Crimson can’t rally
Deficit too great vs. unbeaten Tigers
Old-fashioned, knockdown, drag-out football returned to Harvard Stadium yesterday, but the crowd of 10,876 departed with their Crimson losing to unbeaten Princeton.
The Tigers remained one of just four undefeated
FCS teams (North Dakota State, Colgate and Dartmouth) after managing to hold on against a spirited Harvard squad, taking a 29-21 win home to New Jersey.
The victory moved No.18 Princeton (3-0 Ivy) to 6-0 for the first time since 2006 and only the fourth time in 53 years. Harvard became the first team to score more than 10 points against the Tigers this season. Princeton, the least penalized team in college football with 14 through the first five games, was pushed to the limit, drawing seven flags for 66 yards yesterday.
“After a few years where there have been blowouts, I expected it to be a dogfight. I’m so proud of our guys. We had to come through,” said Princeton coach Bob Surace. “Credit Harvard, they played their tails off . ... We were real fortunate to come out at the end.”
Harvard (3-3, 1-2), without injured star Justice SheltonMosley (leg) for the remainder of the season, outgained the Tigers, 375357, while converting 8-of-17 third down chances.
“Credit Princeton. They have very few weaknesses statistically and did a great job. I’m proud of my guys. We played about as well as we could,’’ said Harvard coach Tim Murphy, now 17-8 against Princeton.
Princeton, which entered averaging 52 points per game, scored on its second possession. Senior quarterback John Lovett (15-of-31 for 207 yards, TD), who was playing with a partial cast on his left (non-throwing) hand, faced fourth-and-2 at the Crimson 33-yard line. He took the snap and scrambled right to daylight for a touchdown.
After the teams traded punts, Harvard tried skulduggery with a doublereverse option pass. But Henry Taylor threw into double-coverage and was picked off by Princeton’s T.J. Floyd in the end zone.
The Tigers carried that play to a 24-yard field goal by Rice to make it 10-0 with 8:56 left in the half. A highlight of the drive was a dazzling play by Lovett, who bobbled the snap, scooped up the ball while doing a crossover between his legs before firing a 49-yard completion to Jesper Horsted down to the Harvard 18.
Harvard cashed in on its next possession, driving to the Tigers 5. Lined up in a wildcat formation, Harvard sophomore Aaron Shampklin took the snap, faked a handoff and scooted over the side for the score to cut the deficit to 10-7 at halftime.
The Tigers widened the gap to nine points with 12:47 to play. Facing fourth-and-4 from the Crimson 35, Lovett hit the 6-foot-4 Horsted, who outleaped 5-10 cornerback Wesley Ogsbury for the score. Harvard lineman Jacob Sykes burst through to block the PAT, leaving the score at 16-7.
Taylor fumbled a catch at the Crimson 29 on the next possession, but the defense held, led by Jordan Hill (11 tackles), Richie Ryan (four tackles) and Stone Hart (six tackles).
Harvard had a fourthand-inches from its 24 and 8:59 on the clock and went for it, but senior Charlie Booker was tripped up short. Princeton used the field position to its advantage, with Charlie Volker bulling across from a yard out to push the lead to 22-7 with 4:49 left.
But the Crimson kept fighting. Senior Tom Stewart hit Taylor for a 29-yard TD to make it a one-score game. The Crimson tried an onside kick but Princeton recovered at midfield. Two plays later, Volker sped around the right end and went 49 yards to paydirt for a 29-14 advantage.
Stewart led a Harvard two-minute drill, finding Tyler Adams for a 32-yard score, but it was too little, too late.