Yes, this team was, in certain ways, more talented than last year’s Ivy champion squad. Yes, Harvard set the modern-era Ivy League points record. And yes, it was second best in the conference in points per game allowed. Despite boasting the best offense by a whopping 12.8 points per game and the second-rated defense, Harvard still lost two of seven conference games and, in the process, the Ivy League title.

Following the loss to Penn, the Ivy title that seemed like such a lock just a few weeks ago was no longer in the Crimson’s control.

“We had a task at hand today,” Scales said after the game. “We were locked in on that. And we completed our task, and that’s all we were really concerned about.”

But despite the lack of hardware, Harvard coach Tim Murphy was satisfied with the performance on Saturday.

“I’m really proud of these kids,” Murphy said. “We’re one play away in the Princeton game about 10 different times…from being back-to-back Ivy champions. But you know what? I wouldn’t be any happier. I wouldn’t be any prouder of our kids.”

—Staff writer Robert S. Samuels can be reached at robertsamuels@college.harvard.edu.

—Follow him at @bobbysamuels.