By 4:30 p.m. this afternoon, the Harvard season could be over. Or just beginning. Because this afternoon, in the hills and ravines of Ithaca, N.Y., Harvard will find out how legitimate the Crimson's Ivy title credentials actually are.

Harvard has put together some amazing statistics in its first three games. The Defense, which hasn't given up a score since the first quarter of the UMass game, has amassed the top set of team statistics in the NCAA, yielding a stingy 100 yards per contest total offense. The Harvard "no-namers" have become a cohesive unit, pursuing and gang-tackling with awesome efficiency.

The Offense has developed into a slick, if not unstoppable unit. Jimmy Stoeckel has provided Harvard with the kind of efficient and steady quarterbacking that the Crimson has been looking for since George Lalich graduated way back in 1968.

Stoeckel has completed 62 per cent of his passes for 352 yards and six touchdowns, and has teamed with junior end Pat McInally to give Harvard an impressive aerial game. McInally has come into his own as a receiver this year. In three games, he has caught 17 passes for 259 yards and three touchdowns.

Today, however, the Crimson will encounter a team that looks as little like UMass, B.U., and Columbia as Yogi Berra looks like Derek Bok. Cornell, probably the strongest team in the Ivies, will be the first real test of the Crimson's offensive and defensive capacities.

Certainly Harvard has put together some impressive statistics in its first three games. But since the three Harvard opponents are all marginal-calibre teams, there is no way of knowing whether Harvard's impressive performances in the first three weeks of the season are a reflection of the Crimson's talent or the opposition's lack of it.

Cornell is another story completely. Despite a 7-7 tie with Lehigh, the Big Red has credentials equally impressive as those of Harvard. And more significantly the Ithaca madmen have a defense.

On the attack Don Fanelli and Dan Malone are as punishing a duo of runners as one can find in the East. And senior signal-caller Mark Allen is a slick and seasoned quarterback.

The picks:

HARVARD-CORNELL--As the British would say, "a very sticky wickett." Harvard has impressive statistics. So does Cornell. Harvard is undefeated. So is Cornell. Both teams tuned up on the underbelly of the Ivy League last week. Harvard bombed Columbia, 57-0; The Red smacked Princeton, 37-6. My heart tells me Harvard, but my bookie tells me Cornell. With the Ithaca fans to consider, money speaks louder than sentiment. Cornell 24, Harvard 21.

BROWN-DARTMOUTH--Big Green goes to Providence, R.I., today. The Big Green goes home empty handed today. I love it. Dartmouth stinks this year. Point blank. Stinks. Brown thumped Yale last week. The Bruins will humble Dartmouth. Brown 28, Dartmouth 14.

YALE-COLUMBIA--Yale dropped a big one to Brown last week and proved that the Elis miss Dick Jauron more than most expected them to. Quarterback is still a problem. Columbia, however, is hapless, as the Crimson so forcefully demonstrated last weekend. Yale will prevail. Yale 27, Columbia 3.

PENN-LEHIGH--Lehigh tied Cornell earlier this year. But don't count on a repeat against the Quakers. Adolphe Bellizeare is roaring into the season. Don Clune sets records every time he catches the ball. Too much and too often for Lehigh. Penn 22, Lehigh 17.

COLGATE-PRINCETON--Hahahahahahahahahahaha. This Tiger team would even make a Patriots fan laugh. Colgate's Tom Parr will shred the Tiger defense. Colgate 35, Princeton 14.

CRIMSON-SUN--At 9 a.m. today on Cornell's North Campus field, the Crimson road-tripping touch football team will brave the cold of Ithaca to subdue the Cornell Daily Sun. Twenty-one point margin likely. Crimson 23, Sun 2, Quarterback Robin Freedberg will excel.

Last week: Three for four (.750). Season: Nine for eighteen (.500) At last!!!