CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Twenty years ago, the Harvard Crimson embarked on one of the greatest seasons in the Ivy League's long and illustrious history. A roster filled with All-Ivy League and NFL talent captured the 11^th Ivy League title in style, posting the first 10-0 record in modern Harvard football history.

The story of the '04 team began in the spring. After going 7-3 and placing in a tie for second in the Ivy League standings during the 2003 season, the Crimson entered the 2004 campaign with high expectations for itself, both on and off the field.

"The expectations and goals for the 2004 season were very high," former Thomas Stephenson Family Head Coach for Harvard Football Tim Murphy said. "I think the reality was that we had a tremendous group of student-athletes who were great leaders and competitors."

Led by team captain and senior quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick '05, the Crimson boasted immense talent on both sides of the ball. Joining Fitzpatrick in the backfield was Clifton Dawson '07, the all-time school leader in rushing yards (4,841) and rushing touchdowns (60). Alongside receivers Corey Mazza '07-08 and Brian Edwards '05, and a stout defense that only allowed 13.4 points a game, the Crimson reached remarkable heights in 2004.

"We were number one in every single category, we had very few close games," Murphy said. "It was incredible when you consider we had the best quarterback in Ivy League history in Ryan Fitzpatrick, the best running back in Ivy League history in Clifton Dawson, and the best tandem receivers in Corey Mazza and Brian Edwards."

"Our team had really high expectations. Coach Murphy had always done a great job of letting us know the standard was extremely high," Dawson said. "We knew we had really good players, we had really strong leadership, we knew we could do anything we focused in on."

After opening the season with a dominant 35-0 win against Holy Cross at Harvard Stadium, the Crimson was tested on the road at Brown. Trailing 21-3 at the end of the first quarter, Harvard rallied, as Dawson found the endzone three times in the Crimson's 35-34 comeback win. Weeks later, the Crimson won another one-point contest away from home, outlasting Dartmouth, 13-12.

"With football, and the type of team we had, the early struggle really helped us put things in focus," Dawson said. "We took things game-by-game, quarter-by-quarter, and series-by-series. In our second game against Brown, we were really struggling at halftime, and Ryan Fitzpatrick rallied us, and we all put a lot of belief in him. It was that leadership in tough times that allowed us to have a special season."

The sole team captain of the 2004 team and a 17-year NFL veteran, Fitzpatrick orchestrated an excellent 2004 campaign, winning Ivy League Player of the Year after tallying 1,968 yards and 13 touchdowns in the air. Along with his excellent quarterbacking play, Fitzpatrick was the heartbeat of the Crimson in '04.

"The Ryan Fitzpatrick vote for team captain was almost unanimous, which is just unheard of," Murphy said. "We all thought he was special, intangibly as much as athletically. He was a great player, but he was an even better leader, and, like all great leaders, he led by example. Nobody worked harder than he did. He was a remarkable competitor."

"Since I graduated from Harvard, I've been fortunate to be surrounded by many great leaders: Peyton Manning, Tony Dungy, people in my business career," Dawson said. "Ryan is one of the most incredible leaders I've ever come across. His genuine character, and want to lead and lead through other people, is truly authentic. Combine that with his ability to perform in challenging contexts, makes him a natural born leader."

With just two weeks remaining the in the season, the Crimson traveled south for a pivotal game at Franklin Field, taking on defending Ivy League champions, Penn. With both teams 5-0 in conference action, the contest was a de facto championship game for the conference.

Across all four quarters, the Crimson dominated, defeating the Quakers, 31-10, scoring 31 unanswered points. Dawson collected 160 yards on the ground, finding the endzone once, as Fitzpatrick added two passing touchdowns.

"Penn had been the most consistently dominant team in the Ivy League for the last 15 years prior to that game. They had terrific players, they had an outstanding coach and staff," Murphy said. "We knew that we needed to beat them in a big game for us to become that team in our league. A team that had outstanding athletes, kids who executed under pressure. And that was it. The 1997 championship was the beginning, the 2001 championship was special, but the 2004 championship team started the greatest run in Ivy Football history."

At 9-0 and a share of the 2004 Ivy League title in hand, the Crimson had one task left at hand: Beat Yale.

"Harvard-Yale is always a very emotional week. An emotional game for both teams, for obvious reasons. In this case, it was a chance to make history, to be a 10-0 team," Murphy said. "The Harvard-Yale game, regardless of the scores, regardless of the records, is one of those games that you kind of throw out those statistics because anything can and certainly does happen."

In front of the home crowd at Harvard Stadium, the Crimson produced an incredible team effort, capping a historic, undefeated season with a 35-3 victory in The Game. As he had done all season, Dawson dominated on the ground, tallying 120 yards and one touchdown, as the defense held Yale's running game to just 42 yards.

"I remember the walk out of the locker room and to the stadium, the crowd, the band," Dawson said, "I remember the anticipation leading up to The Game. It's a shared experience with a hundred other players. We're not as close as we were then, but when I hear from a teammate, it's like you're jumping back to when we were kids."

With the win in The Game, the '04 Crimson etched its name in Harvard history, going 10-0 for the first time in school history. Since then, Harvard has gone 10-0 one more time, during the 2014 season.

"It was an incredible feeling to have accomplished what those kids accomplished. Just so happy for the senior class, and it's not something they ever forget. You know how it is when you graduate. You may not see certain people that were in your atmosphere," Murphy said. "But you're so connected by that experience, by that really incredible year that even if you haven't seen somebody in 20 years, it's like walking out of a time warp. You just pick up right where you left off."