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Updated September 28, 2024, at 4:07 p.m.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The Brown Bears (2-0, 1-0 Ivy) stunned the Crimson (1-1, 0-1 Ivy) with less than 30 seconds on the clock in the fourth after a bad snap and a key touchdown throw from Brown quarterback Jake Wilcox led to heartbreak for Harvard.

The Bears clawed back from an 18-point deficit to defeat Harvard at home for the first time since 2010. The loss puts the Crimson’s hopes to defend its share of the Ivy League title in serious jeopardy just one game into the Ivy League season.

Harvard looked poised to clinch a crucial road victory against a pesky Brown team as the Crimson’s defense recovered possession on the Bears’ 12-yard with a 28-23 lead and under two minutes to play. But Harvard’s offense, led by junior quarterback Jaden Craig, failed to score a touchdown that would have put the game on ice and were forced to settle for a field goal attempt.

The snap, however, sailed over freshman kicker Kieran Corr’s head and was kicked around by the Bears’ special teams unit until it was finally recovered by Brown defensive back Nick Hudson at their own 40-yard line.

Wilcox needed just one attempt to find Brown wide receiver Mark Mahoney for a 27-yard touchdown pass and take the Bears’ first lead of the entire game with only 21 seconds left on the clock as the home crowd shook the stadium with delight. Wilcox immediately followed up with another successful pass to Mahoney for a two-point conversion that gave Brown a 31-28 advantage in the closing seconds of the game.

The conversion capped an explosive second half for the Bears as they outscored Harvard 14-0 in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback and hand Harvard Head Coach Andrew Aurich the first loss of his tenure.

Speaking after the game, Aurich took full responsibility for the Crimson’s collapse.

“That’s on me,” Aurich said. “I didn’t manage it well. There should never have been time at the end there for them to get the ball.”

“There’s plenty of stuff that everyone on the team is gonna have to clean up, but we should have never been in that position if I would’ve never made that in-game call,” he added.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

—Staff writer Jo Lemann can be reached at jo.lemann@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @Jo_Lemann.

—Staff writer Praveen Kumar can be reached at praveen.kumar@thecrimson.com.

—Staff writer Katharine Forst can be reached at katharine.forst@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @Forst_THC.