Official Harvard-Yale Thread

[Ivytalk]

Kudos to the Bulldogs for their thrilling comeback win that knocked the Jersey Kittens out of the Ivy race, for all practical purposes.

Now it's time for The Game in the semi-rehabbed Yale Bowl.

Yale hasn't beaten Harvard since 2000, and one might think that this year's Yale seniors won't want to be the second straight class to graduate without having beaten the Cantabs. While Yale might have that emotional edge, Harvard was clicking on all cylinders on Saturday in demolishing Penn, 29-3. No turnovers and an efficient offense. Dawson is now over 1000 yards rushing for the season, and O'Hagan had a sharp game at QB. And the D is getting better every week. Too bad it's a battle for second place.

I see Harvard making it 5 in a row, 23-14. And if Columbia shocks Brown on Saturday, I'll go to Mass every day for the next year.

[bulldog10jw]

Used to be it was extremely unusual for either team to win more than 2 in a row in this series. Before 1998 Yale won 3 straight from '76-'78 and Harvard won 3 straight from '64-'66. Those were the only exceptions since the official formation of the Ivy Group in 1956. Now Harvard goes for 5 straight after Yale won 3 in a row. Harvard is on a roll and Yale hasn't put together a total game on both offense and defense since Cornell in the seasons 2nd week(Columbia doesn't count). I'm hoping this is the week. Yale 29 Harvard 27.

And if Columbia shocks Brown, Ivytalk will go to Mass every day for the next year.

Watch the game on WGN superstation

[ngineer]

Having seen both teams one would think I would favor the Eli because we had a closer game. However, it appears that the Crimson have stabilized in recent weeks and the romp over Penn was impressive. The lopsided score at Cambridge by Lehighs was due, in part, to a good number of turnovers. Otherwise, game would have been closer.
I give the edge at QB to Yale, but Harvard's ground game, if clicking, will also open up their pass attack. Yale's defense seemed more aggressive than Harvard's--certainly gave us more problems. I think the key is stopping Dawson. If Yale can let him have a 'controlled' 80-100 yards, then I think they will win in a close one. If Dawson gets loose, then Harvard by two scores.

[YaleFootballFan]

I love Yale/Harvard week. There's nothing like it.

Hard to tell who will win this year's game. I recall Coach Cozza saying that he prefers when The Game is played away because there's less distractions. So in that case, the Crimson have the edge. Then there's Harvard looking to make it 5 in a row over the Elis. I know Yale wants to win this game BADLY....they've been preparing for this game since last November. All year long, the Yale players and coaching staff have been talking about ending Harvard's streak. For that, I think we're going to see a very focused and determined Yale team on Saturday.

Then, of course, there's the Big Three Championship on the line for Yale, which is added incentive to win The Game.

[Ivytalk]

Used to be it was extremely unusual for either team to win more than 2 in a row in this series. Before 1998 Yale won 3 straight from '76-'78 and Harvard won 3 straight from '64-'66. Those were the only exceptions since the official formation of the Ivy Group in 1956. Now Harvard goes for 5 straight after Yale won 3 in a row. Harvard is on a roll and Yale hasn't put together a total game on both offense and defense since Cornell in the seasons 2nd week(Columbia doesn't count). I'm hoping this is the week. Yale 29 Harvard 27.

And if Columbia shocks Brown, Ivytalk will go to Mass every day for the next year.

Watch the game on WGN superstation

Bulldog, you're right that the last decade of this series has been uncommonly streaky. Actually, Harvard had a 3-game streak from 1995 to 1997 before Yale's 3-game streak from 1998-2000. Each "mini-streak" included two road wins.

Weatherman predicts sunny and mid-40s for New Haven on Saturday! :)

[bulldog10jw]

Bulldog, you're right that the last decade of this series has been uncommonly streaky. Actually, Harvard had a 3-game streak from 1995 to 1997

Sorry I missed that one. I guess I put the end of the Cozza era (and Jack's 1-9 start in '97) out of my mind.

[bulldog10jw]

TV outlets for THE GAME:

The Game will be aired on the following TV outlets: Superstation WGN (Chicago); WLVI Boston (WB56); WTXX Hartford; WPIX New York; WEWB Albany; Cox Cable System (Rhode Island) and HD Net (National) Cable and Satellite (Direct TV). WLVI (originating station) is also in the process of putting together an international satellite feed. Charley Steiner, radio voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers, provides The Game's play-by-play with alumni analysts, Dan Jiggetts (Harvard '76) and Brian Dowling (Yale '69) providing color. HDNet's Candace Creeger and Mike Ratte, sports director for Boston's WB, will report from the sidelines.

