The Game: Yale and Harvard Square Off on Gridiron in 132nd Meeting

Yale Athletics

Many observers envisioned that this Saturday’s GAME between Harvard and Yale in New Haven would be a battle for the Ivy League championship.

They got that half right, as it is the Crimson (8-1, 5-1 Ivy League) that will be in a battle to retain a share of the title with the Penn Quakers (6-3 5-1, Ivy League) and Dartmouth Big Green (8-1 5-1 Ivy League).

For Yale, it is an opportunity to put a damper on the Harvard title chase, and after a mid-season speed bump derailed their title aspirations, they can finish the 2015 season with a signature win in one of college football’s most famous rivalries.

The Bulldogs (6-3, 3-3 Ivy League) enter the game with some new found confidence and momentum after they rallied on three occasions to defeat Princeton (5-4, 2-4 Ivy League), 35-28, at Princeton last week.

Quarterback Morgan Roberts hooked-up with Robert Clemons on a 19-yard, game winning, TD pass late in the fourth quarter.

Bulldog running back Dale Harris, in only his second week as the Yale feature back, led a potent Eli ground attack rushing for 177 yards, including a spectacular 71-yard run from scrimmage.

Roberts, who was 5 of 5 on the Bulldogs final drive, had an impressive day, completing 20 of 29 passes.

Christopher Williams-Lopez grabbed 10 of Roberts 20 completions in the come-from-behind win.

The Bulldogs defense put on an impressive show led by safety Hayden Carlson (10 tackles) and Spencer Rymiszewski and Darius Manora who came up with two timely interceptions to thwart Tiger scoring drives.

Harvard saw their 22 game win streak ended last week as the Penn Quakers jolted the Crimson, 35-25, at Harvard Stadium.

Yale has a 65-58-8 lead in the series with Harvard, although Harvard has won the last 8 between the two schools.

Last year Harvard defeated the Bulldogs 31-24 in Cambridge.

Saturday’s game at the Yale Bowl will kickoff at 2:30 p.m. It will air live on the NBC Sports Network and on the Yale Football Radio Network (WELI AM-960) with Carm Cozza and Ron Vaccaro on the call.

BULLDOG BITES

In nine games, Roberts has connected on 207 of 361 passes (57.3 %) for 2,203 yards.

Yale junior tight end Leo Haenni caught his first career touchdown pass in the win over Princeton.

The Game is responsible for a number of historic firsts: Yale performed the first on-side kick against Harvard in 1881; Harvard’s flying wedge was first seen in the 1892 contest; the first game in the Bowl was the 1914 meeting; the first crowd at an American sporting event over 80,000 was the 1920 game at the Bowl; and the first triple OT Ivy League game happened in 2005 at the Yale Bowl.

The Game brings back memories of the 1969 epic battle when Harvard’s Frank Chiampi hit tight end Pete Varney in the back of the end zone as time expired to tie the game at 29-all.

Harvard travels to New Haven sporting a high-powered offense and staunt defense.

Scott Hosch, Ben Braunecker, Paul Stanton, Jr., and Semar Smith are offensive players to watch.

Harvard ranks 12^th in scoring, according to the most recent FCS stats.

Matt Koran leads a Harvard defensive unit ranking No. 3 in the FCS for scoring defense.

Dartmouth will attempt to guarantee their share of the title when they host Princeton in Hanover, NH.

The red-hot Penn Quakers will  host Cornell at Franklin Field.

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