In Photos: The 140th Playing of The Game
By Crimson Multimedia StaffThe 140th annual football game between the Harvard Crimson and the Yale Bulldogs returned to Harvard Stadium on Saturday. The Bulldogs emerged victorious with a final score of 34-29, robbing the Crimson of its opportunity to win the Ivy League title outright. With the loss, Harvard settled for a three-way tie, forced to share the Ivy title with the Dartmouth Big Green and the Columbia Lions.
Various events building spirit were held around campus days before The Game. Left, the annual Bulldog Roast, held Thursday evening in Sanders Theatre, featured performances from student organizations including The Harvard Undergraduate Drummers and the Harvard College Stand Up Comic Society. Right, the inaugural Harvard x Yale Art Show showcased work from more than 100 visual artists. Eight musicians performed live during the show, which was held in Winthrop House Friday night.
The Dean of Students Office hosted an undergraduate tailgate at Cumnock Field prior to the game, serving up hot dogs and burgers in addition to custom merch and face painting.
Undergraduate finals clubs hosted another unofficial tailgate outside Cumnock Field. The Harvard University Police Department shut down the student-led tailgate once the game began.
The Harvard football team warms up before The Game commences. Prior to Saturday’s showdown, the Crimson held a seven-game winning streak, positioning the team to become the sole champion of the Ivy League title.
Harvard fans flooded the Stadium by the thousands, baring chests and bearing signs.
During the first half of the game, Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana is presented with a commemorative football in recognition of his decade-long tenure as dean. Khurana, the longest-serving dean of the College in more than a century, will be concluding his role at the end of the academic year.
Yale junior running back Josh Pitsenberger carries the ball down the field minutes before the Bulldogs’ first touchdown, which gave them a 7-0 lead with 12:38 left in the second quarter.
Halfway through the second quarter, Harvard quarterback Jaden Craig makes a pass. Harvard struggled to move the ball down the field, punting four times in the first half.
Freshman kicker Kieran Corr lines up and delivers an extra point after Harvard’s first touchdown of the game, tying the score 7-7 late in the second quarter.
Harvard’s cheer team performs alongside the band, trying to rally spirits and energize the crowd in hopes of a comeback against the Bulldogs.
Junior wide receiver Cooper Barkate gets tackled after catching a 48-yard pass from Craig that ended the third quarter. The pass provided the Crimson with much needed forward momentum as they went into the last quarter of the game with a 21-point deficit.
Harvard fans look on as the mood turns from celebratory and hopeful to frustrated and disappointed.
Senior defensive lineman Brandon Svets holds back a Yale player as Harvard attempts to stage a comeback late in the game.
With less than six minutes left in the game, Craig is sacked for an eight-yard loss. Left, Harvard football’s Head Coach Andrew Aurich watches on. Harvard had just brought the score to 31-23, making it a one-possession game.
Yale fans leap from the stands and storm the field at Harvard Stadium after the Bulldogs' 34-29 victory. Many fans helped each other down before rushing to celebrate with the team.
The field becomes a flood of blue as Yale fans celebrate their victory. The Bulldogs’ win secures Yale’s third consecutive triumph over Harvard, concluding yet another chapter in the schools’ historic rivalry.