Harvard played well at times during the game Saturday.

Keeping the game close even with three fumbles in the first quarter and holding Lehigh to 10 points in first 25 minutes, despite two offensive drives that started inside the red zone, were signs of how good this Harvard team could be.

"There's no question in my mind that we're a better team than the score showed today," Murphy said.

Allowing Lehigh to put the game out of reach with a quick offensive flurry in the second quarter showed how far this young team has to go.

This team is talented, and it can make the big plays. It just hasn't been able consistently to make the big plays when it matters.

Give Balestracci a year and maybe he makes the sack or someone else recovers the fumble. Give sophomore wideout Carl Morris a year and maybe he squeaks out a first down on a screen pass facing third-and-3. Give this team a year and maybe it will be '97 all over again.

Right now, however, this team is not as bad as the scoreboard showed Saturday, but it is not as good as it might have hoped after the victory over Brown.