Menick has gained 969 yards this season and is averaging more than five yards per carry, but he may not be 100-percent for The Game.

Spraining his MCL against Penn, Menick was forced to sit on the sidelines for the remainder of the game, and initial reports stated that the injury would prematurely end Menick's career.

Despite the injury, Menick is expected to play against Yale, and whether or not he can play up to his potential may prove the deciding factor in the game.

"The knee is good and I'll be ready to go on Saturday," Menick said. "It didn't really hurt, but the doctor said to stay off it for the week and not risk injuring it any further."

A healthy Menick may make this game a lot closer than it would appear just looking at the raw scores and standings.

With the exception of the Crimson's recent offensive woes, both Harvard and Yale have played exceptionally well all season and are statistically very similar.

The difference between the two teams has been Harvard's inability to squeak out narrow victories in close contests, and Yale's ability to somehow hold on to slim leads.

"We've been disappointed losing some close games that we should have won," Wilford said. "We want to end the year on a good note in the Yale game."

With a couple of lucky bounces either way, it could have been Harvard heading into Saturday looking to claim the Ivy title.

Both Harvard and Yale have been involved in some of the tightest Ivy contests of the season, but the Crimson and the Bulldogs have both emerged from those encounters facing very different fates.

While the Bulldogs have narrowly escaped defeat on all but one occasion this season, the Crimson have come almost invariably resurfaced from its hard fought Ivy matches worse for wear.

Harvard has not lost a game all season by more than a touchdown, and in the Crimson's four losses this season, the opposing teams' average margin of victory was less than four points.

Every game Harvard lost this season could have just as easily been a victory. The Crimson was tied or ahead in the fourth quarter in each game it lost and only let the game slip through its hands in the final minutes.

On the hand, Yale has found a way to survive games it shouldn't have won all season, hanging on by a thread to early leads and somehow finding a way to win.

Despite pounding its opponents by a combined total of 241-70 through the first three quarters of play, Yale has been outscored down the stretch in the fourth quarter of Ivy match ups 43-55.