The seniors on the Harvard team had even more incentive to beat the Bulldogs. With a victory on Saturday, they would have become the first upperclassmen since the Class of 1931 to secure three straight victories over their archrival.

A RESCHEDULED GAME

Despite the hype placed on The Game before the assassination, the motivation to make history was not enough for Harvard to take down the Bulldogs, losing 20-6.

As The Crimson predicted, the need for a strong defense proved to be true. Following kickoff, both teams turned the ball over multiple times. Neither offense was able  to scrape together more than one touchdown apiece during the first thirty minutes.

If the first half carried concerns for Harvard, the second half of the game brought even more. Yale dominated in the last two quarters in all facets of the game. The Bulldogs achieved 13 first downs to Harvard's five, 161 rushing yards to Harvard's 22, and 13 points to Harvard's none in order to extend their lead out of the visitors’ reach.

With the loss, Princeton and Dartmouth each earned a share of the Ancient Eight crown. The Tigers and Big Green both sat on top of the standings with a 5-2 record in conference play on the year.

While Harvard played for the Ivy League title, Kennedy’s death still weighed heavily on people’s minds. Back in Cambridge, plans were already underway to name various libraries and even the city hospital after the late president. Due to the tragic circumstances in which the contest took place, The Game—synonymous with bitter rivalry and unmatched enthusiasm from fans—was in 1963 little more than just a game.

—Staff writer Matthew Q. Clarida contributed to the reporting of this story.