There are skeptics.

Where, or who they are is unclear, but we do know two thing about them: they help not the lines on today's game, and they have doubts about the Harvard football team-not just about its chances to win the Ivy title, but its hopes of winning a game today.

Whoever inserted the little numbers into the local papers surely knows that Harvard last week, after two winless Saturdays, conjured up a crucial 28-26 victory over Princeton. And they must have read how Brown, the Crimson's opponent today, was buried at Holy Cross, 31 - 10.

Whoever made the Crimson an underdog for the first time this fall against an Ivy opponent had to have seen the performance of former third-stringer Greg Gizzi in the quarterback spot last week, as he completed 12 of 19 passes, ran for two touchdowns and was later named Ivy League Player of the Week. And the mysterious number-cruncher must have noticed the Harvard defense returning slowing to full strength, as lineman Barry Ford and linebacker Andy Nolan finally saw action after missing several games with injuries.

So why do they give the Bruins a two-point edge this afternoon in Providence?

How Now

For starters, while they may be impressed with the QB Harvard finally found last week, they know the guy calling signals for Brown isn't had either, and he's been doing it since last year. Senior Joe Potter's biggest strength is his two-pronged attack: not only has he completed 80 of 163 passes this season, but he's also run for 364 yards. Besides Potters Brown has two other backs who account for more than 200 yards rushing each, junior fullback Steve Heffernan (315 yards, 3.7 per carry) and sophomore tailback Jamie Potkul (242, 5.5).

Though they have the same league record as Harvard, 2-1-1, the Rhode Islanders did raise a few eyebrows with a 24-24 tie of a powerful Penn squad three weeks back. Even if Harvard has the better overall record at season's end, no one will be able to claim that Brown (as in" ... at Penn St., Nov. 5") padded its record with easy non-league foes.

And while the Crimson offense looked marvelous last week at the Stadium, it wasn't the first time this season it had gone to town against a defense so weak it considers 20 points in a game the moral equivalent of a shutout. Opening day against Columbia, Harvard's first staring quarterback led his team to 43 points, a real defense, UMass, held the Crimson to seven the next week.

Maybe these skeptics have a point. The Bruins shouldn't be taken lightly, even if most discussion of them this year has involved jokes about their scheduling a game against the defending national champions.

Harvard's hopes for winning today-which it must do to stay in contention for the Ivy title-rest largely on its ability to stop Potter. The Bruin co-captain's habit of averaging 2.5 interceptions per game may make things easier for the visitors.

If the Crimson can keep Potter in check, the Class of '84 will graduate never having seen Brown beat Harvard. And a few bettors will be a little poorer.