Game 602: Dartmouth’s 9-6 “Hail Mary” win over Harvard keeps Ivy title hopes alive

Cambridge, Mass – The media reports thus far do not give this thriller of a game the recognition it deserves.  Now, you’ve come to the right place.  The game finished unbelievably on the very last play in regulation time, no doubt! After 602 games we’ve attended including last week’s when Navy’s 48-yard field goal beat Tulane as time expired to win by three, this ending outdid that one.  When we said our first game of our next 600 got us off to a great start, we had no idea that the second of our next 600 could conceivably exceed the excitement of the first.  TV sport reports highlight only that one unbelievable play, but they just don’t build up the excitement experienced showing all that happened leading up to that climax of a 9-6 win by Dartmouth (7-0,4-0) over Harvard (4-3,2-2).  I guess they’re too busy pumping their upcoming bowl selection program which doesn’t mean diddly until December after all the remaining games have been played.

 Setting the stage

    Harvard came in to this game after a devastating 30-24 loss to 7-0 No. 12 FCS, rival Princeton. In the 10-game only Ivy League season, Dartmouth, undefeated and ranked No. 14 in the FCS, loomed as a must-win for The Crimson if they wanted to get at least a share of the Ivy League title.  It’s a matter of pride at Harvard among the Ivy League foes. They’ve won or tied for the League title nine times in the last 22 seasons.  Dartmouth showed up at Harvard Stadium knowing that Harvard came in hungry.  A loss for the Big Green would drop them into second behind Princeton and put them in a hole to climb out of the following week knowing Princeton stood at 7-0 with a 21-7 win over Cornell on Friday evening.

All games matter

    For Ivy League football teams, there are no championship games, no FCS playoff games, no tie-breakers, nor any bowl games.  Their seasons consist of only ten games on the gridiron every year.  On seven of those Saturdays, maybe one Friday, it requires each team to win all of those games against its fellow Ivy brethren if you want to earn the title of “Champion”.  Every team faces every League foe every season.  Winning the Ivy League crown is all that matters over the course of every football season. And all of them are your “rivals” (“Ho-ho, hey-hey, you’re gonna work for us some day!”).

   It’s rare to get a second chance in the Ivy League. One loss staggers and the second loss delivers the knock out punch is basically what the Ivy League comes down to.  Harvard knew that coming in after last week’s loss.  Beat Dartmouth and Dartmouth still has a chance to beat Princeton. Throw in Yale games with Princeton and Harvard remaining to be played and it could come down to anyone of those four or a combination thereof to win it all or share it on the final day of Ivy football 2019, November 23.  The only path to the Ivy title is to beat everybody on your schedule. Three-way tie? You share the title.  Kiss two sisters, not one.  A second Ivy League loss means you’re out of contention. Harvard already suffered their first. Dartmouth rolled into town to win at all costs against a solid foe.

One and done weekend for us

   For Collegefootballfan.com, this weekend was planned for only one game with the idea that this could be a great battle. I decided over the last few weeks to forgo the Friday night game in East Hartford, Connecticut where the Naval Academy (6-1) would visit the UConn Huskies (2-6).  It had all markings of a blow-out (and it was, 56-10).  A cold, dark, windy game with an 8 pm start at Pratt-Whitney air field – been there, done that. A late-night drive after that to some cold hotel room between there and Boston – never mind.

  It doesn’t get better than this

   Saturday turned out to be a bright, beautiful day without a cloud in the sky over Boston with a light wind – perfect football weather in a classic, collegiate football stadium built of concrete in 1903.  For Ivy League games of recent years, this game was well attended by fans, students, and alum of both schools. Both sides cheered for their teams all through big plays and for big stops by both squads.  The Harvard Band played everything from classical music to my favorite rock band, those bad boys from Boston, The J.Geils Band. 

The sharp-dressed Harvard cheerleaders in black and red skirted outfits entertained throughout the game.  Attendees totaled 20,112 in the horseshoe-shaped stadium built for 30,323. The setting turned out to be quintessential day for college football on a Saturday afternoon in New England.  I savored the moments even before kick-off for this one.  I figured this to be a competitive game between two historically good football programs among “The Ancient Eight” as the Ivies are also known.  I like this level of college football. It doesn’t get better than this.  The surroundings are relatively simple, but festive, and the game played is only about winning.

Game on

     Harvard’s offense came ready to play finishing their first possession with Jake McIntyre’s 41-yard FG to take the early lead, 3-0.  The Crimson defense rose to the occasion later in the period with Max Jones’s interception of Jared Gerbino’s long pass down the middle to Drew Estrada (11 receptions, 97 yards). Using Hall of Fame broadcaster Lindsey Nelson’s famous line for old Sunday morning, one-hour Notre Dame football highlight shows from back in the ’60s, “With neither team scoring, we move on to further action”.

     Not until late in the second period did either team threaten to score again.  The Crimson got into position to allow McIntyre to put up three more, but his kick missed from 34 yards out.  On the arm and legs of Gerbino (11 of 16 for 80 yards, one INT), the Big Green moved from their 20 to the Harvard 29.  However, on the next play, the tough Harvard defense knocked him out of bounds for a five-yard loss that hobbled Gerbino. He left the game and his back-up, Junior Derek Kyler, came in and ran for nine yards to set up a 42-yard FG by Connor Davis to knot the score with 50 seconds left in the first half. 