[Ivytalk]

Both schools' weekly game notes are now posted! The Harvard website carries the Yale notes as well. Can't wait for Saturday.

[blukeys]

I see Harvard making it 5 in a row, 23-14. And if Columbia shocks Brown on Saturday, I'll go to Mass every day for the next year.


Now you've done it. Are you sure the Lord really wants to see you on that regular a basis?

We will be checking attendance. I know there are a lot of parishes in No. Delaware but this is a small state and everybody knows everybody. ;) ;) ;)

[Harvard Worship]

Some buddies & I flew back east this weekend for a little reunion & to see the Penn game (well actually to see the Cornell hockey game, but we won't talk about that). Harvard looked awfully good...
However, Penn was playing some personell shananigans, it seemed. They had this guy named Sandberg playing RB instead of Sam Matthews until around the 3rd quarter, it seemed, and they had this fellow Walker in for McDermott at QB for a few downs too. Might explain the low scoring. Still, we all know that Penn is a pretty good football team, and keeping them without a TD hasn't happened in recent memory.
Still, it was eerie how much O'Hagan resembled Fitzpatrick on Saturday. He's had a really shaky, INT-filled year, but he looked COMMANDING against Penn. He threw with confidence, picked up nearly twice as many passing yards as his previous best outing, and boy could he scramble when needed. Clifton also looked sharp, breaking off a 58-yard sprint before yielding to the backups (it would have been 64-yd TD without the end-of-the-run clipping flag).
Still, I think Yale shouldn't lose heart... they definitely have the advantage in the passing game, and luckily for them Harvard's weakness on D is vs. the pass. I think Yale's D (which plays the run well, so I hear -- correct me if I'm wrong) matches up much better vs. Harvard's offensive strengths.
And Yale better be pumped up for the Game this year. Losing 5 in a row is sort of out-of-the-question. Losing at home is no fun. And Siedlecki is gonna have a tough time in the offseason if he drops another one.

[bulldog10jw]

I think Yale's D (which plays the run well, so I hear -- correct me if I'm wrong) matches up much better vs. Harvard's offensive strengths.
And Yale better be pumped up for the Game this year. Losing 5 in a row is sort of out-of-the-question. Losing at home is no fun. And Siedlecki is gonna have a tough time in the offseason if he drops another one.

Not sure if that's true about the Yale D. Hartigan ran right through them and Dawson is in the same class. It may depend on Harvard's O-Line. Princeton was chewing up chunks of yardage on the ground late in the first half and then for some reason, when they got inside the Yale 10, tried to pass. The interception seemed to bring the Yale D to life and they dominated the 2nd half. Can they sustain that level. That's the big question.

If Yale loses this game, Siedlecki may be gone. In fact, he may resign. The pressure on him is enormous.

[Ivytalk]

Had an online chat with one of the Yale dads (D-line starter) last night. He's also concerned about the team's inconsistent play, but the intensity will be there. Should be a good one tomorrow!

[bulldog10jw]

I remember the field goal mentioned in '75. Might be the worst kick I ever saw. Well, the worst kick that ever won a game and an Ivy League championship, anyway. As soon as he kicked I thought "no good" and then it settled just behind the goalposts like a pop fly to the infield. We were sitting at that end of the Bowl. I think it was only about 25 yards. Of course Yale deserved to lose as they gave up a 15-20 yard pass play on the previous down when it was 3rd and long.

Yale-Harvard notebook from the Globe:

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/football/articles/2005/11/18/idea_of_fifth_straight_win_just_unspeakable/

Last call
As Harvard did last year, Yale is cracking down on the bacchanalian-style tailgating that has marked recent games. Parking lot parties will be shut down after halftime and the areas will be emptied an hour after the game. Paraphernalia for drinking games will be banned and fans will be forbidden to stand or sit on vehicle roofs. Besides cutting down on drunkenness and injuries, the new rules are designed to encourage ticket-holders to watch at least part of the game . . . Yale Bowl, which had fallen into genteel disrepair, is in the middle of a massive $20 million renovation that will be finished next autumn. The interior and exterior walls, the 30 entrance tunnels, and 17 miles of wooden seats all will be replaced while the capacity (64,269) will stay the same. The original price tag for the 1914 stadium, which was built in 16 months, was $750,000 . . . This year marks the 30th anniversary of Mike Lynch's last-minute ''9-iron field goal" at the Bowl that gave Harvard its first unshared Ivy title. It's also the 35th anniversary of Crimson quarterback Eric Crone's intentional safety on the last play to ensure a 2-point victory at the Stadium . . . Watching his 60th consecutive H-Y game will be Concord resident John H. Norton, who has witnessed Harvard's last 346 home contests.

