Penn, Harvard to meet with Ivy title on the line

Turn back the calendar to Nov. 15, 2008, and Penn faced Harvard in a football game with huge Ivy League title implications.

The Quakers had the ball for nearly 40 minutes and gained 445 yards of total offense in contrast to 261 for the Crimson.

But, aided by free safety Ryan Barnes' three interceptions, Harvard went on to capture a 24-21 victory. The win gave the Crimson a share of its second consecutive league title.

"We dominated that game," Penn coach Al Bagnoli said. "We dominated everything statistically. The problem is the turnovers, which is probably the most meaningful statistic outside of the score."

The Quakers will look to avenge that setback when the two squads meet at noon tomorrow at Harvard Stadium in Cambridge, Mass. Once again, the league title will be on the line.

Penn (6-2, 5-0 Ivy) and Harvard (6-2, 5-0) are tied atop the league standings with two games remaining. Tomorrow's winner clinches at least a share of the Ivy title.

A victory would mark the Quakers' first league title since 2003 and their 14th overall.

So what will be the key ingredient to a victory?

"It's the same thing, again," said Bagnoli, whose squad looks to avoid its fifth loss in six meetings with Harvard. "The team that does a better job of protecting the football gives themselves a better chance to win."

This game pits the Crimson's stout rushing offense against one of the nation's top-ranked defenses in the Football Championship Subdivision [formerly Division I-AA].

The Quakers are ranked first in rushing defense (60.88 yards per game) and scoring defense (11 points per game). They are second in total defense (227 yards per game) and sixth in pass-efficiency defense (99.5 rating).

Harvard, however, has the league's top and the nation's 15th-ranked rushing offense (187.5 yards per game). The Crimson also has the league's top scoring offense (28.8 points per game).

But Penn's Keiffer Garton could become the x-factor, now that's he's finally healthy.

The junior quarterback, who missed five games with elbow and leg injuries, gives Penn an extra running threat in the backfield. The outcome could depend on Harvard's ability to contain him.

Last season, Garton rushed 22 times for 174 yards and two touchdowns against the Crimson. He also accounted for 367 yards of total offense.

"He'll come in and be that kid who will throw some, run some," Bagnoli said of Garton, who sat out the last three games.

Note: Harvard owns a 45-32-2 series advantage.