PROVIDENCE, R.I.--A Brown rally for 21 points in five minutes to open the second half dashed hopes of a Harvard upset and sent the Crimson to a 23-14 defeat Saturday on the unplayable, unattractive and unspeakable turf of Brown Stadium.

By the afternoon's close, the teams had grown indistinguishable, a constant, chilling rain having rendered the field a sodden, gelatinous plain, unfit for any athletic endeavor, except, perhaps, brown-water canoeing.

The loss drops Harvard to 1-6 this year, 1-4 Ivy and is its sixth straight, the longest losing streak for the Crimson since 1950.

Two Dave Cody field goals through the driving rain had boosted Harvard to a surprising 6-2 lead at half-time, but Brown charged ahead to stay good with the three third-quarter touchdowns.

The collapse began on the third play of the second half, when Harvard quarterback Burke St. John's pass intended for Rich Horner went instead to Brown defensive back Woodrow Pugh who returned it to the Harvard 40-yd. line. "He threw it right at me," Pugh said afterwards.

One play later, Brown's Rick Villella, who baffled the Crimson with 121 yds. rushing on 31 attempts, took off on a power sweep and ran over the Harvard defense for a 36-yd. touchdown and a 7-6 Bruin lead.

Harvard's Jon Hollingsworth then fumbled on the first play after the kickoff at the Harvard 28. On Brown's third down, at the 29, Carbone threw to Mitch Metz--all alone in the flat after his defender fell down--who ran from the 15 to the end zone for the second touchdown in 1:18.

Harvard then hung on for three downs and a punt--a 44-yd. beauty by Duke Millard--which Brown's Wayne Singleton returned 67 yds. to the Harvard 19, a touchdown saved only by a desperation tackle in the mud.

Pass interference against Harvard in the end zone gave the Bruins a first down on the 1-yd. line and from there Marty Moran plunged over, giving Brown a 23-6 lead and closing the longest 5:34 of the Harvard season.

First Blood

In the first half, the Crimson strode in front despite Bruin control of the ball for more than 65 per cent of the time.

Harvard struck first, and early. The opening kick-off pinned Brown at its own six and an ineffective offensive series, and a shanked punt gave the Crimson the ball at the Brown 41.

On second down St. John tossed over the middle to Horner, who scooted to the 20-yd. line.

The catch, Horner's first of the day, began another superb outing for the senior Californian who fought double and triple coverage all day long. His five catches for 99 yds. gave diminutive--5-ft. 8-in. and 150 lbs.--receiver 34 receptions and 576 yds. for the year, and extended his lead among Ivy League pass catchers. With two games left in the year, Horner's season is already the fourth best in Harvard history.

After Horner's grab, the drive stalled, and Cody, who had made only one field goal all year, a 25 yarder, came on for a 41-yd. attempt from the semi-liquid turf.

But Cody got all of it, and, aided by a brisk wind, the kick split the raindrops and the uprights with yards to spare and gave Harvard a 3-0 lead with 4:11 gone.

Four failed series followed, two by each team, as the abysmal conditions and some rugged defense stymied both teams. After Brown's third unsuccessful drive in a row, Harvard's Paul Scheper blocked Chris Bryant's punt and the Crimson took over at the Brown 36 with less than a minute left in the first period.

St. John opened the second quarter with a bullet to Bill McGlone at the Brown 15. Harvard got no further, however, and Cody came on again, this time for a 31-yd. effort against the wind.

Cody, whom coach Joe Restic selected out of a throng of placekicking candidates in September, nailed another one and a Harvard upset began to look like a real possibility.

The Brown comeback began with 2:50 left in the half, with Millard punting from the Harvard 18-yd. line. Brown's Don Place violated the Crimson protective wall and solidly blocked the punt--too solidly, it turned out. The ball rebounded all the way out of the Harvard end zone for a safety instead of stopping where Brown could have recovered for a TD. The half closed with the Crimson leading by a score more familiar to Fenway than football, 6-2.

After the Brown assault early in the second half, the pace, and the rain, slowed. Harvard reached as far as Brown 22 once, but St. John slipped and fell on 4th and 12 and the Crimson gave the ball over to Brown.

In Harvard's first drive of the final quarter, defensive pass interference against tight end Chuck Marshall moved the Crimson to the Brown 40. Following an incomplete pass, St. John laced a perfect 30-yd. toss to Horner on a post pattern and the split end slipped over the goal line. A fake extra point failed and Harvard trailed 23-12.

Harvard's hopes rose briefly with 7:47 to go, when Bill Lohmiller blocked a Bryant punt and Tony Cimmarrusti recovered at the Brown 8. But the Crimson faltered, St. John throwing an interception in the end zone on third and goal.

Harvard gained its last two points with 1:35 left, when Brown, forced to punt deep in its own territory and fearing another block, had Bryant run out of his own end zone rather than risk a boot.

THE NOTEBOOK

Duke Millard boomed six punts for a 40.1-yd. per kick average....Harvard third down efficiency for the day: three out of 19....Crimson total rushing for the first half: 42. For the second half: 8.