[Ivytalk]

I remember the field goal mentioned in '75. Might be the worst kick I ever saw. Well, the worst kick that ever won a game and an Ivy League championship, anyway. As soon as he kicked I thought "no good" and then it settled just behind the goalposts like a pop fly to the infield. We were sitting at that end of the Bowl. I think it was only about 25 yards. Of course Yale deserved to lose as they gave up a 15-20 yard pass play on the previous down when it was 3rd and long.

Yale-Harvard notebook from the Globe:

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/football/articles/2005/11/18/idea_of_fifth_straight_win_just_unspeakable/

Last call
As Harvard did last year, Yale is cracking down on the bacchanalian-style tailgating that has marked recent games. Parking lot parties will be shut down after halftime and the areas will be emptied an hour after the game. Paraphernalia for drinking games will be banned and fans will be forbidden to stand or sit on vehicle roofs. Besides cutting down on drunkenness and injuries, the new rules are designed to encourage ticket-holders to watch at least part of the game . . . Yale Bowl, which had fallen into genteel disrepair, is in the middle of a massive $20 million renovation that will be finished next autumn. The interior and exterior walls, the 30 entrance tunnels, and 17 miles of wooden seats all will be replaced while the capacity (64,269) will stay the same. The original price tag for the 1914 stadium, which was built in 16 months, was $750,000 . . . This year marks the 30th anniversary of Mike Lynch's last-minute ''9-iron field goal" at the Bowl that gave Harvard its first unshared Ivy title. It's also the 35th anniversary of Crimson quarterback Eric Crone's intentional safety on the last play to ensure a 2-point victory at the Stadium . . . Watching his 60th consecutive H-Y game will be Concord resident John H. Norton, who has witnessed Harvard's last 346 home contests.

Bulldog, '75 was my senior year, and I was in the same end of the Bowl. But I guess my perspective on that fluttery FG was a bit different! At the time, it was the most beautiful thing I ever saw. Then I met the future Mrs. Ivy...

I also have clear memories of "End Zone" Crone. Watched him cough up a 17-0 lead in Cambridge in '72 when Harvard had no answer for Jauron.

[Harvard Worship]

Wow I just flipped through all my Cable stations & it turns out we DO get WGN way out here on the west coast. What a pleasant surprise!

I just hope the TV play-by-play guy can say the names right... it was exceptionally obnoxious that the YES (or was it FSN? CN8?) sportscaster who covered some of the Harvard games last year kept mangling Ryan Fitzpatrick's name... You'd have thunk Harvard had a whole army of Fitzies with all the Fitzwilliams, Fitzgeralds, Fitzhughs & Fitzhammonds the announcer kept talking about...

[bulldog10jw]

I also have clear memories of "End Zone" Crone. Watched him cough up a 17-0 lead in Cambridge in '72 when Harvard had no answer for Jauron.

Do you remember the clever article George Plimpton wrote for SI after the '70 game. It was based on the fantasy that Crone fumbled the ball instead of taking a safety and amid all the endzone chaos it was only spotted by two Yale alums. Anyway, they later recovered the ball and took it back to the stadium where they would down it in the endzone and at least THEY would know that Yale really won. Unfortunately, in the dark they went to the wrong endzone. Of course, being Yale men, they had to live with that result because even though they could have just gone to the other endzone that would be cheating, something that only Princeton would do. Plimpton was, of course, a Harvard man.

[Ivytalk]

Wow I just flipped through all my Cable stations & it turns out we DO get WGN way out here on the west coast. What a pleasant surprise!

I just hope the TV play-by-play guy can say the names right... it was exceptionally obnoxious that the YES (or was it FSN? CN8?) sportscaster who covered some of the Harvard games last year kept mangling Ryan Fitzpatrick's name... You'd have thunk Harvard had a whole army of Fitzies with all the Fitzwilliams, Fitzgeralds, Fitzhughs & Fitzhammonds the announcer kept talking about...

