"We haven't had as much pressure on the quarterback as we've had in the past," Murphy said. "If you give people enough time to throw, they're going to complete the ball."

Right now, the problem can be traced to a lack of developed talent. Murphy said Harvard's defensive line currently lacks any skilled pass rushers. Those with the athletic ability to get to the quarterback still do not possess the on-field experience to rush the passer successfully.

Princeton will likely have to throw the ball by necessity. The Tigers average less than four yards a carry on the ground. Lacking a dependable lead back, they are forced to take a running back-by-committee approach. Five runners have at least 15 carries for the Tigers this year.

Harvard's own ground game continues to slowly return to health. Murphy said senior Chuck Nwokcha, the opening-game starter, is healthy enough to play, but sophomores Matt Leiszler and Nick Pallazzo will continue to get a majority of the carries this week as Nwokcha works his way back into the offense.

With both teams plagued by inconsistency and dominated by inexperienced players in key positions, no one can be sure what to expect.

"It's league time," Brooks said. "It's time to step up and make the big play."