NEW HAVEN, Conn. – No. 10/8 Harvard Football had its nine-game winning streak stopped today as it fell at Yale, 45-28, in the 141^st edition of The Game. The Crimson saw its record drop to 9-1 (6-1 Ivy League) and now shares the conference title with the Bulldogs, who improved to 8-2 (6-1 Ivy).

How It Happened

• Harvard opened the game on the wrong foot, turning the ball over on its first play of the game. Yale recovered the fumble and found the endzone one play later on a 21-yard pass from Dante Reno to Jaxton Santiago. The Bulldogs led, 7-0, with the contest just 18 seconds old.
• After two scoreless Harvard drives, the hosts took a 10-point lead on a 40-yard field goal by Noah Piper with 6:12 left in the first quarter. Yale extended it to 17-0 on an 8-yard TD run by Josh Pitsenberger with 13:02 remaining in the second period.
• The Crimson got on the scoreboard with 8:59 left in the second when Jaden Craig connected with Ryan Tattersall on a 23-yard touchdown strike. The TD completed an 11-play, 75-yard drive that took 4:03 to complete.
• Yale had an immediate answer to the Tattersall TD. Reno completed a 64-yard pass to Nico Brown to wipe away the Crimson touchdown and help Yale take a 24-7 lead (2^nd/7:34).
• Harvard's offense began to click and found paydirt again when Craig rushed 26 yards for the touchdown. This drive, which also covered 75 yards, needed only nine plays to finish and got the Crimson to within 10 points at 24-14 (2^nd/4:19).
• Yale added a 1-yard TD run from Pitsenberger right before the end of the first half to take a 31-14 lead into the locker room.
• The Bulldogs carried the momentum built at the end of the first half into their first drive of the second, marching 75 yards in 11 plays, with the last ending in a 4-yard TD run by Pitsenberger. Yale went up, 38-14, with 8:55 left in the third.
• Harvard responded with a 9-yard TD pass from Craig to Tattersall with just under five minutes to go in the third. The Crimson's two-point conversion attempt, however, failed as it now trailed the Bulldogs, 38-20.
• Yale added to its lead when Reno completed a 12-yard TD pass to Lucius Anderson with 14:56 left in the fourth. The Bulldogs led the Crimson, 45-20.
• Harvard chipped away at its deficit and added eight points to its side of the ledger when Craig dropped in a 31-yard pass into the hands of Brady Blackburn. The Crimson went for two points and used a little trickery as Craig received the snap, pitched to Blackburn, who did the same to Tattersall, who then found Craig wide open for the conversion. Harvard trailed, 45-28, with 11:45 remaining in regulation and the score stayed that way for the balance of the afternoon. 

Team Notes

• Harvard finishes the regular season with nine wins, its most since winning nine in 2015.
• The Crimson's six Ivy League wins are its most since 2015, when it was victorious six times.
• Harvard is 17-3 (11-3 Ivy) in two seasons under Andrew Aurich.

Player Notes

• Jaden Craig (27-51-0, 306 yards, 3 touchdowns; 10 rushes, 26 yards): Passed for 306 yards to become Harvard's all-time career passing leader; he surpassed Neil Rose '03 (5,949) and now has 5,967 passing yards for his career… Threw for three touchdowns for the second straight game… Rushed for a touchdown for the second straight game.
• Ryan Tattersall (5 receptions, 92 yards, 2 touchdowns): Had his first multi-touchdown performance of the season, finding the end zone twice after doing so just once all season (at Stetson)… His five catches matched a career high… His 92 yards receiving were personal best.
• Brady Blackburn (6 receptions, 84 yards, 1 touchdown): Caught career-high six passes for the second straight game… Caught a TD for the second straight outing for the first time of his career.
• Sean Line (15 tackles): Led all players with a career-high 15 tackles… Had his fifth game of the season with at least 10 tackles.
• Ty Bartrum (14 tackles): Had 14 tackles for the second straight game… Posted his third double-digit tackles game of the season.

Up Next

Harvard will wait to see if it earns an at-large invitation to the NCAA FCS Playoffs. The selection show is set for Sunday at noon ET on ESPNU.