Perfect Princeton gets by Harvard

Jacob Birmelin made a catch in the corner of the end zone in a fifth overtime and Princeton defeated Harvard 18-16 on Saturday, sending a homecoming crowd of some 10,000 streaming onto the field.

Trevor Forbes broke up Harvard’s last-chance pass in front of the goal line, avoiding a sixth overtime and Princeton (6-0, 3-0 Ivy League), ranked 17th in the FCS coaches poll, won a monster of a game filled with defensive gems and wild twists. Jake Smith, who came in when starter Charles Dean was injured early in the game, threw two apparent game-winning passes in the third overtime for Harvard (5-1, 2-1) and ranked No. 16, only to have both wiped out.