     The Crimson defense held the Big Green O that averaged 43.5 points per game this season to only 107 yards in the first half.  The Crimson totaled 210, but a missed FG and their final drive before time expired left them with only three points after their longest drive that started the game.  Gerbino, their senior starting QB had not recovered from his alleged leg injury in the first half.  Kyler started the third period at QB.

Loved Lindsey Nelson

    Following Dartmouth’s opening three-and out series, a shanked punt put Harvard with the ball at midfield.  On a fourth and thirteen, McIntyre nailed his second kick of the day from the 38 to retake the lead for the Crimson, 6-3.  Once again, we hear the voice of venerable Lindsey Nelson, “Neither team scored, so we move on to further action in the fourth quarter.” This is the story the big-time media fails to build on before the only highlight of the last second score they show. 

This is what the TV reports did not tell you

    After three plays and no yards, Dartmouth punted to Harvard to take over on its 26.  The Crimson drove to Big Green’s thirteen for a first down. RB Devin Darrington (25 carries for 102 yards) picks up five yards to the eight. Dartmouth stuffs him for no gain on the next play.  Harvard HC Tim Murphy calls for a time-out.  The subsequent pass play falls incomplete.  To the shock of many, McIntyre misfires on his 25-yard FG attempt, wide right! A father who sat suddenly next to me with his pre-school son a few plays earlier on their way out, is explaining to his little guy what happened and why this is bad for Harvard.

Help me understand

     Kyler started his team from the 20 to get out to the 44.  On fourth and six, LB Joey Goodman picked off his pass with 6:48 at the 30.  Why an Ivy Leaguer can’t figure out his team gets the ball on Dartmouth’s 44 instead of his 30 when he’s basically falling out of bounds, I’ll never understand.  Don’t you think about that before the play actually happens on a fourth down?  Harvard punted back eventually where Dartmouth took over on its nine. Crimson DL mates Truman Jones and Brogan McPartland met at Kyler simultaneously in the backfield stripping out the football with McParland recovering for the Crimson at Big Green’s ten.  Only 1:31 remained in the game with Harvard still leading, 6-3.

     Darrington carried twice for four yards with a Dartmouth time-out sandwiched in between. On the next play, he got pinned back for a two-yard loss.  Dartmouth HC Buddy Teevens charged his final time-out.  A field goal would only put the Crimson up by six. Either HC Tim Murphy did not want to call on McIntyre again, or he thought he would leave too much time on the clock for Dartmouth to come back for a TD and an extra point.  He decided to go for the touchdown on fourth and goal at the Harvard four. Darrington, no gain!

Over on downs

     One minute remained. Kyler and his teammates used the sideline effectively with only one time-out left.  Eight-yard completion to WR Hunter Hagdorn.  Kyler ran for four and got out of bounds. Hagdorn completion again for 19. Incomplete. Kyler ducked a would-be tackler on a blitz and fired a completion 22 yards to Estrada at the Harvard 43.  Harvard called their final time-out to set up defensively for the long pass anticipated with six ticks left on the game clock.

What you’ve seen by now

     Kyler scrambled, dodged tacklers, bounced a little left, prayed to Mary and let the ball fly toward the end zone.  I had put down the camera thinking that I would relish seeing this myself, but I got ready for in case something special happened here.  Bodies leapt, hands went up, the ball bounced, it ricocheted, I thought, but it didn’t fall to the ground.  Instead it got bear-hugged by someone in a white jersey. WR Masaki Aerts (Warren, NJ, St. Peter’s Prep) caught his only pass of the game for the game’s only TD, Dartmouth’s first lead, and a suddenly, exciting 9-6 victory over Harvard to go 7-0 and on to play Princeton at Yankee Stadium next Saturday in a clash of two undefeated teams.  

     The Harvard side I sat on fell silent, stunned. The Dartmouth side of the stadium exploded in astonishment, disbelief, pride, and relief! This was truly unbelievable. I had no particular rooting interest for either team, but my heart raced, my jaw dropped, a smile crossed my face. The feeling was surreal! Never saw anything like this and yet just last Saturday Navy won their game with no time left either.  This was different though. Dartmouth had one play left to score six or nothing.  Without this win, Dartmouth’s chance to win the Ivy League for the outright title remains.  There were no other options left for the Big Green.   The game is history now. Winner takes all next week with only two weeks of Ivy League weekends remaining after.  Glad we could be this one for sure!

Next!

   Harvard goes to Philly to play the Quakers of Penn.  The following week, we have Yale at Princeton inked in to see a key Ivy League game in the Tigers’ quest to go undefeated and add to their 17-game winning streak if they’ve defeated Dartmouth next week.

  As for Collegefootballfan.com, we already planned our longest road trip of the season next week to attend a game at Darrel K. Royal Stadium to watch the Texas Longhorns (5-3,3-2) host the No. 20 Kansas State Wildcats (6-2, 3-2). Last time we saw the Longhorns, they defeated Penn State, 17-13, in State College in 1990.  Prior to that, we saw them defeat the Nittany Lions at the Meadowlands, 28-3, in 1984. Aside from BYU, the Longhorns have the longest stint among all FBS schools since we last saw them play.  This is also our first trip to attend a game in Austin.  As for K State, the only time we watched them play they fell to Auburn in 2007. WR Jordy Nelson scored a touchdown in their 23-13 loss.  Looking forward to another late season battle!