Tom Columns

The Princeton Tigers got what they deserved last week. Looking forward to today's "championship" showdown with preseason favorite Brown, the Tigers fell prey to what all contenders fear most: an unwanted, unpleasant, and totally unnecessary loss to a last-place team.

So instead of heading into today's heavyweight bout with the possibility of becoming the top dog in the Ivy League, the Princetonians are rather facing extinction. Teams with two conference losses do not win Ivy championships.

The fact of the matter is that the loser of today's game at Princeton will have put itself in an extremely difficult position. A Bruin loss would give the Providence contingent a 2-1-1 Ivy record, and drop them to somewhere around third place in the league.

What this all adds up to is that the Crimson of Harvard is sitting pretty, at least for the moment. The squad faces the same mediocre team that took Princeton by surprise last Saturday, and we all know that two upsets in a row is a tough order for any average ball club. Harvard is the team to catch right now, plain and simple.

If the Brown-Princeton matchup seems to play right into coach Joe Restic's hand, then take a look at what's going on at the Yale Bowl today. A once-beaten Yale squad takes on a once-beaten, once-tied group of Big Greenies. The outcome: Someone, and preferably Yale, will be virtually eliminated.

Barring unforeseen circumstances in Philadelphia today, Harvard's football team stands a good chance to solidify its hold on first place today. Three games will be left in the season after this weekend, and Joe Restic seems to have his team in gear for its second straight Ivy League championship.

There are only three hitches in this wonderful scheme of things. The first one is Princeton, the second one is Brown, and the third one is Yale. And if you happen to think that Penn represents a bona fide hitch, then make it four.

Harvard's last three opponents are all real contenders right now. But what we are banking on is that two of them, maybe, will have played themselves out of contention by the time they face the Crimson. Assuming that Harvard will be 4-0 after today, then any loss that another contender absorbs from here on in will be a death blow.

There is one final factor which has some bearing on all of this. That is exactly how good Harvard is, and that is something nobody is sure about these days. The mathematics won't decide who will be champion.

The pressure of the last three weeks will tell upon a still somewhat inexperienced defense, and a quarterback who is yet to be exposed to the best defenses the league has to offer. Harvard is in position to win it all; now all the team has to do is play championship football.

*****

This week, there is no question. Today's winners are as follows:

COLUMBIA-CORNELL--Maybe Columbia never will pull the big upset. They seem to be getting worse, again, Cornell 27, Columbia 18.

DARTMOUTH-YALE--One early-season loss and everybody seems to have discounted the Elis. They are alive and well, and playing a discouraged Big Green grouping. Yale 22, Dartmouth 17.

BROWN-PRINCETON--The combined record of these two teams in their last four games is 0-3-1. Not too impressive, but this game will nevertheless go a long way toward deciphering this year's jumbled Ivy race. It is doubtful that the Bruins will go for a third straight game without winning. They are just too good. Brown 21, Princeton 13.

HARVARD-PENN--A Jack Wixted-less Penn is not an awesome opponent. And even if he plays, Harvard will assert the championship material of which it is made. Hopefully. Harvard 23, Penn 7.

CRIMSON-DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN--The Crimson flies to Philly today in search of its 431st victory in succession. It's in the bag. Crimson 23, D.P. 2.