The 23-10 lead was not enough to keep the Big Red from staging its second dazzling comeback in two weeks. Last week, Cornell, which remains the only undefeated Ivy League team, trailed Brown by the score of 28-7 in the third quarter but ran up 26 consecutive points to snatch victory away from Brown, 33-28.

"We were nervous, we were jittery, and we were out of sync," said Cornell Coach Pete Mangurian. "We hung in there and finally got it done in the end. We feel tremendous about the outcome, and I'm so proud of this football team. It's not a fluke when you [stage a comeback] two weeks in a row."

Early in the first quarter, Harvard gained a quick 3-0 lead on a 20-yard Giampaolo field goal, but Cornell soon answered with a 23-yard field goal by McCombs.

With 1:57 left in the first quarter, Cornell's special teams unit then put on a clinic for its Harvard counterpart. Giampaolo kicked a 35-yard punt to the Cornell 27, and Vincent Bates then returned the punt 73 yards down the right sideline for a brilliant touchdown and 10-3 first quarter lead.

Harvard tied the game 10-10 early in the second quarter in a touchdown drive that spotlighted the dazzling moves of the 5'5 Nwokocha, who carried the ball five times for 28 yards during the series. At the Cornell 25, Wilford completed two consecutive passes to sophomore flanker Andy Fried to move the ball to the 11. Nwokocha got a good kickout block from the fullback then outran the defense wide to the right for the score.

Harvard's second touchdown came early in the third quarter. In another example of the Crimson defense creating scoring opportunities for the Harvard offense, Kacyvenski intercepted a wayward Rahne pass at the Cornell 38 and then ran to the Cornell 22.

Menick exploded with three consecutive carries for 19 yards to put the ball at the Cornell 3. Wilford then rushed left on an option keeper to score for the Crimson, with Giampaolo's extra point giving Harvard a quick 17-10 lead with 9:42 remaining in the third quarter.

"At times, the special teams played really well, and at times, the offense played really well, and at times, the defense seemed like it was in complete control," Murphy said. "But on the whole, there were lapses in all three areas [Saturday], even though there were some very positive things."