There is a reason why Dartmouth has never been in danger of losing a football game this season-the Big Green is one of the toughest teams to play in the Ivy League in years.

Equipped with an unyielding defense and a constantly passing offense, the Indians overwhelmed a determined but undermanned Harvard squad 24-6 in the stadium today. The Crimson fought desperately, but no amount of desire could compensate for Dartmouth's superiority.

Not once did Harvard's back manage to start a coordinated march, and the Big Green's Bill King was irrepressable.

Dartmouth wasted little time in showing a near capacity crowd just why they currently lead the Ivy League in offense. Jerry Mechling's kickoff for Harvard bounced into the end zone, putting the ball on the 20-yard line, but the Big Green didn't stay there long.

In just nine plays quarterback Bill King took his Indians past the Harvard 20, with tricky handoffs, and smashing cuts through the Crimson line by Tom Spangenberg. With a brisk wind going against him, King tried only one pass, which failed. The Big Green quarterback ran into a suddenly tough Harvard line on the 17, however, forcing Dartmouth to try for a field goal. Bill Wellstead's kick from 25 yards out just cleared the posts and the Indians moved into a 3-0 lead.

Harvard, with Hobie Armstrong and Bill Grana leading the way, moved back to the Indians 32 after the kick-off, but missed the first down there by inches. Rugged defensive play prevented any Green advances and the Crimson recovered the ball after a Dartmouth fumble.

Although Scott Harshbarger gained 13 yards on a smooth double reverse, the Crimson was soon stymied again, this time by two penalties. Bill Taylor reentered the game and surprised the Indians with a spectacular 60-yard quick kick to end the opening period.

With a 46 degree temperature on the field hampering ball handling by the backs, and with both lines putting up determined resistance, neither team managed to get anywhere during the first part of the second quarter.

The situation changed suddenly, though, when Taylor's punt from the Crimson 20 dribbled off his toe and rolled out on the Harvard 34. Dartmouth quarterback King capitalized on his luck on two plays, the first a keeper around end for 23 yards. On second down, the classy Indian faked a pass and twisted through left tackle for the touchdown. Wellstead's kick was perfect for the conversion.

Harvard tried a series of orthodox slashes and belly handoffs in an effort to get back in the game, but Dartmouth's Apache defensive units held fast. Trying to utilize the 20 m.p.h. winds. King took to the air, but alert defensive play by Hobie Armstrong prevented any disastrous aerial gain. As time ran out in the half, Terry Bartolet tried frantically to pass Harvard to a touchdown, but his throws, all against the wind, were far from their targets. Indian Coach Bob Blackman kept fresh units coming into the game, but Harvard's two platoons refused to be worn down. The half-time statistics told the story of superior Dartmouth personnel better than did the 10-0 score. The Big Green gained 113 yards rushing and seven first downs to the Crimson's 74 and three.

Dartmouth monopolized the ball in the third quarter, but Harvard refused to yield another touchdown. A 34-yard pass from King to end Scott Creelman scared the Crimson fans, but the line stiffened on the Harvard 14-yard line. King tried two more passes both into the endzone, but Dave Hudepohl deflected the ball each time.

The Crimson failed to get anywhere on its first opportunity with the ball, and Taylor once again was forced to punt. This time he booted a 40 yarder to midfield.

Although the Indian line carried out its assignments perfectly, King couldn't get his team moving, and the Big Green lost the ball on its fourth fumble of the afternoon.

Coach John Yovicsin sent in Bartolet's unit for Harvard, but after gaining only 13 yards on six plays, the Crimson surrendered the ball.

Blackman let his second unit maneuver to the Dartmouth 40, but reinstalled King and his first-string friends at the start of the final period. Trying to ice the game with a long pass, King was temporarily repressed by the Crimson defense sparked by Hudepohl and Brad Stevens.

Harvard took a punt on its own 32, and Mike Bassett tired again to crack the Dartmouth defense. He was unsuccessful. On third down, Bassett pitched to Tom Bilodeau who tried to pass to Taylor. Dartmouth's fullback Tom Parkinson was waiting at the 37 yard line instead of Taylor, and his interception set up Dartmouth's second touchdown.

After a few short gains through the center of the line, King rolled out to pass and found John McLean waiting all alone on the Harvard 22. The young halfback, playing his first game on the starting unit carried the ball to the 17.

King once again contended himself with sending halfback Spangenberg and Parkinson in for thrusts over the tackle and guard positions. He finally finished the job himself with a four yard run around left end for the six points. Ticking like a machine, Wellstead gained yet another conversion making it 17-0.

Then for a moment, the Harvard stands came alive. Armstrong, after fumbling the kickoff, brought the ball to the Harvard 15. A Bassett pass to Hobie picked up three yards.

Deciding that passing was better than futile bumps against the line, Bassett dropped back again. Although chased by numerous Indian linemen, he spotted Taylor on the 41 and sent a perfect throw in that direction. The well-covered Taylor still managed to grab the ball. He tipped off two tacklers and ran like hell for the endzone. He got there, and Harvard had a touchdown. It was the first TD powerful Dartmouth eleven had permitted all year.