(Thanks for being patient, now here is some actual analysis.)

Even if that call did not go Harvard’s way, I still think the Crimson would have prevailed Saturday. For a second week, the defense clamped down in the second half, and each touchdown Harvard scored in the last two quarters followed a three-and-out.

On offense, junior quarterback Scott Hosch had some backup moments in place of senior Conner Hempel. He was a bit antsy at times, but completing 70 percent of his passes, he did enough to win. I think.

If Toal’s flag stays in his pocket, Brown would have gotten the ball near midfield needing only a field goal to pull off the upset. This story might have been radically different.

The targeting call was recently introduced as the result of improved concussion research, increased emphasis on player safety, and a general growth of the game’s rulebook—the ultimate instance of the sport's grander narratives affecting play on the field.

As important as those efforts may be, it was a bummer to see the spotlight shift to the game’s stagehands in black and white.

What would have happened if the game could have finished on its own terms?

We will never know.

Boo. That’s all we can do.

—Staff writer Jacob D. H. Feldman can be reached at jacob.feldman@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @jacobfeldman4.