Punts have played an interesting part in Harvard's football fortunes this season, and the one by Terrell which followed was no exception. Unnerved by his previous flub, Terrell sent up a wobbler which fell to earth just eight yards upfield, providing the Crimson offense with some much needed breathing room.
Kubacki and the offense squandered some of that room with a bunch of penalties (one nullifying an important third down completion to split end Larry Hobdy), and a Coolidge punt set up the Big Green at the Crimson 44 with 4:57 left to go.
The final surge began with Coffey sweeping right end for 15 yards, followed soon thereafter by Case completions to ends Jeff Nadherny (to Harvard's 18) and Wilson on their feet in a state of shock: With a first down and goal to go at the Harvard three-yard line and 0:52 remaining on the clock, Dartmouth failed to score.
In the tension of the moment, the Big Green's thrusts were obscured by fan speculation on what the team would do after it scored the touchdown. A one point conversion would tie it, though most believed that Jake Crouthamel would opt for the daring and send his team in for a two-pointer and the kill.
He never got the chance.
On first down, the hard-hitting Oberg sliced through the line for a two-yard gain, and the ball lay inside the one-yard line. The clock ticked down to :27, as Oberg got the ball again and bucked into the line.
This time, however, Crimson adjuster Lou Rice led a defensive charge that stopped the star fullback cold at the one-foot line. Following a Dartmouth time out with 23 seconds showing, Case brought his team out one more time.
All spectators knew what was coming, and the Big Green's play selection did not disappoint them. Case took the ball from center, moved right, and began the hand-off to a charging Oberg. Ball, runner, and defense came together at the same instant, and Harvard was afforded one has miracle.
The football squirted out from between the quarterback and fullback -- apparently the result of indecision on the option -- and skittered back to the ten-yard line where Dartmouth back Jimmie Solomon fell on it. It was the only thing that could go wrong.
An illegal procedure penalty stopped the clock at :01, one last reprieve remained for a stunned Dartmouth team. Case took things into his hands, sprinting wide to the left with a rollout option.
Momentarily, the wide side of the field appeared to offer clear sailing for the potential hero. But Crimson linebacker Tom Joyce was equal to the task, corralling the runner nearing the endzone flag and dragging him out of bounds on the two-yard line. Before most spectators could digest what had happened, a jubilant team from Harvard was all over the field celebrating its incredible 17-10 victory.
The statistics for the game are far from impressive: Kubacki with a negative 33 yards rushing, Harvard with 180 yards total offense (Dartmouth 306), and fumbles galore. The Crimson offense managed only 19 plays in the second half, leaving the defense to fend for itself most of the game.
But the style of the victory was typically Ivy League, and marked another classic showdown between Harvard and a Dartmouth team that had reached an emotional pitch matched only by the frenzied Hanover student body.
With the Ivy championship back on its mind, Harvard moves on to its game with Princeton next Saturday, while Dartmouth contemplates the distance that one fumble put between it and an excellent chance at the league title.
It was the only thing that could go wrong. And it did.