It was just the kind of back-and-forth game which the final score indicated. But the relatively normal final score proved to be misleading, as the two teams put on an exhibition of unconventional scoring.
Princeton got ahead on a 36-yard field goal by Alex Sierk. On the ensuing possession, Harvard's long snapper, sophomore Nathan Dean, sailed a punt snap way over Giampaolo's head. The future game-winner scored his first two points for the other team, running out the back of the endzone for a safety and a 5-0 Princeton lead.
In the second quarter, Giampaolo made his first of four field goals to cap off a 75-yard drive that bogged down in the red zone. The game went into the half 5-3, but Princeton then snapped a ball out of the endzone on a punt attempt to tie the score at five. A 5-5 football game?
Harvard's defense, which made big plays the entire game, capitalized on Nakielny's inability to throw the ball to set up a go-ahead score. Senior safety Jay Snowden--a quarterback last year--snagged his first career interception and returned the ball 21 yards to the Tiger 26-yard line.
"Our coaches really looked into [Princeton's] offense, and we thought saw some things we could attack in certain formations," Snowden said. "I came in from the side and I don't think the quarterback saw me. I was reading his eyes."
After Giampaolo's first 21-yard field goal gave Harvard an 8-5 lead, Princeton scored the only touchdown of the game the next possession, a 65-yard bomb to junior wide receiver Ryan Crowley. The Tigers caught the Crimson blitzing, and Crowley beat sophomore Mike Madden for the score. The extra point made it 12-8, and that's when Harvard started making the big plays down the stretch which have been previously lacking.
The mud and rain created a game which was far from artistic. Nakielny completed only 6 of 32 attempts for 100 yards, most of which came on the touchdown.
He was 1-for-14 for minus-one yard in the first half and had half of his completions on the closing drive.
Meanwhile, Harvard's offense did not score a touchdown, breaking down in the red zone several times. Sophomore running back Chris Menick contributed a gutsy performance, rushing a school-record 42 times for 125 yards, but he only averaged 1.8 yards per carry in the second half.
"I knew going into the game that I'd be running the ball a lot because the weather would be bad," Menick said. "I was prepared mentally for that. But I give a lot of credit to Princeton's defense, because the yards were a lot harder to come by than last week [34 carries for 261 yards against Holy Cross]."
Sloppiness, due in part to the weather, slowed down both teams. Each team fumbled four times. Menick lost two fumbles, and another came when the snap back to the punter hit one of the upmen. Sophomore quarterback Rich Linden threw two interceptions in Princeton territory in the second quarter to end scoring threats, the second one being a great diving catch at the goalline by Princeton safety Ryan Demler.
The futility was by no means limited to Harvard, however. Out of the six combined possessions in the third quarter, four ended in turnovers and one in the second safety.
The difference in the game was that Harvard rid its system of turnovers before the fourth quarter, while Princeton made mistakes at crucial points of the game.
"A day like today, it's turnovers," Princeton Coach Steve Tosches said. "Turnovers, turnovers. Obviously, the weather had a factor."
The win sets up a huge matchup next week as Harvard visits Dartmouth in a matchup of the only two undefeated teams in Ivy league play.