“The stiff competition from the Ivy teams may be a surprise to some I-AA fans and Lehigh fans, but not to our coaching staff,” Lehigh coach Pete Lembo wrote in an e-mail. “Most of us have coached in the Ivy League before coming to Lehigh and know full well just how talented and well-coached these teams are. If you look back to our team’s success over the last five years, many of our closest games have been against Ivy League foes.”

Although Penn is currently ranked above Harvard, the Crimson may well be the best team Lehigh will face this season. Harvard enters the contest having won its last 11 games, including wins over both Princeton and Penn last year and over the Patriot League’s Holy Cross two weekends ago.

“Streak or no streak, Harvard presents us with a number of challenges from a preparation standpoint,” Lembo said. “With their outstanding skill and line on offense, they may be the best overall unit we have seen in recent years, including in the I-AA playoffs.

“This Saturday will be a big test for us,” Lembo added. “I believe it will set the tone for the rest of the season. We must bounce back and move on from the Penn loss.”

While Lehigh’s upset loss proves it can be beaten, Harvard’s Ivy schedule now figures to be much tougher than first thought. Princeton and Penn have demonstrated that the Crimson’s league opponents are not to be overlooked this season.

“It doesn’t matter whether you are playing a top-ranked team or a team that hasn’t won yet,” Rose said. “We will play hard, like desperate soldiers—and they will too. That’s what’s great about college football.”