PRINCETON. N.J.--Halloween is still a week away, but things are all orange and black on the campus here, except for the home uniforms of the men's soccer team, which area white.

The small group of bleachers at Bedford Field are nearly full, and yells of encouragement to the Princeton soccer players often ring out into the chilly night air.

It's more quiet around the dormitories, a few people moving through the shadows between the exquisite and predominantly Gothic buildings of the Wendrow Wilson school. It is, as everyone says, a beautiful place.

Princeton. Along with, I guess, Dartmouth and Yale, the curse of the Harvard football program since the Class of '83 first arrived in Cambridge four autumns ago.

Princeton. Along with Dartmouth, the number one reason the Yale game has been little than a good excuse for a tailgate since 1975.

Princeton. A team that has outscored Harvard by a total of six points over the last four years, and is undefeated in that time with two wins and two ties.

Princeton. A team that Harvard has to beat this afternoon if it is to maintain any hopes for un Ivy League title in 1982.

It will not be easy. In fact, it will be less easy than Dartmouth should have been. And you all know how the "walk" through Hanover turned out.

For one thing, the Tigers have a weapon the Big Green didn't--a quarter-back who can run and, especially, throw with anybody else in the Ivies.

After starting the season known only as "the guy trying to replace Bob Holly." Brent Woods no longer needs a lengthy introduction. If necessary, you might start with 1.381 yards and nine touchdowns passing so far this season Last week against Army a team Harvard failed to move against until the final four minutes--Woods threw for 198 yards and ran for two touchdowns. He is no Rick Stafford.

Stopping the pass has not been a strength of the Harvard defense Last week, it took just on 68-yard ID play and the game belonged so Dartmouth On opening day. Columbia's John Wit kowski riddled the Crimson secondary for well over 300 yards. All of which means that Woods should be able to move Princeton down the field this afternoon.

There is good news for Harvard a well, however Quarterback Don Allard after missing all but one play last week will be back calling the shots in the Harvard huddle. And quarterback Ron Cuccia, after enduring four weeks of sneakers and a windbreaker along the sidelines, will be back in uniform today.

Cuccia, who was injured in the second quarter of the Columbia game, is more than anything else, out of shape. His broken ribs have healed for the most part, and he will wear a flak jacket under his uniform to protect him. But he will play against Princeton only if Allard gets hurt.

The race for the Ivy title should be a whole lot clearer when today's games are through. Undefeated Penn hosts an awakening Yale squad. And Harvard takes final exams against Princeton.

Princeton. A beautiful place, everyone says. Though the Harvard football team might tend to disagree.

***

And now to the predications:

HARVARD 20, PRINCETON 17-1 can picture it all clear as day. There are a few seconds left on the clock, and the score is tied at 17. Harvard's Villanueva lines up for game-winning field goal try. The snap comes back to Allard and--incredibly--it's a good snap. Villanueva steps and swings his leg through the ball and it's up and it's going. going...going to be a very touch game.

COLUMBIA 35, BUCKNELL 3--You know there isn't a whole lot happening on the Columbia football scene when the big press release of the week is "John Witkowski vs. Columbia--quarterbacking greats." Betcha didn't know he, already completed more passes than Sid Luckman did in his years as the Lion signal caller.

DARTMOUTH 7, CORNELL 5--Two bad teams make for one bad game Sean Maher's two-run homer in the top of the eighth wins it for the Big Green.

HOLY CROSS 73, BROWN 0--The Bruins will score during their first drive, but the touchdown will be called back because of a holding penalty. And Bruno will never see the end zone again. This one's for you, Sid Luckman.

YALE 45, PENN 10--People ask me if the Quakers are for real, or if their season so far is strait ht out of a Hollywood script. I'd it's a little bit of both. Unfortunately, the Elis have read the book.

Last week--3-2. Season to date--17-11.607. For some reason, as Ron Carey would say, "I don't got it."