"Harry Doyle, here, calling the '05 Harvard-Yale game. Here comes Harvard's QB onto the field. Lessee, now. Is it Liam O'Hagan? Lee M. O' Halloran? Lieutenant Uhura? Lean On Hogan? Ah, the hell with it. Another drink!!"

[bulldog10jw]

Bulldog, '75 was my senior year, and I was in the same end of the Bowl. But I guess my perspective on that fluttery FG was a bit different! At the time, it was the most beautiful thing I ever saw. Then I met the future Mrs. Ivy...

.

Ivy, they showed the highlights of the '75 game on the WGN pregame show. Harvards pass to set up the FG was on a 4th and 12 play. They interviewed Lynch, Jiggetts, Fencik, and Smoot. Lynch said he knew the FG was good even though, as he said, it was a 26 yard FG that travelled 26 yards 3 inches. 70,000 in the Bowl that day. I don't remember it being that large of a crowd. Not like '81.

[bulldog10jw]

Harvard takes the opening kickoff and drives about 70 yards to the Yale 3 and fumbles. Yale recovers and as usual goes 3 and out. Harvard ball at the Yale 26.

[*****]

Crimson FG
3-0 1Q

[bulldog10jw]

Harvard 3 Yale 0. It could have been worse. Harvard receiver was wide open in the endzone and the QB threw it short. So far Yale getting no penetration on defense.

[*****]

There's our favorite Ivy all-star... Yale's BIG OLD #50 Lee Driftmier!

[bulldog10jw]

There's our favorite Ivy all-star... Yale's BIG OLD #50 Lee Driftmier!

I forget some of you are probably watching.

[*****]

Crimson looking tuned

[*****]

end of 1Q
Harvard 3-0

[Chi Panther]

I gotta cheer for Harvard in this one!

[bulldog10jw]

Yale 7 Harvard 3. Great catch on 4th down for the TD from the 29. Great pass protection also.

[bulldog10jw]

Yale 14 Harvard 3 at the half. Yale scores on 4th and goal from inside the 1 as time runs out in the half.

[bulldog10jw]

Yale takes the second half kickoff and drives 65 yards scoring on a 5 yard run.

Yale 21 Harvard 3

With their score on the last play of the half and this drive Yale put up 14 points with Harvard never touching the ball.

[bulldog10jw]

Harvard answers with a drive of their own including a 4th down conversion.

Yale 21 Harvard 10

[bulldog10jw]

Harvard scores on a turnover. 2 pt conversion NG.

Yale 21 Harvard 16

[bulldog10jw]

Yale 3 and out with 12 minutes left.

[bulldog10jw]

lousy Yale punt. Harvard ball at their own 43.

[bulldog10jw]

Harvard turns it over, but Yale gets an immediate (and obvious) clipping penalty.

1st and 25

[bulldog10jw]

Yale kicks a FG.

Yale 24 Harvard 16. about 7 minutes left.

They converted a 3rd and 17 on the drive.

[bulldog10jw]

Harvard scores and gets the 2 points.

all tied at 24

[bulldog10jw]

Yale 3 and out. Harvard looks good here. 2+ minutes to go and they have the momentum.

[bulldog10jw]

OVERTIME

[bulldog10jw]

Yale fumbled on the first play of OT, but Harvard missed their FG attempt. 2nd OT

[*****]

what directv channel again?

[bulldog10jw]

Probably the 3rd worst loss for Yale in my lifetime. Only the 29-29 loss in '68 and the "95 yard" loss in '74 are worse.

Final 30-24. Harvard. 3 OT.

[YaleFootballFan]

Attendance at the Yale Bowl this afternoon, 53,213. The Bowl was packed.

This was the first overtime game in the 122 meetings between Yale and Harvard and the first triple overtime game in Ivy League history. This was also the first time Yale and Harvard were tied after regulation since the 29-29 loss in '68.

Yale had plenty of chances to put this game away. In a lot of ways the game reminded me of the Lehigh game, where we also blew a 21-3 second half lead. Yale should never have lost today's game, but you have got to tip your hat to Harvard for fighting back.

Interesting note: the Yale seniors finished 4-0 vs. Princeton, but 0-4 vs. Harvard.

There's a buzz around New Haven that Jack Siedlecki's job is in serious jeopardy. I feel Yale really needed to win today for his job to be secure for at least another year. Obviously, the alumni are not happy about losing to Harvard five years in a row. I guess we'll see what happens....

