It took 99 years, but the rivalry between Harvard, Yale and Princeton came out of the classroom and onto the football field.
The H-Y-P trifecta, mainstays at the top of the U.S. News & World Report's academic rankings, were all 7-1 at weekend's end, marking the first time this has happened in almost a century.
But now, the order is more like Y-P-H.
The Elis have unexpectedly taken the rest of the Ivy League by storm, and remain as the only unbeaten in Ancient Eight play at 5-0. However, Yale has yet to play the Tigers or the Crimson. The Elis guarantee themselves at least a share of the title with a win in either of these games.
While No. 21 Princeton has already defeated No. 17 Harvard, the Tigers lost their chance to win out in the Ivies when they were upset by Cornell last week.
Although the Crimson entered the season as the favorite to win the league, its chances at an outright championship are slim - it would need wins against Penn and Yale in its final two games, and for Princeton to beat the Elis and lose to Dartmouth.
If Princeton falls to Yale next week, it loses any chance of a share of the title, but could win outright if it wins its final two games and Yale loses its final two games and Harvard falls to Penn.
But no matter what happens, a top-three academic university is assured the Ivy title.
Abare essential
If ever there was a game-saving individual performance by a defender, Yale linebacker Bobby Abare had it on Saturday.
In the Elis' 27-24 win over Brown, the sophomore had three interceptions, returning one for a touchdown in the first quarter, his second score of the season. Abare now has four picks on the year.
Abare, who tallied seven tackles in addition to his three picks, was rewarded for his efforts with an Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week award.
Take it off the board
Apparently, even Columbia isn't above refusing free points.
After a 40-yard field goal by Jon Rocholl in the fourth quarter, the Lions had apparently crept a
little bit closer to Harvard. But the Crimson was called for a personal foul on the play, and coach Norries Wilson elected to accept the penalty and go for a touchdown.
However, Columbia stalled and Rocholl couldn't connect on a 31-yarder, assuring Harvard of a win.
"I took the points off the board," Wilson told The Columbia Daily Spectator, "and I knew better than that."
Harvard record watch
Running back Clifton Dawson may need another week to break the Ivy mark for career rushing yards, but that doesn't mean the Crimson went without breaking a record this week.
Junior kicker Matt Schindel connected on a 36-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, the 28th of his career, good for best in school history.
Dawson, meanwhile, could only rush for 120 yards against lowly Columbia, leaving him 53 yards short of the record.
Barring an injury to Dawson or an out-of-this-world performance by Penn's front seven, he will likely reach the mark when the Crimson comes to Franklin Field this weekend.
