“We were really up for this game,” Rose said. “Between having lost the last three years to Yale, trying to win an Ivy League Championship outright and keeping our record unblemished, that’s just about all the motivation we needed as seniors.”

Harvard’s final statistics were typical of the season on the whole.

Rose, who is officially returning for a fifth season next year, threw for 277 yards and four touchdowns. Rose broke Harvard’s all-time career marks in both touchdowns thrown and overall passing yardage in The Game. His 4,511 yards break the former record of Tom Yohe ’88 by 104 yards. Rose’s 33 touchdown passes break Yohe’s mark of 30.

When push came to shove in the red zone Saturday, Rose turned to his usual favorite target, Morris. The junior receiver, who last week became Harvard’s career leader in receptions with 155, caught two touchdowns Saturday.

“I love playing with these guys and am so happy that I have the opportunity to come back next season, so we can all try to do it again,” Rose said.

With junior Nick Palazzo out with an ankle injury, senior tailback Josh Staph picked up the slack, rushing for 100 yards. Rose also ran for 71 yards on 14 attempts as Harvard proved why it was the leading rushing team in the Ivy League all season.

Harvard scored first in The Game Saturday on a three-yard sliding catch by Morris.

On the ensuing extra-point, senior Sam Taylor picked up a low, bouncing snap and looked toward the end zone. He then heaved the ball into a swarm of four Yale defenders and one Harvard defensive end. Senior Marc Laborsky, having lined up as a tight end on the play, used his 6’4, 250 lb. frame to box out the defense. He came down with the ball, giving Harvard an 8-0 lead.

Yale responded to Morris’ touchdown by droving 67 yards, keyed by a 46-yard scamper through the gut of the Crimson defense by Hyland. The Yale quarterback eventually found Collins for a five-yard touchdown.

Yale had a chance to seize the lead late in the first quarter when senior safety Ryan LoProto intercepted Rose at the Bulldogs’ 44-yard line. Hyland’s effective rushing from the quarterback position set the Elis up for a 26-yard field goal attempt. But senior placekicker Justin Davis failed to deliver, missing wide right as Harvard maintained its one-point advantage.

Despite having only made seven catches all year prior to The Game, Harvard sophomore tight end Matt Fratto caught two touchdown passes from Rose. Fratto, who gained more and more playing time as the year progressed, caught a two-yard pass that put Harvard on top 15-7 with 12:46 in the second quarter. He then scored again with 2:22 remaining in the first half on a 21-yard strike from Rose, extending Harvard’s lead to 22-7.

In between Fratto’s two scores, Yale tried The Game’s first fake punt from Harvard’s 43-yard line. Sophomore holder Alvin Cowan hoped to catch Harvard’s special teams off guard, throwing to Yale senior wide receiver Billy Brown. Harvard senior cornerback Willie Alford was in excellent position, batting away Cowan’s pass and giving possession back to the Crimson.

On Harvard’s first play from scrimmage after Alford’s defensive hold, Rose was intercepted by Yale free safety Barton Simmons. It was just another twist in a back-and-forth game, because when Yale’s offense stalled, Davis’ 42-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Balestracci at the line of scrimmage. Harvard had dodged another bullet.

“The key to the game, all day, was Harvard’s ability to respond,” Yale Coach Jack Siedlecki said. “They answered us every time with big plays, and they deserve all the credit for that.”

Yale scored just before halftime, kicking a 20-yard field goal as time expired in the first half. But even that was a moral victory for Harvard.