After a sluggish beginning, the big play had transformed a 7-0 deficit into a 14-7 lead in a span of 2:44.

Harvard's offense lacked that explosiveness a year ago. The Lions steamrolled over the Crimson 24-0 in the last season's opening game. Starting quarterback Rich Linden, now a senior, threw for 60 yards that day. Wilford had gained that by the end of the first quarter.

"They really outplayed us today," Columbia Coach Ray Tellier said. "They were crisper on offense and made more plays."

In the second half, Harvard used the big play to turn a 17-7 game into a blowout. On third-and-six, Wilford dropped back to pass, and with all the receivers covered, he tucked the ball under his shoulder and took off for the first down marker.

Along the sidelines, Jones made a heads-up block on his cover man that allowed Wilford to cut back up the field for a 41-yard run to the Columbia 25.

Harvard committed a substitution infraction on the next play, setting up first-and-15 and prompting Murphy to dip into his bag of tricks.

The Crimson fooled the Lions entirely on a reverse, with Jones handing the ball to senior wideout Terence Patterson cutting from left to right. No Lion defender was within sight as Patterson turned up field.