After One Quarter, It's 10-0

Harvard and Penn, sitting together stop the Ivy League standings, square off on Philadelphia's Franklin Field Saturday to decide Ivy League supremacy.

Sound familiar? This weekend's crucial matchup has a precedent--the controversial 1982 contest between the Crimson and the Quakers. And the outcome was something to remember.

This week, The Crimson takes a look back at that memorable game.

The First Quarter

The Cantabridgians won the coin toss, electing to receive the kickoff from Quaker placekicker Dave Shulman. Shulman promptly booted the pigskin deep into the Harvard endzone, and quarterback Don Allard & Co. took over on their own 20.

The Crimson effortlessly grinded out 22 yards to their own 42. Allard then threw an incomplete pass to set up a second and five situation.

Allard handed to wingback Steve Ernst, who took off up the middle for what looked like a big gainer. When he got to his own 48, however, the ball was knocked loose by a Penn defender.

Quaker safety Ross Armstrong picked the ball off in midair, returning it to the Harvard 38.

It locked as though Penn might follow Harvard's example when fullback Steve Rubin fumbled on the first play from scrimmage A Quaker tackle recovered, however, and Penn had a second chance.

Quarterback Gary Vura handed off for a two-yard gain on the next play. On third and nine he dropped back and fired a strike to tight end Jeff Shultie for a 12-yard pickup and a first down on the Harvard 25.

Rushes by Penn backs Steve Flacco and Chuck Nolan brought the ball to within 10 yards of the Crimson end zone Two plays later they had cut that distance in half, with a third and goal from the five.

Vura fired a pass to Shultie in the right corner of the end zone. Three Harvard defensive backs nixed that attempt, however, collectively knocking the ball to the turf and forcing Penn to attempt a field goal.

Following a delay of game penalty, Shulman split the uprights with a 27-yard field goal to give the Quakers a three-point edge.

Harvard netted just three yards on three plays in its next possession, and an uncharacteristically poor Jim Villanueva punt gave Penn the ball on its own 46.

The Crimson defense buckled down on the Pennsylvanians, forcing them into a fourth and five situation. But when Harvard jumped off sides on the ensuing punt, Penn had a first down 45 yards from paydirt.

Vura took over, running and passing the Quakers down to the Harvard nine-yard line in six plays. On third and goal from the nine, Vura found split end John Vaturia wide open in the end zone and deposited the ball between his numbers.

Shulman added the extra point, and Penn led 10-0 with 2:24 left in the first quarter.

The Crimson took over again from its own 21 Frnst and Mike Granger put together a string of successful rushes to get the ball to midfield as time ran out in the first quarter.

Three periods of play were left in perhaps the most controversial game a Harvard history And the best was yet to come.

Tomorrow: The Second Quarter