Harvard would not cross back over. With less than 10 seconds left, linebacker Dylan Otolski picked off a desperation pass from Smith, wrapping up the ballgame for the Big Red.

Though Cornell scored only seven points in the first half, it ran wild on the Crimson’s defense. Defensive line mainstays DJ Bailey and Stone Hart did not make the trip to Ithaca, and their absence showed. The Big Red racked up 118 rushing yards in the first half alone, more than the Ithaca, N.Y., program had posted against Harvard in an entire game since 2005.

“When a team is running the ball at you every single play, most of the time, we’ve always been able to stop the run,” senior safety Tanner Lee said. “They did a great job today running it right at us and being consistent and running straight downhill. We have to make sure that we come out next week and fix that because I’m sure other teams will do that down the stretch.”

Harvard’s main offensive weapon in the first two quarters was the deep attack to halfbacks and tight ends.

With just over nine minutes gone in the first period, sophomore running back Lavance Northington punched into the end zone to give the Crimson a 7-0 lead. Northington’s scoring chance was facilitated by a 34-yard connection from Smith to rookie halfback Ryan Reagan.

Later, Smith tossed his first touchdown of the day to senior tight end Jake Barann. After taking Harvard downfield with nine- and 10-yards runs, Smith found a wide-open Barann on a post route. Barann trotted into the end zone for his second career touchdown, staking the Crimson to a 14-0 advantage.

In the second half, however, Harvard’s offense completely stalled. Smith finished the half with three-for-seven throwing, and the Cornell defense saddled him with -40 yards rushing in the final two quarters.

This was the first game in which Smith took every snap under center. Fifth-year senior Joe Viviano remained on the sideline throughout the contest after serving as the backup in previous weeks. Though Smith threw for 161 yards and a touchdown, he also fumbled once, conceded one interception, and was sacked five times.

“[Our offensive approach] didn’t really change very much,” Murphy said. “We didn’t do a particularly good job balancing our offense. I thought Jake did a great job throwing the football. In tight spaces, our guys made some really good plays. But we never really, consistently drove the football.”

The Big Red’s quarterback share, on the other hand, worked out well. Starter Banks led several long drives downfield with accurate passing—he was 11-of-14 for 117 yards—and Jatis served as the red-zone specialist, hammering his way into the end zone for both of Cornell’s touchdowns.

—Staff writer Jack Stockless can be reached at jack.stockless@thecrimson.com.