For 30 million Saturday, Harvard played winning football. Although the second-half spurt against Holy Cross came too late to prevent a 26 to defeat, Coach Lloyd Jordan termed the varsity's performance in the late stages of the game very significant.

"I think we found something today," he explained afterward. "The team, especially the sophomores, has up until now hacked confidence in its ability to win. Today they found themselves four touchdowns behind at the half, but they never gave up hope of winning."

Discovery of this spiritual intangible, however, provided Crimson followers with little solace for the team's fifth straight defeat this season. Saturday's game, expect for the second-half revival, followed the pattern of previous lessee quite closely. Harvard did not capitalize on its breaks: Holy Cress did.

Nichols Recovers Fumble

The Crimson got the first real break of the game early in the first quarter when tackle John Nichols recovered a Holy Cross fumble on the Harvard 20-yard line. Carroll Lowenstein then tried a long pass into the end zone which was intercepted for a touchback.

After being held for three downs inside the 30, Holy Cross' Mel Massucco kicked to Crimson safety man Dick Duback on the Harvard 45. Duback fumbled the wet ball and Holy Cross recovered at that point to set up its first touchdown.

The Crusaders drove for the score on the ground with the one exception of an 11-yard flat pass from Charles Maloy to Massucco. That pass was the only one which the heralded Maloy completed in 16 attempts Saturday, the result of Harvard's tight pass defense and the steady rain. Maloy climaxed the drive by scoring on a quarterback sncak. John Feltch missed the extra point.

Second Score

Six minutes later, the Crusaders scored again after a poor punt by Lowenstein went out of bounds on the Crimson 31. In seven plays, Turco slanted off tackle from three yards out and Feltch kicked the point to make the score 13 to 0.

The Crusaders' third touchdown came late in the second quarter when Turce returned Bob Ray's punt from midfield to the Harvard 18. Massucco went the remaining distances on two line bucks. Feltch missed the point.

Holy Cross completed its scoring with a minute remaining in the half. Red Wylie has balted a Crusader drive by intercepting a Maloy pass in the end zone and running it out to the 16. A 15-yard clipping penalty put the ball on the Harvard one, where John West fumbled and Holy Cross recovered. Maloy again scored on a quarterback sneak, barely going over before fumbling. Feltch converted to make it 26 to 0.

The Crimson dominated the second half, scoring once while limiting the Crusaders to two first downs. The scoring play was a 21-yard pass from Lowenstein to Jerry Blitz, who nicely wrestled the ball away from Bill DeChard in the end zone. Bill Rosenau coverted.

On the credit side Saturday, in addition to the sound second half and the pass defense, was the defensive play of end Stan Britton, the running of West and the defensive play of Duback.