Junior tailback Matt Leiszler and sophomore tailback Nick Palazzo--Harvard's own version of thunder and lightning--each gained 79 yards on the ground. Palazzo's game was highlighted by an impressive 39-yard run off left tackle to the Dartmouth 1. The speedy back broke four Big Green tackles on the play and ran through an intentional facemask. Palazzo scored on the next play.

Rose rushed for 45 yards and a touchdown, including a 17-yard scramble on third-and-15 in the second quarter. Sophomore Brent Chalmers added 51 yards in mop-up duty.

Leiszler and Palazzo, buried at the bottom of the depth chart early in the season, have been so impressive that Murphy has converted Nwokocha, the opening-day starter, into a slot receiver.

After some early-game difficulties, Nwokocha has adjusted to his new role. He made a fingertip grab of a Rose pass early in the third quarter for Harvard's final offensive touchdown.

Harvard's running attack was predictable but virtually unstoppable. When the Crimson tried to run right, it was usually stopped by Dartmouth's pursuing linebackers--often behind the line of scrimmage. Rather than abandoning the ground game, Harvard ran left, usually off-tackle runs behind left tackle and senior captain Mike Clare.

"Mike Clare is a dominant player," Murphy said. "He's about as good of player as we can recruit. When in doubt, we run to the left side."

Dartmouth's offense, on the other hand, could not find a rhythm until the game was well out of hand. The Big Green never established a consistent running game, and when it fell behind early, was forced to throw the ball into the wind.