ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Pizzotti Leads Harvard to Comeback Win

Coming into last Friday’s game, a lot of attention had been focused on fifth-year senior Chris Pizzotti.
After an extremely successful campaign last season, earning All-Ivy first team honors, Pizzotti entered the game ranked 12th in the nation at the quarterback position by The Sports Network and with an undefeated record in games in which he both started and finished.
Holy Cross came in with a potent offense, having posted 492 total yards of offense in the previous matchup, and it took a big effort for Harvard to match its high-scoring attack. Under the lights for the season-opener and in front of an estimated 20,462 spectators, Harvard and its star quarterback Pizzotti did not disappoint.
Ultimately, it was Pizzotti’s performance during the fourth quarter that defined him as the Ivy League offensive player of the week. Trailing 17-6 at the end of the third, the Crimson had failed to put points on the board since the end of the first frame and had yet to score a touchdown.  
Thanks to a forced fumble by senior linebacker Eric Schultz, Harvard gained control early in the fourth. In no time, Pizzotti connected with sophomore wide receiver Marco Ianuzzi for a 68-yard bomb downfield for a touchdown.
“There’s no question it changed the whole complexion of the game, gave us momentum, gave us energy, and from there on in we just played inspired football,” Harvard coach Tim Murphy said of the completion.
“[The fumble recovery was] the big turning point in the game,” Pizzotti said. “The offense needed to help out the defense, because they had been doing great all game. Without the defense, we wouldn’t have had all those chances.”
Now only a touchdown drive away from assuming the lead it held briefly in the first quarter, the Crimson seemed poised for a comeback. Instead, a fumble on the kick return gave the Crusaders the ball and set them up for a touchdown run, extending their lead to 24-12.
With 9:21 left in the fourth quarter and down 12 points, Pizzotti marched his troops down the field. After rushing the ball on four straight occasions, a pass from Pizzotti to junior wideout Matt Luft put Harvard on the 1-yard line. The 66-yard drive culminated in a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Pizzotti to bring the score to 24-19 after the extra point. A huge stop by the Harvard defense on third down foiled any further scoring attempts by the Crusaders and accomplished exactly what the Crimson needed to do: put the ball back in the hands of Pizzotti.
Just as Pizzotti led the previous drive, he led his team 60 yards down the field, keeping his cool as he scrambled under pressure, looking for his intended receivers. For the second time in two possessions, Pizzotti snuck past the Crusaders’ defensive line for his second rushing touchdown of the night, putting the Crimson on top, 25-24 with under two minutes to go. Harvard’s defense forced another turnover on downs, sealing the deal and sending Holy Cross packing.
“It was not our best game, but it was a good character win,” Pizzotti said.
“We had great character and found a way to win,” Murphy agreed.
At the end of the night, Pizzotti finished with 370 yards in the air, one touchdown pass, and two rushing touchdowns. He went 30-for-44, but what was most impressive about his performance was the level of composure he maintained in the fourth quarter. Knowing what needed to be done to get the win, Pizzotti stepped onto the field and did just that.