Allard, Gridders Pass UMass, 31 - 14

"This is going to be the kind of game that is determined by a big play where somebody breaks a long one, or a couple of big plays. I think it will be a real close game." --Harvard Coach Joe Restic in the pre-game press notes

Harvard quarterback Don Allard was starting the game against the University of Massachusetts on Saturday only because Ron Cuccia, who had earned the starting nod from Coach Joe Restic after an impressive training camp, was out with an injury he had suffered a week ago against Columbia. At last, Allard would have an opportunity to show what he could do for a full 60 minutes of play.

Saying that the senior signal-caller took full advantage of the situation could well be the understatement of the year. All the Winchester native did was set a new single-game Harvard record by passing for 358 yards, nine more than Larry Brown '79 had against Penn in 1977.

In all, Allard completed 18 of 27 passes, threw for two TDs and ran for two others, leading the Crimson to a convincing 31-14 upset of the Minutemen before 12,500 at the Stadium. Included in the Allard arsenal were two long gainers in the second quarter--a 62-yard strike to flanker Jim Garvey, and a 71-yard bomb to tight end Peter Quartararo that moved the ball all the way down to the Massachusetts one-yard line.

"Allard did a nice job," said disappointed UMass coach Bob Pickett after the game. "He's an outstanding player, and he threw the ball extremely well." Added Restic, in the running for the understatement of the year as well: "We're very pleased with Donnie's work at quarterback."

"Donnie's work" helped the Crimson to raise its record to an unblemished 2-0, while the Minutemen suffered their second straight loss and fell to 1-2.

Harvard had hoped to run the ball a lot--and well--against UMass, utilizing a ball control offense to keep the Minutemen's dangerous running back tandem of Garry Pearson and Tom Murray off the field as much as possible.

That was the plan.

And so, after taking the opening kickoff, the Harvard ground game went to work. Fullback Mike Granger tried to run over left guard, but the UMass defense smothered him for a three-yard loss. On second down and 13, quarterback Allard ran an option right and kept the ball, but was pulled down by UMass defensive tackle Ed Kern for another loss, this time of one yard. With a third-and-14 facing him. Allard tried a rollout pass to flashy halfback Tim McGugan. McGugan took the ball, cut back against the flow and slipped down for a one-yard gain.

Massachusetts took the ensuing punt at the Harvard 46 and marched into the end zone in 11 plays, six of them carries by either Pearson or Murray. Fullback Murray scored the Minutemen's touchdown on a one-yard dive, just 6:39 into the game, and it looked at that point like UMass had stolen a page out of Harvard's pre-game plan and was going to run the Crimson into the ground.

As it turned out, those first two drives did set the tone for the day, although not in a way that anyone might have thought. In fact, with about eight minutes to go in the game. Harvard has amassed the grand total of one yard rushing. That's right, O-N-E, as in less than two. (It should be noted, however, that at the same moment, the Crimson had also accumulated 283 yards through the air.)

With the running game stalled through the first quarter--Harvard did little on its first three possessions: even Allard could only connect on two of five passes attempted--the Multiflex went airborne on the first drive of the second period. The first play, in fact.

Harvard took over at its own 38 after Crimson corner Chris Myers picked off an errant Dean Pecevich toss (the first of two Myers interceptions on the day). On the first play from scrimmage. Allard dropped back and found Garvey open down the right sideline. The flanker took the spiral at about the UMass 38, broke through the arms of All-American safety Grady Fuller and raced all the way into the end zone. The play went 62 yards, and after Jim Villanueva's PAT was good, Harvard had tied the game with 12:54 left in the half.

After Villanueva's kick off, Pecevich again left the ground game that had carried the Minutemen to their first score. On first down from the UMass 44, the quarterback tried to go over the middle to favorite target Ron Mangarelli (six catches, 117 yards, one TD), but Harvard safety Mike Dixon was there to break up the play.

With three wide receivers in the game. Pecevich attacked the Harvard secondary again on second down. Looking for flanker Kevin Jackson on a sideline pattern, the UMass quarterback instead connected with Harvard's Myer's for the second straight time at the 19.

The Crimson ran on two straight plays--Allard went off left tackle for six yards, and halfback Scott McCabe went through the rightside of the line for three-to bring up a third-and-one at its own 28.

UMass, thinking run all the way, slammed into the line as Allard faked a hand off to McGugan. The Crimson quarterback, with plenty of time to look down field and throw, hit wide open Quartararo at the Harvard 42. The tight end put a nice move on Fuller, then ran out of the safety's attempted tackle and carried the ball all the way to the UMass one before Minuteman defensive back Dwayne Lopes made a touchdown-saving tackle. Two plays later. Allard swept into the end zone on a rollout left, and after the PAT, Harvard led. 14-7.

Though the Crimson didn't find the end zone again before halftime, the two quick scoring drives seemed to deflate the Minutemen. Despite the fact that UMass cut Harvard's lead to 17-14 with 10:15 left in the game, the only real suspense of the second half resulted from Allard's surge to the record.

The throw that set the new mark, fittingly, was a 13-yard touchdown toss to split end John O'Brien, who made a pretty, leaping grab at the goal line. The score, with 4-27 left in the contest, staked Harvard to a secure 31-14 advantage and gave Allard yards 346 through 358, breaking Brown's record.