There’s an old sports mantra that states that games are not won or lost on paper. This is an unfortunate fact for the Harvard football squad, because all signs point to a Crimson blowout victory this Saturday at the Yale Bowl.

In a position by position analysis, Harvard (8-0, 6-0 Ivy) appears to be far superior to a vulnerable Elis team (2-6, 1-5 Ivy) with considerably less talent than in recent years.

A look at Yale’s football website says it all. The banner reads “1999 Co-Ivy League Champions.” The sidebar article features wide receiver Eric Johnson, now the starting tight end for the San Francisco 49ers. The headline article discusses Yale’s latest 34-14 loss to Princeton, a team that boasted a 1-6 record entering the contest.

By the way, Yale has lost its last four games.

So while The Game will be played on Yale’s turf, here’s how it plays out on the page.

QUARTERBACK

The Crimson’s Neil Rose and the Bulldogs’ Peter Lee, both returning varsity starters, have missed action this season.

Rose sat out the fourth quarter of Harvard’s 28-26 victory against Princeton and watched freshman Ryan Fitzpatrick led Harvard to a 31-21 comeback win over Dartmouth. Lee has sat out three games for Yale this year with a lingering ankle injury, yielding to senior TJ Hyland. The Elis went 1-2 with Hyland at the helm, including its last two losses to Brown and Princeton. Lee will attempt to take the field against Harvard.

Last year, in Yale’s 34-24 victory at Harvard, Lee completed 25 of 37 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns. Rose, on the other hand, threw four interceptions. Based on those statistics, one would assume that Lee would get the clear nod. However, Lee comes into The Game hobbled while Rose seems to be 100 percent after stellar performances against Columbia (14-16, 156 yards, two touchdowns in two and a half quarters of play) and Penn (18-26, 270 yards, three touchdowns).

With Rose in the line-up, Harvard has dominated all year. Last season’s debacle against Yale can be pinned on Rose’s extremely tender shoulder. This year, “Neil Strong-Arm” is healthy and confident.

“We’ve got the guys to do it, we’ve got the heart, we’ve got the focus, and that will pay off next Saturday,” Rose said. He will likely be proven correct. ADVANTAGE: HARVARD

RUNNING BACK