics.com/Audio; ESPN+

Records: Penn, 4-4 overall, 2-3 Ivy League; Harvard 4-4 overall, 2-3 Ivy League

Coaches: Penn, Ray Priore (30-18, 5th season); Harvard, Tim Murphy (178-79, 26th season)

Last Meeting: Nov. 10, 2018, Harvard, 29-7

Series: Harvard leads, 50-37-2

Things to watch

For the second week in a row, Penn is coming off of a win that went down to the final minute of the game. A pass deflection by freshman defensive back Kendren Smith on Cornell’s two-point conversion sealed a 21-20 Quakers victory. Star running back Karekin Brooks returned from injury last weekend but was in held in check by a stout Big Red defense. He will have another tough test this weekend as Harvard is fifth in the FCS in rush defense, allowing an average of only 81.3 yards per game. Penn will most likely need to turn to its aerial attack, which is led by wide receivers Ryan Cragun and Rory Starkey, to put up points.

Harvard is in the midst of an Ivy League skid, losing their last three games to conference rivals. They will look to get back on track on Saturday and likely be led by a defensive line that leads the country with an average of 4.63 sacks per game. Defensive linemen Brogan McPartland and Truman Jones have made quarterbacks lives miserable this season, so the Quaker’s o-line will have to come ready to play.