Josue Ortiz, football defensive tackle, dominates as Harvard clinches Ivy title

Defensive tackle Josue Ortiz came up big in the Penn game, where Harvard clinched the Ivy League title.

Josue Ortiz

Josue Ortiz | Photograph by Jim Harrison

Standout defensive tackle Josue Ortiz, a first-team all-Ivy player last year who was profiled this fall in Harvard Magazine, had  a huge game against the University of Pennsylvania on Saturday, November 12, as Harvard vanquished Penn, 37-20. The Crimson clinched this year's Ivy League championship outright when Dartmouth took down the only remaining rival, Brown, 21-16, the same afternoon.

The Harvard Crimson's feature on Ortiz, who has also drawn attention from the Boston Globe, narrrates his outsize performance in the Penn game, which included two sacks in the first quarter (he leads the Ivy League with nine sacks on the season), a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery to go with 10 tackles—despite Penn's double-teaming attempts to contain him. He was named the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week for his outstanding effort, and will bring that mantle with him into The Game at the Yale Bowl on November 19.

Related topics

You might also like

Rassey returns to Cambridge from Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Harvard graduate and NASCAR racer Patrick Staropoli on pedals, attention, and fearlessness.

How Women Are Changing the NBA

From coaching staffs to front offices, female leaders are bringing new strategies to men’s basketball.

Most popular

Harvard scientists identify hundreds of genes under selective pressure.

There’s a growing movement to curb light pollution. It starts on your front porch.

In her memoir All That's Unseen, Emilee Hackney explores religion, friendship, and home.

Explore More From Current Issue

Two colorful octopuses swim among vibrant coral and sea life in a lively underwater scene.

New Harvard research finds octopuses go beyond sight and touch to find mates.

Vibrant urban scene at dusk featuring a mural on a building and illuminated structures.

The planned opening of the Goel Center in Allston for performances will be in spring of 2027.

A woman with long hair stands confidently with crossed arms next to a pickup truck.

In her memoir All That's Unseen, Emilee Hackney explores religion, friendship, and home.