Harvard hosts Colgate in Key Non-Conference Game

Colgate has been one of the pleasant surprises of the season so far. After going just 5-7 last year, the Raiders have almost matched 2025's win total already and are right there in a conference race that most thought was Lehigh's and Lehigh's alone. Between a stifling defense that's holding its opponents to 13 points per contest and a suffocating rushing attack led by one of the country's best backs, Colgate doesn't appear to be going anywhere. It may actually be a two-horse race out in the Patriot League and if they can get by unbeaten Harvard on Saturday night the conversation gets really interesting.

A big reason why the Raiders are sitting with four wins in hand right now is the production of junior running back Danny Shaban. Currently eighth in the FCS in total yards (529), Shaban is the catalyst of the offense. Whether it be his 200-yard performance in the opener against Fordham or his 29 touches last week in the win against Cornell, Shaban is a workhorse and how he fares against Harvard's defense, and more specifically star linebacker Sean Line, will likely determine this outcome.

Shaban averages 5.5 yards per touch and has proven to be one of the more difficult backs in the country to bring down. His ability to bounce off tacklers is something that the Raiders offense leans on heavily. That's precisely where Line will come into play for the Crimson. He wraps up with the best of them and Shaban may find the yards a lot tougher to come by this weekend. Line has 3.5 tackles for loss this season and 8.5 on his career. Strength will meet strength when these two clash.