A Year Of Streaks

If only the Ivy League football season was 13 weeks long. Because if the Crimson (4-2 Ivy League, 4-5 overall) had a few more games on its schedule, it could have made a serious run at the Ivy title. After dropping its first four out of five games, the Crimson has rebounded by winning its last three out of four. A victory in The Game would make Harvard's resurgence even sweeter.

Here's a game-by-game review of the 1989 Crimson season:

September 16: When Harvard starts losing to Columbia, it's time to worry. Fortunately for the Crimson, those worries will have to wait another year.

For the 11th consecutive year, Harvard opens the season against the Lions with a victory.

Playing at a mud-soaked Lawrence A. Wein Stadium in Manhattan, the Crimson defeats Columbia, 26-10. Running back Jim Reidy collects a career-high 139 yards on 19 carries. Quarterback Tim Perry completes 10 of 14 passes for 135 yards. The Multiflex is rolling. Coach Joe Restic is happy, but concerned, especially about the seven fumbles Harvard commits.

September 23: In its first home game of the season, the Crimson surprises Holy Cross by taking a 17-10 lead in the third quarter.

But the signs of disaster are there: Reidy is hurt, and the Crimson lose the ball on two key drives deep in Crusader territory.

Holy Cross, led by fullback Joe Segreti's 171 yards, reels off 21 unanswered points and captures the game.

After the game, Restic is worried about team depth and injuries. Especially when his squad must face Army on artificial turf the next week.

September 30: Harvard takes a quick 14-0 lead, and the Cadets are stunned.

The Army wishbone offense, however, wears out the tired Crimson defense to score seven straight touchdowns for a 49-14 lead. The Cadets eventually win, 56-28. Harvard has not given up this many points in 29 seasons.

Yet Perry shows flashes of brilliance, as the Crimson has to depend on the pass. The senior throws for 311 yards and three touchdowns.

Restic's fears come true. Defensive sparkplug Bobby Frame is hurt, as are running backs Silas Myers and David Haller.

October 7: Quicker than you can say, "Welcome to Harvard Stadium," the visiting Lehigh Engineers score 28 unanswered points in the first nine minutes of the game. Lehigh quarter-back Todd Brunner is unconscious, tossing four touchdown passes.

Harvard rallies back to close within a touchdown, 28-21. But the Engineers are too tough and capture a 50-28 victory. Lehigh finishes the day with 671 yards of total offense. It marks the first time the Crimson has given up 40-plus points in consecutive games.

Let's return to the Ivy schedule now. At least Harvard is still in first place.

October 14: Okay, let's not return to Ivy play.

In front of a capacity Homecoming crowd in Ithaca, N.Y., Cornell plays a flawless game, blanking the Crimson, 28-0.

Harvard collects only 193 yards of total offense. Perry is picked off four times.

Cornell's All-America linebacker, Mitch Lee, plays like Dick Butkus. Big Red running back John McNiff (130 yards, two touchdowns) thinks he's Walter Payton. The Crimson just think of going back home.

October 21: Not the highest-scoring game of the century, but perhaps the most emotional league game for the Crimson this season.

With rival Dartmouth in town for Head of the Charles weekend, the Crimson edge out the Green, 6-5, on Brian Kotz's last-minute field goal.

But the game's highlight is a four-play, goal-line stand by the Crimson that thwarts a Big Green touchdown threat.

October 28: Final Score: Judd Garrett 28, Harvard 14.

Garrett's two-touchdown, 148-yd. performance and 70-yd. scoring strike to Scott Gibbs on Princeton's first play from scrimmage propel the Tigers to victory at the Stadium.

Harvard almost makes it close late in the first half, but Myers' fumble near the goal line ends any thoughts for a Harvard comeback.

November 4: Restic captures his 100th career win as Harvard defeats Brown, 27-14, in Providence, R.I.

Perry and Mark Bianchi lead the Crimson offense. The quarterback rushes for 68 yards and frustrates the Brown defense. The senior wide receiver adds 42 yards on the ground, including a 19-yd. touchdown on a reverse.

The Crimson secondary, led by safety Jim Smith, shuts down the Bruin offense at a crucial time in the fourth quarter.

November 11: The Harvard resurgence continues with a 24-15 victory over Penn at the Stadium. With the victory, the Crimson clinches third place in the Ivy standings.

The Harvard offense, led by Reidy's 118 yards and two touchdowns, churns out 348 rushing yards. Perry has to throw only seven passes. The Quakers quake.

Only The Game remains.