Update: Harvard versus Cornell

The Crimson compiled 423 yards in total offense, diversifying its potent passing attack with end-around plays and the deftly executed reverse...

Harvard faced Cornell at the Stadium on October 11 with three top receivers sidelined by injuries. No worries. On the third play from scrimmage, untried freshman Adam Chrissis caught a screen pass from quarterback Chris Pizzotti and sprinted 67 yards for a touchdown. The second quarter brought a 21-yard touchdown catch by another newcomer, sophomore Levi Richards, as well as Chrissis’s second score of the day, a 22-yard scamper on a reverse that put Harvard up, 28-7, at halftime. A short-yardage touchdown by running back Cheng Ho, Patrick Long’s 35-yard field goal, a short pass from Pizzotti to junior tight end Jason Miller, and Long’s five points-after completed the scoring in an impressive 38-17 win. Cornell had taken the field with a 3-0 record, including, as noted above, a 17-14 victory over Ivy League co-favorite Yale.

The Crimson compiled 423 yards in total offense, diversifying its potent passing attack with end-around plays and the deftly executed reverse that produced Chrissis’s rushing touchdown. “Our whole philosophy is to have a big cookbook and use a lot of things from game to game,” said coach Tim Murphy afterward. Matt Luft, the team’s number-one receiver, had four catches—one a 66-yarder that led to Harvard’s fifth touchdown—for 139 yards. With 28 catches for 460 yards, Luft leads the Ivy League in receptions per game.

The defense put heat on Cornell quarterback Nathan Ford, the league’s second-ranked passer. He hit on 32 of 53 attempts, but was intercepted twice and sacked twice. The sacks were the first allowed by the Big Red line this season.

For early season coverage, see "Bumps in the Road."

With league records of 1-1, Harvard, Cornell, and Yale trail Brown, Princeton, and Penn—each 1-0—in the Ivy standings. This weekend’s Brown-Princeton game will drop one of those teams from the ranks of the unbeaten. Harvard hosts Patriot League rival Lehigh (1-0 league, 2-3 overall) at the Stadium.

~“Cleat”

Related topics

You might also like

Harvard Football: Harvard 34, Cornell 10

The Crimson stays unbeaten following a hard fight with the Big Red

Harvard Football: Harvard 59, Holy Cross 24

Another week, another blowout, this one against an in-state rival

Harvard Football: Harvard 41, Brown 7

The Crimson assertively avenge last year’s loss to their Ivy rival.

Most popular

What Trump Means for John Roberts's Legacy

Executive power is on the docket at the Supreme Court.

Harvard’s Endowment, Donations Rise—but the University Runs a Deficit

The annual financial report signals severe challenges to come.

Harvard Professor Michael Sandel Wins Philosophy’s Berggruen Prize

The creator of the popular ‘Justice’ course receives a $1 million award.

Explore More From Current Issue

Two women in traditional Japanese clothing sitting on a wooden platform near a tranquil pond, surrounded by autumn foliage.

Japan As It Never Will Be Again

Harvard’s Stillman collection showcases glimpses of the Meiji era. 

A vibrant composition of flowers, a bird, and butterflies with a distant manor under a moody sky.

Rachel Ruysch’s Lush (Still) Life

Now on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, a Dutch painter’s art proved a treasure trove for scientists.