Britton’s injury will put even more pressure on Tigers’ junior linebacker Steven Cody, who leads the Ivy League and ranks third in the nation with 13.3 tackles per game. Murphy calls him one of “the best professional prospect[s] in our conference.”

To neutralize Cody and the rest of the Princeton defense, the Crimson will need to improve its own rushing attack. Last week, Harvard managed only 74 rushing yards on 34 attempts, a measly 2.2 yards per carry.

In terms of the passing game, junior quarterback Collier Winters will look to build on a strong fourth quarter against Lafayette, in which he threw two touchdown passes.

“We’ve got to get pressure on the QB, that’s a defensive back’s best friend,” Hughes said. “The only way to shut [Winters] down is to make sure the ball doesn’t come out.”

In the early part of the season, Winters has developed a rapport with junior wide receiver Chris Lorditch, who had his second-career 100-yard receiving game last week.

Defensively, the Crimson will look to shut down junior Princeton quarterback Tommy Wornham, who has developed into a double threat, with 788 passing yards and 224 rushing yards—good for first on the team.

“They’ve got a lot of speed,” Murphy said. “I’ve got to believe that they’re at least in the upper half of the Ivy League in terms of talent.”

Coming off a tough loss, Harvard should receive an extra adrenaline boost from playing a key rival on Homecoming Weekend.

With the exception of a 2007 Crimson 17-point victory, games between the two teams at Harvard Stadium have been historically close.

In fact, of the five games between 1997 and 2005, four were decided by a field goal or less, the other by a touchdown.

“Princeton’s a game our kids always get excited about,” Murphy said. “From an emotional standpoint, it’s a good game to play right now.”