Yale’s two best linebackers from last season, Peter Mazza and Chris Eger, both graduated. Sophomore Tate Rich is Yale’s most feared, forcing three fumbles and recording two sacks thus far this season. Nevertheless, Palazzo and Staph could have big days running the football.

ADVANTAGE: HARVARD

SECONDARY

Yale has a quality secondary, headlined by two safeties, senior Ryan LoPresto and sophomore Barton Simmons.

The strength of the Bulldogs’ defense, Simmons has two interceptions on the year and leads the team in tackles with 63. LoPresto is right behind with him 52. LoPresto had two interceptions late in the fourth quarter against Rose last year.

Harvard’s secondary, thought to be the team’s biggest weakness, has shut down opposing quarterbacks all season.

Senior Willie Alford will likely be awarded a First Team All-Ivy award. He is one of the best coverage cornerbacks in league and is rarely thrown at. Senior safety Andy Fried is the defense’s biggest clutch performer. He has single-handedly turned around the momentum in numerous games this year with bone-jarring hits. He has a knack for forcing fumbles and loves to blitz, tallying four sacks on the year.

I was going to call this one a push, just to be fair to Yale. Then, I listened to Alford’s thoughts on this year’s defensive backfield.

“I think this Harvard secondary is without a doubt the best in the Ivy League, and one of the best in Division I-AA,” Alford said. “I have never personally seen a better Harvard secondary but I can only say that with confidence in regards to the last five or six seasons of which I’ve seen on tape. I would however project that we are one of the top secondaries in school history, if not the best, based on the level of competition that we’ve faced in the Ivy League this year. I can’t imagine that there was ever a year that the Ivies featured more offensive firepower than this one, and we rise to the occasion every day.” Mama always said, when in doubt, listen to Willie.

ADVANTAGE: HARVARD

SPECIAL TEAMS

OK, so Yale finally wins one. But not by much. Maligned kickers Anders Blewitt and Robbie Wright have made great strides in recent games, with Blewitt nailing a game-winning field goal against Dartmouth.

Sophomore punter Adam Kingston has been inconsistent throughout the year but has the capability of booming kicks at an NFL level.

Yale’s 250 lb senior kicker Justin Davis has nailed 5 of 7 field goals this year, though he has only converted 17 of 22 PATs. Blewitt is 20 of 20 on extra points. Both Davis and Kingston share a 38.6 yard punting average.

ADVANTAGE: YALE, SLIGHTLY