Yale Runs Past Harvard, 35-28

There wasn't all that much at stake, really -- oh, a few individual records maybe, but not the Ivy title, which had slipped from Harvard's grasp weeks ago. But in a game that will be remembered for years to come, the Harvard and Yale football teams put on an offensive fireworks display that kept the sellout crowd on the edge of their seats for 60 minutes.

For the record, Yale won, 35-28, Larry Brown broke Mike Holt's single-season passing record and John Spagnola broke Gary Fencik's career receptions mark. What will be passed down over the years about this game, however, will be the memory of a remarkable string of dazzling pass catches and some of the best running and hard-nosed hitting that's been seen here this year.

The sellout crowd of 41,500--as if they hadn't been spoiled enough by the 68-degree weather--saw a first half show unparalled in excitement in recent years' action.

First, the vaunted Elis muscled past the Crimson defense for a pair of quick touchdowns. Then, with the threat of a pride-devastating blowout imminent, Crimson quarterback Larry Brown took it to the Eli defense, striking through the air to tie it up 14-all in the second, quarter.

The improbable circus continued as the first half clock ran down. The Elis continued to display offensive dominance, and busted through for two more TDs on a pair of incredible plays that will be remembered for years to come.

The Crimson defense suffered in the half, reeling backward on most series, while giving up 275 yards of total offense.

Nowhere were the defense's weaknesses more evident than in Yale's opening possession.

Poised Eli quarterback Pat O'Brien guided the I-option running attack and explosive passing game downfield cooly, as the visitors marched decisively for 74 yards in 13 plays in a 7-zip lead. Even a 15-yard holding penalty failed to halt the Eli onslaught.

The Bulldogs ripped the yardage out in consistent, small-sized chunks, with O'Brien and tailback Ken Hill (95 half yards) leading the effort. O'Brien himself took it in for the score at 6:12 on a zig-zag option keeper that may be the finest running play seen at The Stadium this year.

The Crimson, playing with the wind at its back in the opening quarter, right away engineered a mini-drive, but missed a chance to get on the board when Gary Bosnic cream-puffed a 43-yd. field-goal attempt.

After an exchange of Mike Sullivan-Al MacMurray punts, the Big Blue Machine got in gear once more, driving 69 yards for the second score five minutes into the second quarter.

The Crimson defense was succeeding in shutting down all-Ivy split end John Spagnola, but Yale was going in and out for consistent, five-yard rushing gains. Fullback Rick Angelone got into the spotlight for the first time by shooting over left guard for 15 yards, then knifing 10 yards through traffoc for a touchdown on the very next play.

Less than 20 minutes into the game, Yale had a 14-zip lead and a chance to write a Harvard-humiliating chapter into the history of The Game.

Harvard signal-caller Brown knows the ropes, though, and he knew that a quick score was needed. And he went out and got it.

Taking the ball on the Crimson 35, Brown sent halfback Ralph Polillio (41 first-half yards) on rushing missions after rushing mission, while mixing it up with a couple of well-thrown but barely thwarted passing attempts.

The tough Yale defense tightened inside its own 20, forcing fourth-and-goal at the four. Brown split four receivers left, took a quick drop and tucked a beautiful pass into the belly of Matt Granger, who had slipped a linebacker.

It was 14-7 now, and it was apparant that early reports of Harvard's death in this game had been greatly exaggerated.

Tim Palmer and Steve Potysman combined to consume a fumble by Sullivan (yes, the guy who ran the punt back at the Yale Bowl last November) at the Yale 35-yd. line with 11-04 to go in the half.

Brown chose to go for the jugular right away, lofting a pass to Richie Horner--who had wedged his way between Elis Arnie Pinkston and Steve Skrovan--for a spine tingling 35-yd. touchdown. Bosnic's PAT at 10:21 tied it up at 14-14. The Elis then went to the jugular right back on the first play from scrimmage at the 23-yd. line.

In a play that will surely go down as one of the most amazing in the history of The Game, O'Brien dropped quickly, threw sideways to Spagnola behind the line on the left, as a left-side screen play appeared in the offing. In the meantime, however, end Bob Krystyniak had snuck past Harvard cornerback Potysman all alone down the right side.

Spagnola--who had not yet caught a pass on the day--then set and lofted a perfect bomb to Krystiniak at the 40. It wasn't even a footrace as the big receiver loped past Potysman into the endzone.

A pitiful MacMurray punt (a low-liner that set up a 23-yd. return) on the next Harvard possission set the stage for the Elis to go up two touchdowns before the half.

The super-tough Hill (no relation to Calvin but he should be) did it himself, taking an option pitch on the left cutting outside the contain-man and doing a Walenda-like tiptoe down the sideline for the score. Dave Schwartz's fourth extra point made it 28-14 just a minute and 24 seconds after Harvard had apparently made a game by tieing it.

As shadows fell over the Stadium in the third quarter, both offenses showed signs of their first half potency, but the contest essentially became a fumble bowl, as both sides seemed determined to cough the ball up.

First, Angelone let the ball pop loose on a touchdown dive from the one to kill an Eli drive that had made the Harvard D look like tissue paper.

Fred Cordova pounced on it, and QB Brown got Harvard out from dangerous territory with two short runs and an 18-yd. pass to tight end Paul Sablock. Following a punt, Yale again fumbled, and safety McLeod fell on it at the Yale 35.

Larry Brown returned the favor moments later, though, fumbling the pigskin back to the opposition.

Three plays later, O'Brien bombed one to Spagnola from the Yale 41. Cordova cruised in front of him and appeared set for a possible interception at the Harvard 20, but Spagnola magically won the jump ball and galloped home for six points. It was 35-14 now, with 20 minutes remaining.

The Crimson offense, from this point on, played like men possessed. They got in the game with a pass-based 87-yard march at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarter, with Horner--playing the game of his life--scoring on an 11-yd. reception.

One of Harvard's finest moments came soon after. With eight minutes to go, and the game in the balance, (Yale had just missed a field goal) Brownie hit Horner 30 yards upfield to retain possession. Following a 14-yd. screen run by Polillio, and a pass to Horner at the 5, Harvard pulled within seven points. The score came on a brilliant catch by John MacLeod with 5:51 left.

The scoreboard read 35-28 now, and it appeared that the Crimson offense's magical chemistry would once again score if the defense could get the ball back.

But as has happened so often this season, it could not. Hill and Sullivan and O'Brien and Spagnola had been too tough for Harvard all day, and as white handkerchiefs appeared in the Yale stands, they took the Elis downfield on a game-saving drive.

As dusk descended on Harvard Stadium, white and Crimson jerseys converged in a mass, at the center of the field--embracing, shaking hands, walking off slowly. But most of all, satisfied they had played in one of the most exciting Harvard-Yale games in recent years.