Entering 2024, Harvard didn’t  feel like the Ivy League champs despite clinching a share of the title in 2023.

Losses to Yale and Princeton created a three-way tie with the Bulldogs and Dartmouth for the prestigious championship. This season, the reality of another split championship is becoming more real by the week, but in order for the Crimson to have a piece of the pie this time around, Harvard will need to beat Dartmouth on the road Saturday.

The 5-1 Crimson (2-1 in the Ivy League) visit the 22nd-ranked Big Green (6-0, 3-0) for a showdown that will go a long way in determining who gets to celebrate a title again in three weeks. Harvard, Columbia – who lost to Dartmouth last week – and Brown are all looking up at Dartmouth with one league loss entering this weekend.

Head coach Andrew Aurich has his team focused solely on the day-to-day process and will continue to do so for the final three weeks of the season, but there’s no denying what’s at stake in this one on Saturday up in Hanover.

That’s only possible because the Crimson went unbeaten in the month of October for the first time since 2015. The final game was a win last weekend over Princeton, the first for the Crimson since 2015.

During his weekly appearance on the Inside Harvard Football podcast, Aurich reflected on what was a special day in Cambridge.

“It was a lot of fun,” he said. “It was fun just to get all three phases really clicking and able to put an opponent away for the first time this year…it was a really motivated group. Obviously, I was extra motivated as well.

“Those guys wanted to leave no doubt. It was a long time coming putting an end to that streak.”

Now, all eyes are on Dartmouth. What McCorkle and the Big Green have done over the last two years in difficult circumstances is one of the best stories in all of college football at any level. Aurich was asked if he’s surprised Dartmouth is doing what it’s doing so far this season.

“When I was watching tape over the summer, it was so interesting because I left the Ivy League for four seasons, now I’m back and when I put that tape on, they are still the same Dartmouth team that I remember,” he said. “Their brand of offense, defense and special teams has not changed. The body types they have at the positions have not changed. When I left, they were really, really good.

“So, I’m not surprised at all. They have a lot of guys that know how to win. When they do get in close games, they’re battle-tested, composed, mentally tough and they end up on the right side of these games.”

This matchup will be one between the top offense (Harvard) and the third offense (Dartmouth) in the Ivy League. The Crimson are averaging 34.8 points per game, doing most of it through the air. The Big Green is averaging 28.2 points per game, doing most of its damage on the ground.

Dartmouth has the top rushing offense (187.5 yards per game), while Harvard has the best rushing defense (108.3 yards per game). Harvard’s passing defense is also the best in the league, giving up just 206 yards per game. The Crimson passing offense is second in the league (behind Brown) with 261.3 yards per game. Dartmouth’s rushing defense is (110.7 ypg) and its passing defense is third (214.8 ypg).

“Watching them, they’re going to challenge you because they’re going to do a lot of different things in the run game,” Aurich added. “They’re going to have their play actions. They’re going to have pocket passes off the run game. They’re going to challenge your eye discipline. They’ll challenge you to do your job…all 11 guys. That’s going to be a key for us. Play the play that’s called and get 11 guys to do it. If somebody’s out there not doing their job or trying to make a play on their own, they’re going to find that weakness.

“(Defensively) they have a very good line that…it’s just how it was like when I left Princeton four years ago. Big, strong, athletic, twitched up. They live through those guys. They blitz some, but a lot of times they’re playing coverage and letting those guys up front do the work. The linebackers can read the gaps that are open and they’re stopping the run at a very high level…they’re going to make sure they keep the ball in front of them and not letting us get behind them.

Something’s gotta give when these two heavyweights meet on Saturday.