What a difference a year makes. Twelve months ago, the Bulldogs strode into The Game puffed-up and confident, with a righteous wind, a home crowd, and a perfect season at their backs. The sycophantic YDN, Herald, and Charles Hill all boldly declared that we couldn’t be stopped, that victory was ensured. What ensued—if you’ll recall—was a humiliating 37-6 rout, an Ivy title snatched away, and a chance at history dashed.

But never fear, true believers! This year Yale football will journey to Cambridge recast in the role that it has grown to cherish these past seven years; and given that the refrain of our favorite football chant is “Bow Wow Wow,” perhaps it’s not surprising that we seem most comfortable as the underdogs. Harvard (8-1, 5-1 Ivy) is just one win away from a guaranteed piece of the Ivy title, while Yale (6-3, 4-2) only has wing-and-a-prayer title hopes (only if we win and Brown somehow loses at home to bottom-feeding Columbia—short of a point-shaving scandal or a sudden outbreak of Avian Flu, profoundly unlikely). With no one patting us on the back, the Elis will show up defiant, resolved, and looking for some payback.

The 125th iteration of The Game looks to be a classic clash of strengths, as the Ivy League’s first-ranked Bulldog defense takes on the first-ranked offense of the Cantabs. Since it’s Cambridge, we figure you’ll leave the tailgate early and sober, so here’s what to watch for.

WHEN HARVARD HAS THE BALL

The Crimson offense can be summarized in two words: Chris Pizzotti. The senior quarterback’s crisp spirals from a year ago (to the tune of 316 yards and 4 touchdowns) undoubtedly still haunt the dreams of the Bulldog secondary. He has followed up that masterpiece with another impressive season, captaining the league’s most prolific offense to 29.3 points per game while accruing a gaudy 19-2 overall record as a starter. He’s the Ivy League’s most efficient passer, and he knows how to spread the wealth: eight different Cantab receivers have double-digit receptions this year.

The scariest of those is Matt Luft ’10, whom steel-trap-minded Yalies might remember as the d-bag who strolled into the endzone after just 68 seconds of play on a stomach-punch 40 yard strike from Pizzotti last year. He has averaged almost 97 yards per game this year, over twice as many as the next most productive Harvard receiver. But don’t take your eye off Chris Lodritch ’11, a speedster who burned Columbia with a 76-yard touchdown haul.

But the Cantab offense isn’t just an aerial assault; they lead the league in rushing touchdowns as well. Pizzotti is supplemented by a two-headed (and preposterously monikered) Crimson rushing attack, featuring sophomore Gino Gordon and junior Ben Jenkins. Gordon is averaging an impressive 5.1 yards per carry, but together the two have rushed for the same number of touchdowns as Pizzoti has (5). He’s the engine that makes everything go for the Crimson: Between passing and rushing, he has accounted for 23 of Harvard’s 31 total touchdowns.

Those gaudy offensive numbers are all well and nice, but the Crimson haven’t faced anything like the Bulldog defense. We’ve got the best scoring defense in the nation, allowing only 10.6 points per game (and a stunningly stingy 8 points per game in conference play). The super Abare brothers, linebacker Bobby and safety Larry, both JE ’09, lead the team in tackles, with 68 and 65, respectively.

Pizzotti will have to watch both his back and our secondary: Yale leads the Ivies in sacks (2.2 per game) and interceptions (19 on the season). Kyle Hawari, BR ’09, is a force on the defensive line, as he leads the league in solo sacks and forced fumbles. We also boast the second-best pass defense in the country, led by cornerback Paul Rice, SM ’10, who is tied (along with Bobby Abare) for the most interceptions in the Ivies.

And the stats just keep coming: The Bulldogs haven’t allowed a touchdown in the past two games, and have allowed just one over the past 19 quarters. We have the best turnover margin in the Ivy League at +1.56 per game. We also have the best red zone defense in the league, and the second-best rate of preventing opponents from converting on third down. In short, we’ve got the defensive weapons to make the Cantabs’ lives miserable. Containing Pizzotti is the key to the game. No one’s been able to do it yet, but this is the best defense he’s faced in a long time.

WHEN YALE HAS THE BALL

Gone are the days of All-American tailback Mike McLeod, JE ’09, easily marching the Bulldogs up and down the field at the head of an unstoppable rushing assault. As anyone who has been to a Yale football game knows, offensive consistency is our biggest weakness. Early in the season, this weakness was exacerbated by the platoon at quarterback, as both Ryan Fodor, SY ’09, and Brook Hart, TC ’11, took snaps. The passing attack struggled to find a rhythm, and McLeod started to find yards much harder to come by: He has yet to rush for half of his total yards from last year.

But forget about all that! The real tale of the Yale offense is one of growth and development. Hart has taken over sole quarterbacking responsibility, and over the past three games, things have really come together for the Bulldogs. McLeod has rushed for an average of 95 yards in those three games (including a season-best 138-yard performance against Princeton), while Hart is 50-for-80 for 562 yards and 3 touchdowns—and Yale is 3-0. In fact, if the season were over today, Hart would have completed 64.3 percent of his passes—a Yale record. His most reliable targets have proven to be John Sheffield, TD ’10, and Jordan Forney, SM ’11. But keep your eye out for Peter Balsam, TC ’11, who has 8 catches for 216 yards and a touchdown in his last two games.

One key for the Bulldogs may be to get going early. Yale is 3-0 when scoring on their opening drive. The early stalls last year let Harvard build the daunting 27-0 halftime lead which forced the Bulldogs to get away from their strengths and started heaving the ball to no effect.

The Harvard defense is pretty ho-hum. Overall, they’re smack in the middle with the fourth-ranked defense in the Ancient Eight. Most importantly, they don’t have the stout run-stopping ability of a year ago. In 2007, the Crimson defense allowed only 80 rushing yards per game, and hadn’t allowed a 100-yard rushing game in over a year. Things have softened up considerably since then: They have allowed 115 yards on the ground per game this year—so this time around, McLeod should find some open lanes. That alone should change the entire dynamic.

There’s a historical precedent here, you know. Basically, think of this game as Super Bowl XXXVII. You remember: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Oakland Raiders. The Raiders waltzed in as the favorites with the league’s best offense, facing off against the scrappy Buccaneers and their first-ranked defense. Pizzotti is Rich Gannon, Bobby Abare is Derrick Brooks—it all works. Do you remember how that ended? The vaunted Raiders offense completely fell apart, the Bucs returned three interceptions for touchdowns, and the underdogs pulled off a stunning rout. See what I’m getting at?

Not good with pro sports analogies? Alright, you stereotypical Yalie, let’s try some basic math. Yale beat Brown (6-3, 5-1); Brown beat Harvard. The immutable transitive property will hold—the Bulldogs will spring the upset and march out of Cambridge with their season avenged and their pride restored. Remember: Revenge is a dish best served cold. And it’s all the sweeter when you can topple the fruity-Pilgrim-hat-wearing Goliath when you’re at it. Bow wow wow.