“They have the best defense I have seen in the Ivy League since arriving here in 1994,” Harvard Coach Tim Murphy said.

Led by a stifling front line, Penn has the top rushing defense in the country, allowing just 43.4 yards per game and a miniscule 1.6 yards per carry.

Opponents have abandoned the ground game early against Penn, throwing the ball more than 40 times a game. While the Quaker secondary has surrendered a lot of yards, they lead the conference in pass efficiency defense.

Penn’s ability to stop the run enables it to place several defenders in coverage, limiting the opposition’s ability to create big plays through the air.

Penn’s defense features five reigning All-Ivy selections, led by defensive linemen and brothers Ed and John Galan, both first team All-Ivy picks last year. John Galan leads the team with 40 tackles (16 for a loss) and seven sacks. A third defensive linemen, Chris Pennington, has been no less impressive, posting 6.5 sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery. Penn has 22 sacks in its last three games alone.

All told, the Quakers lead the nation in scoring defense, allowing less than nine points per game.

Penn’s defense showed signs of mortality last week against Princeton, especially in the first half. Princeton gained 141 yards on the ground against the Quakers, and it had a chance to take a 10-point lead in the game before being stopped by Penn on a goal-line stand.

Despite the formidable task facing the Crimson offense, Rose said Harvard should have success moving the ball.

“They haven’t played a team that can run the ball as well as us,” Rose said. “We hope to establish the run early and throughout the game.”

Harvard leads the league in rushing, averaging close to 200 yards per game. The attack is paced by speedy junior Nick Palazzo and senior Josh Staph, who emerged from deep down the depth chart to fulfill a big-back role for the Crimson.

Hampered by an ankle injury throughout this season, Staph should be as healthy this weekend as he has been since the season opener, when he gained 152 yards and scored three touchdowns against Brown.

While Harvard will likely have to run the ball at least somewhat to keep Penn off-balance, it will look to its passing game to score points. Rose has been outstanding this season when healthy and is fifth in the nation in passing efficiency.

Rose has thrown for eight touchdowns against just three interceptions this season. All three picks came against Princeton, after Rose had been hurt earlier in the game.

Rose left last week’s contest against Columbia early with a stinger, but Murphy said he will be fine for tomorrow’s game.

Harvard might have the most talented athlete on the field in junior wide receiver Carl Morris. Morris has more than twice as many catches (57) and receiving yards (734) as the next leading wideout, senior Dan Farley. He should break multiple school receiving records by the end of this year, despite being only a junior.