Onerous Omens

It's worse than walking under ladders or breaking a mirror, opening an umbrella indoors or stepping on a crack. When a Black Knight crosses your path, you know you're in for an unlucky football game.

Harvard has challenged the Fates three times since the 1950s, and each time the Crimson paid dearly for its civilian hubris. In the 1980 meeting, the first since the Cold War began, the 12-point underdog Cantabs actually pulled off a 15-10 upset...and lost starting quarterback Brian Buckley to a knee injury. He was the first of four Harvard quarterbacks wounded in action in 1980.

Buckley came out of the game midway through the fourth quarter after completing nine of 18 passes for 147 yards and dashing for a 67-yard touchdown run. On his last drive, Buckley steered his squad to the Army 16. But Harvard backed out of scoring position when Buckley got sacked for a 13-yard loss.

Thirteen played an important role in the next two Cadet-Crimson clashes, as Harvard fell by scores of 27-13 in 1981 and 17-13 last year. A big play and a big running back stopped the host Cantabs in '81, when Gerald Walker's 150 yards rushing and a 71-yard Bryan Allem to Al Wynder neutron bomb made the difference.

Last year it was even closer. It started out a real sleeper, with no scoring in the first 27 minutes. Then quarterback Don Allard raced into the end zone with 2:44 remaining in the first half to give Harvard the 7-0 advantage.

But 13 reared its ugly head again, this time on the game clock. With just more than a dozen seconds left in the half, Army tied it up on a diving 34-yard touchdown catch.

With that play hanging over their heads, the Crimson watched the Cadets take a 17-7 second-half advantage. But an Allard to Wally Rutecki touchdown pass rekindled. Harvard hopes with 1:38 left in the game. But, the Crimson, which now had, you guessed it, 13 points, had too many men on the field for the two-point conversion attempt. After Harvard wasted a precious timeout to avoid the penalty, the conversion failed.

Despite the numerological certainty of its impending demise, the Crimson continued its assault on Lady Luck. Chris Myers recovered the on side kickoff with 1.34 left, and Allard marched Harvard to the Army 25. With 56 seconds on the clock, Allard dropped back to pass and saw daylight, lots of it, in front of him. So he ran.

He would have made the end zone, he should have made the end zone, but he didn't make the end zone. A lunging tackle from behind dropped Allard at the 16.

Two plays later a desperation pass to tight end Ed Farrell missed, and time, like Harvard's luck, ran out.

This year the 13s are back. The Black Knights edged Dartmouth last week, 13-12.

Harvard may finally have caught on to all this. Army is missing from both the 1984 and 1985 football schedules. So who are the Cadets playing instead 'Don't spend Friday the 13th in New Haven.

HARVARD 13, ARMY 7--In 1981, it was 27-13 In 1982, it was 17-13 I'm no broker, but I spot a trend.

HOLY CROSS 24, DARTMOUTH 22--Harvard quarterback Chuck Colombo's brother played for Holy Cross.

CINCINNATI 104, CORNELL 7--The Big Red have grabbed a touchdown in each of their two losses this season, 24-7 to Penn and 60-7 to Colgate. It wasn't enough then and it won't be enough today. No matter how bad a year Penn State is having, Cincinnati did beat the Nittany Lions.

WILLIAM & MARY 15, YALE 14--Three games into the season the injured Eli will still be winless. Two against one is too much.

PRINCETON 34, BROWN 31--The offense that lifted the Tigers out of 28-0 hole against Bucknell last week should handle Bruno today.

Last week--4-4. Bucknell isn't in New York Season 8-4 Two out of three ain't bad. Ask Meatloaf.