HANOVER. N.H--Before 1980, the Harvard football team never minded a fall track to this leafy little village. The foluge in mid-October was nice, and four out of five times the Crimson returned to life in the big city with victories.

Then came the disaster of '80, occasionally confused in these parts with the horricane of '38.

Harvard, which had the best defense in the lvies that season, fell to its knees an prayed at the feet of Big Green quarterback Jell kemp, who had performed last rites in a 30-12 Dartmouth romp.

The loss virtually transformed the Crimson from Ivy contender to Ivy pretender. After starting the season 2-0 in the league. Harvard left back to the familiar mediocrity of 4-3.

After the team's 14-12 stumble before Dartmouth 11-4 overall, 1-1 Ivies here on Saturday, it seems that the Harvard football team of 1982 (3-2 overall, 2-1 Ivies) is headed for a similar middle-of the pack finish a position it appears the Crimson has become comfortable with since its last Ivy title in 1975.

For no one will confuse the team Dartmouth put on the field Saturday with the Big Green football giants of seasons past. There is no Jell Kemp in the driver's seat for this team not any Dave Shala the sprit end extraordinary on the fevering end of the majority of kemp's passes. The running game barely chugs along and the defense as craged more than 100 yards allowed through its first four games all of which were losses.

And yet the Harvard defense--unbending for most of the season (visions of '80, anyone)--found itself methodically pushed down the field during a 12--play, 16-yard. Dartmouth TD drive in the first half to give Dartmouth a 7-3 halftime lead. And then the Harvard defense--surprisingly breakable at the most inopportune times--step through a 68-yard. Rick-Stafford-to-John-Olejnicrak touchdown pass with less than six minutes to go in the game to give Dartmouth the victory.

The Harvard offense was in a hole from the start because of injuries to its top two quarterbacks. Ron Cuccra, still out with broken ribs in his back, was in street clothes, and Don Allard, in a great deal of pain resulting from the severely brushed collarbone he suffered last week, got into the Dartmouth game for just one play.

Third-stringer Jack Riordan, whose first real sarsity experience came in the second hall last we against Cornell, did a creditable job, completing 14 to 25 passes for 134 yards and scoring Harvard's only touchdown on a malty, researched 15-yard run late in the fourth quarter.

But a lack of imaginative play calling, an inability to move the ball on the ground, and a key interception at the Dartmouth goal line, left the Multitles with sexy few options but failure against the Big Green.

Add in a missed 31-yard field goal attempt by Crimson kicker Jim Villa the hit on the of 26 and 42 yards in the third quarter, a botehed two point conversion attempt, and a still unexplained (and unsuccessful) try for an onside Rich with better than three and a half minutes to go in the game and you can add one to the Harvard loss column.

Harvard got on the board first to cap a thoroughly unexciting first quarter ineither team had a first down in the opening ten minutes, when Riordan finally pot together a 77-yard drive culminating in Villaneuva's first field goal. The Crimson quarterback ran for 29 of the drive's yards, but Harvard's biggest gainer came on a 15-yard personal foul call against Dartmouth.

Dartmouth took the following kickoff at its own 24 and opened the second quarter with a petty limpness drive of its own. Big Green tailback Sean Maher bulled his way for 54 yards on the ground in the sense, including an eight-yard touchdown run with 8-57 left in the hall. After the successful conversion, the Big Green had a 7-3 lead--its first of the season-that it would never relinquish.

The Crimson looked will on its way to scoring again just before halftime, but a crucral interception by Dartmouth defensive back Mike Patsis Stalled Harvard just short of the goal line.

Facing a second-and-eight at the Dartmouth 12. Riordan dropped into the pocket and appeared confused as to wheither he should run of throw. He chose the latter, which pay have been a mistake. Slipping on the wet turn as be released the ball. Riordan still appeared to have found an open Jim Garvey in the front of the end zone.

Only Patsis stepped in and found the ball before Garvey did, and but for a slip at the seven-yard line, he might have returned the ball all the way for a touchdown. Stopping the Harvard drive proved more than satisfactory, however.

The third quarter was scoreless, and when Villaneuva kicked a field goal at 6:21 of the final quarter to pull the Crimson within one, the momentum appeared to be moving back to Harvard. But Stafford turned the tide back again, and quickly.

The Dartmouth quarterback, on third and nine at his own 32, dropped into the pocket and found that split end Olejniczak, streaking down the right hash marks toward the Harvard end zone, had three steps on Crimson corner back Chris Myers. Stafford led his receiver beautifully, and Olejniczak never broke stride, out motoring Myers to the er' zone for the longest touchdown play in the Harvard-Dartmouth series, and a 14-6 Big Green lead with less than six minutes left.

Riordan brought Harvard back, using just 2:15 to march 66 yards and to within two points after his 15-yard TD run. But Dartmouth blitzed on the two-point try--a sprint out right with Riordan having the option to throw to John O'Brsen in the end some or take it all the way himself. Patsis and Dartmouth linebacker John Cornell hit Riordan just as he released the pass intended for O'Brsen, which fell way short.

The decision to go for the onside Rich with plenty of time left, and the Big Green's ability to get a first down and use up three minutes of time, merely seaied Harvard's first Ivy loss.