But hanging in there, sticking with it like Fitzpatrick has, continues to earn him respect in this game.

Respect from opponents, such as Lehigh senior cornerback Ken Pitter, who spoke highly of Fitzpatrick’s play after the game.

Respect from coaches, such as Lehigh’s Pete Lembo, who called Fitzpatrick one of the best quarterbacks he’ll face all year—high praise from a man whose team is probably headed to the Division I-AA playoffs.

And respect, most importantly, from his teammates.

“We were behind him out there,” Morris said, when asked what the mood in the huddle was as Fitzpatrick tried to rally the Crimson in the final minute. “No one was down.”

Fitzpatrick will go about his business of leading the team for as long as Rose remains out. He’ll make intelligent passes, build confidence with each snap and bring some different skills to the table, including his knack for scramblin—something that has already driven a few defenses bonkers.

On Saturday, though, Lehigh was able to make just a couple more big plays than the Crimson. The Streak, which had come to define Harvard football for the past year, met its unfortunate demise somewhere in the rolling hills of Eastern Pennsylvania.

The Season, though, is very much alive. Harvard can thank the young gentleman under center for that.

—Staff writer Jon P. Morosi can be reached at morosi@fas.harvard.edu.