From there, two solid Palazzo runs brought Harvard to a first down on the Big Green 5-yard-line. After a false start and a stuffed option attempt, Rose found sophomore receiver Kyle Cremarosa in the middle of the field for a seven-yard gain to the 3. Rose then fooled everyone, faking to Palazzo before bootlegging out to his right for Harvard's fifth score.

The 35 points Harvard scored in the half tied a school record for most first-half points. The Crimson last scored that many first-half points a year ago, also against Dartmouth.

The only suspense of the second half was whether Harvard could post its first shutout since 1997, as most of the players on the field for both teams were backups.

Dartmouth finally scored late in the third quarter. On fourth-and-goal from the three, Smith's heave was tipped away by Butler in the endzone. Somehow, however, the ball found its way into the hands of Dartmouth receiver Matt DeLellis, who was lying on his back when he made the catch.

Harvard showed great ball control in the half, posting a 14-play, 79-yard touchdown drive to begin the half. and an eight-minute, 17-play marathon drive to run out the clock in the fourth quarter.

But by then Harvard's players were already looking forward to its final three games of the season against Columbia, Princeton, and Yale. Victories would assure the Crimson of at least a share of the Ivy League title.

"We have the iron part of our schedule ahead," Murphy said. "We've got the three best teams in the league left to play."