Bulldogs bounce back late

When Columbia took a 22-10 lead over Yale with 8:32 left in the fourth quarter, it probably felt pretty comfortable with its lead.

The Bulldogs had only scored 17 points in the previous 10-plus quarters, and their defense had already given up 22 points, the highest total they had allowed in an Ivy game this season.

But then Yale found its offensive stride. Keyed by turnovers on the last three Columbia drives, the Bulldogs finished off an improbable comeback with 58 seconds to play when senior tight end A.J. Haase hauled in a 10-yard touchdown strike, pushing the score to 23-22 Yale.

“That was probably the craziest game I’ve ever been a part of,” senior John Sheffield told Yale Athletics. “We just wouldn’t be denied, regardless of what happened.”

Yale (4-3, 2-2 Ivy) had cut the lead down to 22-17 when Alex Thomas ran for a touchdown with 6:05 left.

But on the very next drive Leon Ivery ran for 75 yards, and only an Adam Money tackle on the two-yard line prevented the Lions (2-5, 1-3) from scoring. Then senior linebacker Paul Rice forced a fumble on the next play and outside linebacker Sean Williams recovered at the Yale five-yard line, ruining the Lions’ chances at putting away the game for good.

“That saved the game,” Rice said of Money’s play. “It was a great hustle play.”

Princeton 17 Cornell 13

Princeton didn’t have much to be proud of this year. But that changed after Saturday’s victory — thanks to a Peacock.

Trailing 13-10 with six and a half minutes to go, the Tigers were on third and eight from their own 22. They got the big play that they needed from senior receiver Trey Peacock, who made an over-the-shoulder catch to take the ball 78 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. The Tigers would hold on, winning 17-13 for their first Ivy win of the year.

“When I got back to the sidelines, the guys told me that if I didn’t score on the play, they wouldn’t have talked to me for a week,” Peacock told Princeton Athletics.

The game marked the 13th time out of the last 15 matchups between the two that the game was decided by a touchdown or less. Cornell (2-5, 1-3) has now lost its last five, while Princeton (2-5, 1-3) snapped its own four-game losing streak.

Harvard 42 D’mouth 21

Harvard came into its home matchup with Dartmouth leading the Ivy League in rushing yards. Dartmouth entered last in the conference in rushing yards allowed.

So it was pretty obvious what the Crimson’s gameplan was going to be Saturday.

The Crimson totaled 315 yards on the ground as they ran all over the Big Green, winning 42-21 over their New Hampshire opponents. With the win — the Crimson’s 12th out of the last 13 against Dartmouth — Harvard (5-2, 4-0) is now just three games away from a perfect Ivy season.

Despite missing running back Cheng Ho due to injury, the Harvard running game had two 100-yard rushers: Gino Gordon (119 yards) and Treavor Scales (120). It was the first time in 10 years that Harvard had two backs hit the century mark.

Gordon had a great game overall, totalling 222 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns. Ten of his 12 touches resulted in either a first down or a touchdown.

The Big Green (1-6, 1-3) lost their own standout runner, Nick Schwieger, at the start of the second half due to a broken hand.

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