NEW HAVEN, Conn.--Like a red suited cavalry come to save Harvard's hopes for an Ivy League crown, the Cornell gridders surprised even themselves by posting a 24-6 win over a previously un-beaten Yale eleven here in front of 28,000 fans at the Yale Bowl Saturday.

Rushing for almost 200 total yards, the Big Red's backfield of Steve Vago, Ben Tenuta and quarterback Andy never-played-varsity-ball-before Shroer punched holes in a highly touted but injury-plagued Yale defense to lead their squad to three touchdowns in the first half and a 3-2 Ivy record.

The Big Red defense, meanwhile, managed to prevent Yale tailback and running machine Rich Diana from achieving his fourth straight 100-yard performance on a day when, as dejected Yale coach Carm Cozza said afterwards, "We didn't outshine them in any area."

Playing before the watchful eyes of Henry A. Kissinger '50 and Yale prexy Bart Giamatti, a psyched-up Cornell squad--"We felt we had a much better team than the record showed," a delirious coach Bob Blackmun said after the same--outran, outtackled and outplayed an Eli eleven that, by all accounts, had a bad practice week and wasn't up for the game.

Both team started slugglishly, but Cornell drew blood first with an 11-yd. Mike Ryan keeper that capped an 80-yd. drive as the first quarter ended. The second quarter sealed the Big Red's victory, with a Tenuta touchdown followed by a one-play, 4-yd. Cornell drive capitalizing on a blocked punt.

Yale's offense shone only on a third-quarter drive when quarterback John Rogan hit favorite target Curt Grive again and again towards the Elis' only score. The Elis, who face Princeton next week before a trip to Cambridge, fell to 4-1 in the Ivies.