NEW YORK--Harvard Coach Tim Murphy didn't look like the winning coach as he shuffled into the press room after the Crimson's 37-30 win at Fordham on Saturday. In a way, he wasn't, although his team ran out of time before it could blow all of a 31-point halftime lead.

If there were style points for football, Harvard (3-2, 1-1 Ivy) would have gotten a 10 out of 10 based on the first half, even from the always-stingy East German judge. The second half was far lower in technical and artistic merit--about a zero on both scales.

The result was a victory that felt like a defeat. Every game is taxing on a head coach, but winning coaches have a certain glow. Murphy had the harried look of a losing coach, a seemingly remote possibility since the Crimson was a heavy favorite over the hapless Rams.

Maybe it was too easy in the first half, as Harvard exploded to an "insurmountable" 34-3 halftime lead. On its first possession, the offense threw on the first four plays, with senior quarterback Brad Wilford completing three attempts for 24 yards. He just overthrew a sure touchdown to sophomore Andy Fried, who caught a 21-yard pass three plays later for Harvard's first quarterback-wide receiver touchdown throw-and-catch since 1997.

That score came 4:56 into the first quarter and was followed 1:11 later by senior Terence Patterson's 55-yard punt return for a touchdown. Wilford then bulldozed his way for a 19-yard touchdown run 3:48 later for a commanding 21-0 lead. Menick was untouched on a four-yard touchdown run, and Patterson caught a five-yard touchdown with 31 seconds left in the half.

Harvard was clicking on all cylinders as its offensive line dominated a much smaller Rams front four. It was throwing and running with ease, had scored on special teams and held Fordham (0-6) to only a field goal.

Fordham's defense tackled like nervous kids wearing glasses and looked several steps slower than Harvard's skill position players. Then all hell broke loose.

The Crimson gave back almost all of its lead, beginning with the first offensive play of the second half. Senior running back Chris Menick, who had 101 first-half rushing yards but only 38 in the second half, fumbled on his 20. Fordham recovered and scored to close to 34-10.