Rose, who sat out a few practices this week with a sore rotator cuff, will be ready to lead the offense tomorrow. He threw the ball for the first time this week yesterday, and expects to be unaffected by the soreness.

"I threw once this week in practice and felt fine," said Rose. "I should be ready for the game. I'll have to be: the Lions are big up front and have a big secondary. We're going to try to open things up and pick them apart."

If so, the Crimson will be able to set up the run, and hopefully march on to victory as handily as it did last week. But Harvard isn't expecting anything.

"We're absolutely concentrating on Columbia," said Murphy. "They're a legitimately good team, and every game is now a must-win for us."

The only expectation Murphy has is that his team will come out intense and play like the season depends on it, principally because it does.

With two games left and a four-team knot atop the Ivy standings, the Crimson needs to keep winning to control its own fate.

"Maybe last year's team was more talented on paper, but we're playing well," Rose said. "I think we might surprise some people."