“They’ve got a couple good running backs, their left tackle is pretty good,” said senior defensive lineman Miles McCollum. “Their quarterback has been doing really well... so we’ve really got to shut that down.”

The Harvard defense has been stingy this year, though. Twenty points per game stingy. Five interceptions and three fumble recoveries in three games stingy. So the Cornell offense will have its hands full this weekend against the Crimson D.

“Cornell’s one of the best teams I think we’re going to face this year,” said McCollum. “First and foremost we want to stop the run, that’s what we’ve been focusing on, that’s what Harvard football does.”

The defensive line has been integral in Harvard’s success this season. Led by seniors McCollum, Doug Webb, and James Duberg along with sophomore DJ Bailey, the Crimson defensive line has helped limit opponents to fewer than 100 yards per game on the ground and the unit has combined for six sacks. Of those six, Bailey has three and a half.

“We’ve been really happy with the d-line’s production,” McCollum said. “We’ve got a veteran group [and] DJ Bailey had a great game last week.”

Staff writer Wade G. Player can be reached at wplayer@college.harvard.edu.