[Ivytalk]

A thriller for sure. It looked bleak after Yale went up 21-3, but the TD pass to Dawson got the Crimson back in it. Neither side quit. Yale played a perfect 18 minutes from the beginning of the second quarter through the first drive of the third. Fortunately for Harvard, Yale's turnovers came at the end. Who cares about Brown anyway? This was a classic.

[charliej]

just caught the highlights on ESPN, thriller describes it pretty well.

[bulldog10jw]

There's a buzz around New Haven that Jack Siedlecki's job is in serious jeopardy. I feel Yale really needed to win today for his job to be secure for at least another year. Obviously, the alumni are not happy about losing to Harvard five years in a row. I guess we'll see what happens....

Most of what I hear through the grapevine is that not only are people unhappy with Jack, they are also unhappy with Beckett. He was supposed to bring the same kind of overall athletic success, on an Ivy level of course, to Yale as Stanford had. Hasn't worked out that way. Look at the hockey team, who also lost to Harvard in OT this weekend. 0-5 going into tonight.

[YaleFootballFan]

Some pictures from The Game on Saturday

Photos from yalebulldogs.com (http://yalebulldogs.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112005aaa.html)

Photos from gocrimson.com (http://gocrimson.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/111905aab.html)

[Ivytalk]

Some pictures from The Game on Saturday

Photos from yalebulldogs.com (http://yalebulldogs.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112005aaa.html)

Photos from gocrimson.com (http://gocrimson.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/111905aab.html)

Interesting lighting perspective on those pics. The Yale "sunshine" photos are earlier in the day when they were ahead. The Harvard shots are "in the gloaming" when the Crimson came back to take the lead. 2006 should be a good one.

[bulldog10jw]

For those who attended the game; how many more OT periods could they have gone. I noticed that the game ended at 4:30, right at sunset. Must have been getting pretty murky. They may need to start games after the time change at noon in the future just in case of OT.

[YaleFootballFan]

For those who attended the game; how many more OT periods could they have gone. I noticed that the game ended at 4:30, right at sunset. Must have been getting pretty murky. They may need to start games after the time change at noon in the future just in case of OT.

I agree, if The Game is on TV again next season, they should seriously consider starting The Game earlier at 12 noon, instead of the usual 12:30. TV slows down The Game considerably and with both Harvard Stadium and Yale Bowl not having lights, that will eliminate any chance of The Game being called due to darkness.

If Harvard didn't score in the third OT Saturday, I think they could've played only one more OT. I was sitting on top of the visitors side and saw the sun just about disappear in the distance as the Crimson scored the game winner.

[Harvard Worship]

Wow what a game. I've saved it on Hard Disk but I ought burn this one to DVD. Wow.
I know it's tough to lose, especially in such a fashion, but I hope the Yale fans appreciate that they played just as well as Harvard did, pretty much just as long as Harvard did. We had the 1st & 4th Quarters, you guys dominated the 2nd and 3rd quarters. This game really was a game of momentum swings. In the first it was all Harvard. Then for two quarters it was all Yale. Harvard stormed back in the fourth & the momentum (at least on defense) really carried us through the 3 OTs.
It was honestly a great game with two great teams. I was especially impressed with both defenses and the turnovers they forced. Best luck to you guys next season & can't wait till the 2006 edition of THE GAME.
Man but Harvard fans: THANK THE LORD for CLIFTON DAWSON.

[Husky Alum]

Only saving grace about the 3 OT's is that there were NO lines at Pepe's late on Saturday afternoon. However by the time I got done eating, there were some pretty somber looking Yalies being taunted by some pretty drunk Cantabs.

My dad TiVo'ed the game, and I can't wait to watch it.

I remember the 1981 game - made a ton in tips that day as an usher. ;)

Now I know the neighbors in Westville would choke on their dentures if this ever happened - but what about playing The Game at night in New Haven? Bring in temporary lights - could be pretty wild, and would probably be good for attendance.

[Ivytalk]

How many Ivy stadiums have lights now? Franklin Field does, because Penn played a night game against Villanova this year. Any others?

[YaleFootballFan]

How many Ivy stadiums have lights now? Franklin Field does, because Penn played a night game against Villanova this year. Any others?

Columbia, Cornell, Penn and Princeton all have lights.

Ironically, they're also the only Ivy stadiums with artificial turf (Princeton starting in '06).