Harvard blows out football in Homecoming game

"We haven't been a dominant team," Harvard head coach Tim Murphy said. "We've just been an extremely resiliant, mentally tough football team."

Based upon the Crimson's performance during Saturday's 39-14 win against Princeton (4-2 overall, 2-1 Ivy League), Murphy may be guilty of understatement. The Tigers were completely outmatched and outplayed as Harvard (6-0, 3-0) continued its supremacy both within the league and over Princeton.

In a game that was billed as a showcase for the Tigers' defense and Harvard's league-leading offense, it was the Crimson defense that made the biggest impact. Princeton barely broke 200 yards of total offense and failed to capitalize on any of its 13 third-down conversion chances.

Princeton's offense could also not move on a long field. Its two touchdown drives were 35 and 22 yards.

"The score shows that we had our tails kicked today," head coach Roger Hughes said. "We had our opportunities early in the first half, and then we turned around and gave them the ball in great field position. You just can't do that against a great team."

In the first quarter, great field position appeared to be propelling the Tigers towards their first defeat of the Crimson since 1995. After Harvard's first drive ended in a field goal, the Princeton defense forced a punt on the Crimson's second march down the field. But the Harvard long-snapper misestimated punter Matt King's height and launched the ball well over his 6-foot, 2-inch frame. Tiger sophomore defensive back J.J. Artis recovered the ball and ran it back to the Crimson 35-yard line.

Princeton could only advance it four more yards on its subsequent drive's first three downs. Nonetheless, Hughes elected to go for it on fourth-and-six from the 31-yard line. Junior wide receiver Monte McNair ran a fade route down the right sideline. Senior quarterback Matt Verbit's rainbow didn't find a pot of gold, but it did find McNair for six points and the lead.

On Harvard's next possession, wide receiver Brian Edwards ran a reverse to the right sideline. As Fadeyi went for the tackle, he plunged his helmet into the crook of Edwards' arm and dislodged the ball. Senior nose guard Peter Kelly recovered the fumble at the Crimson 22-yard line, and Princeton again started with great field position. Senior tailback Branden Benson took the first handoff and picked up 11 yards. He equaled that total on his next touch, receiving Verbit's option pitch and scooting untouched up the left sideline for the touchdown. The Tigers maintained that 14-3 advantage through the remaining five minutes of the first quarter and eight minutes into the second. Then the Harvard offense showed up.

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Crimson quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick consistently, predictably and effectively employed his favorite receiver and favorite rusher, Edwards and running back Clifton Dawson, respectively, while marching downfield. Harvard secured first-and-goal from the Princeton two-yard line. While Tiger and Crimson players wrestled together in a scrum on the goal line, Dawson waited for the bodies to settle before powering into the end zone. Although placekicker Matt Schindel missed the extra point, the assertive Harvard offense finally seemed to be on track.

The Tigers went three-and-out deep in their own territory on their possession. On fourth down, Princeton had a bad snap of its own. Junior punter Colin McDonough could not hold onto the high snap, and he desperately drop-kicked the ball out of bounds at the Tigers' 20. The kick was ruled to be illegal, and Harvard took over at the one. Dawson ran right up the middle for his second touchdown of the day and 13th of the season, tying Harvard's single-season touchdown record. The Crimson failed to score on their two-point conversion attempt, but they still seized the one-point, and ultimately decisive lead, 15-14, with 5:07 left in the half.

Princeton's next drive started strong with two first downs. However, that momentum ended on third-and-10 from Harvard's 45. Verbit looked left and deep downfield; his focus for potential Tiger receivers led him to ignore linebacker Doug Hewlett, who easily intercepted the pass. Hewlett returned the interception 33 yards to the Princeton 41.

From there, Fitzpatrick piloted his team to the 10-yard line. On third down, his offensive line gave him plenty of time to find wide receiver Corey Mazza on a post pattern in the end zone. This demoralizing touchdown, which came with just 12 seconds remaining in the half, put the Crimson up by eight, 22-14.

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The Tiger defense held Harvard scoreless held Harvard scoreless in the third quarter, but the Princeton offense could barely stay on the field for more than three downs at a time.

"Our defense played a lot of snaps," Hughes said."There wasn't a whole lot happening on the offensive side of the ball."

Any hope of a fourth-quarter Homecoming comeback was crushed by the Crimson's 17-point offensive explosion in the fourth. Dawson capped a 201-yard day on the ground with an 80-yard touchdown with 6:46 remaining in the game.

Harvard's coach described his team as resilient. That quality is one that the Tigers need to display in striving to maintain a competitive position in the Ivy League.

"You can sulk for about 10 minutes," junior cornerback Jay McCareins said."Then you have to get over it and get ready for next week." Editor's Note: This breaking story was appended to the October 22, 2004 issue of The Daily Princetonian on October 25, 2004.