NOTEBOOK: Turnovers Make Difference in Contest

PHILADELPHIA–With 11 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the glaring sun disappeared behind the west stadium wall of Franklin Field. Chances had set on a Crimson victory, though, well before the final quarter.

With Harvard and Penn nearly matched in time of possession (28:53 to 31:07), average yards gained per play (4.7 to 4.8) and Harvard exceeding Penn in net yardage by a count of 410 to 278, Crimson turnovers proved critical to deciding the ultimately lopsided 34-14 Quaker victory.

Junior quarterback Collier Winters was the source of three of the Harvard turnovers that left the Crimson at a serious disadvantage.

One particular play call in the fourth quarter epitomized Harvard’s inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities. After pushing into Penn territory, Winters fired from the 35-yard line into double coverage, underthrowing the ball. Penn’s senior defensive back Josh Powers leapt up, nabbed Winters’ pass, and terminated the drive with a Penn touchback.

Other than the interceptions—one of which was determined by a bounce more so than Winters’ arm—Harvard’s quarterback went 21-of-44 for 219 yards and a touchdown.

On the other side of the ball, sophomore play caller Billy Ragone passed for a quiet 59 yards on 4-of-12 passing without committing a turnover.

RUNNING RIOT

Although kept at bay through most of the first half, Penn’s running game broke out as the second quarter drew to a close and continued to dominate the game in the second half.

Leading the charge was sophomore running back Brandon Colavita, who amassed 122 yards and two touchdowns. Late in the second frame, Colavita capped off a 62-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run to open up the game in Penn’s favor. Accepting the ball from Ragone at the two, the 220-lb. sophomore bolted diagonally to his left, upending a Crimson defender before tumbling into the endzone to put the Quakers up, 10-0. Colavita’s score broke the stalemate between two rigid defenses, and, moving into the second half, the running back continued to take advantage of a tiring Crimson defense.

“Our idea going into every game pretty much is to pound the ball, running it, and to wear [the defense] down,” Colavita said. “Our O-line, I think they’re the best in the league, and it’s a credit to them for sticking with a very good D-line, a very good defense.”

Penn’s dominant offensive line allowed its running game to prosper, as the Quakers netted 219 rushing yards throughout the game on a Crimson defense which yields only 100.8 yards per game.

Harvard safety and captain Collin Zych admitted the blunt but powerful technique of the Penn backs made it difficult for Harvard’s defense to control the running game.

“They played hard, they run hard, and they’re not going to sit and try to juke you,” Zych said. “As [coach Tim Murphy] said, they’re simple runners. You’ve just got to bring them down, and it comes down to tackling, and there were some plays we just didn’t tackle well.”

IN MEMORIAM

With their win over the Crimson, the Quakers are guaranteed at least a share of the Ivy League championship. Although the win represented a worthy cause for celebration, a tone of somber reverence marked the victorious home team following the game. Coaches and players alike saw the imminent Ivy League title as the culmination of a season devoted to the memory of co-captain Owen Thomas, who took his own life last spring.

Penn responded by dedicating its efforts this season to the memory of his leadership and character. According to Quaker junior linebacker Erik Rask, the team’s loss of a core defensive leader represented a source of adversity that it transformed into motivation.

“Owen’s been in everyone’s thoughts every day, every minute, every second throughout the whole year,” Rask said. “We just really wanted to do it for Owen, and this whole year, we know he’s been watching down on us. It’s just an awesome feeling to win it for him, because he’s such an awesome person and meant so much to so many guys on this team.”

—Staff writer Emmett Kistler can be reached at ekistler@fas.harvard.edu.