“I think everyone in our corps is tough enough to go out there and do well,” Harvey said.

Both backups have been getting the same reps in practice as the starters have all season. They know the offense and this weekend, unlike last, they will be expecting to get on the field.

“Gordon’s a senior, he knows his stuff,” Edwards said. “He’s looking for an opportunity to prove himself.”

But it’s not as if the receivers are the only members of the Crimson squad with something to prove this Saturday.

Harvard was struggling against injury all season before it had troubles against Dartmouth and Columbia. But they’re trained for this kind of situation.

“It all begins with our coaches,” said Gordon. “They teach us how to approach this kind of situation. The strength of our team is overcoming adversity.”

The mishaps befalling the receivers will not change the outlook towards the final two games. Penn was going to be the toughest game of the season before Fitzpatrick broke his hand and before Byrnes and Harvey went down against the Lions.

Last weekend’s events call for other players to step up and no one will be lying down come game time.

“We have nothing left to do but fight back,” Byrnes said.

The timing of the injuries—coming against the Lions and not the Quakers—gives Harvard more time to prepare and adjust in practice this week. And with that extra time on its side, the Crimson hopes that Gordon will be ready to hold for the extra point after scoring in the endzone.