He wasn’t nearly precise enough. Instead of finding a maroon jersey, it was again Tracy who flew through the crowd to spear his second interception of the game. He darted through the stunned offensive linemen and down to the Leopards’ 36-yard line. The Crimson capped the ensuing drive with a field goal and a 38-23 lead that held for the remainder of the game.

“They ran the guy up the seam and I just read the quarterback’s eyes, just saw him look there the whole time and just broke on the football,” Tracy said.

The defense wasn’t perfect, yielding Lafayette, among other breakdowns, a 22-play, 78-yard drive at the end of the first half. But in the end it was Harvard who had something to show for it, as Thomas blocked Rick Ziska’s 35-yard field goal and sent the Leopards into the locker room empty-handed.

The fourth quarter wound down with Lafayette still down by 15 and grasping for a miracle. But they only got as close as Harvard 34-yard line.

This time, it was alternate quarterback Pat Davis who threw into a group of players and it was Thomas who emerged with the football. The homecoming crowds headed for the aisles, and the Crimson headed home with the win.

It wasn’t Harvard’s best performance—the defense gave up a total 399 yards of offense—but it was enough, When the situation called for it, the Crimson defense snapped to attention. And responded.

—Staff writer Lisa J. Kennelly can be reached at kennell@fas.harvard.edu.