But the kind of rush Dulsky put on Saturday was most unfriendly.

"Kevin Dulsky is a great leader," Ryan said, "and he was the guy on their side of the ball who did the job."

Dulsky may have won the battle of the captains--leading Harvard to its second-straight Game victory--but afterward he spoke highly, almost reverently, about his counterpart.

"He's a great quarterback," Dulsky said. "He's a smart quarterback, too, which makes it hard to catch him."

Ryan had a chance to win the game with a minute and-a-half left. Harvard had just been stopped on fourth and three from the four yard-line and the Elis took over deep in their own territory. Ninety-eight yards to the endzone. Less than two minutes. Impossible.

"With Kelly, as long as there's some time on the clock, there's a chance," Yale Coach Carm Cozza said.

Ryan had done it before. On the last play of a game against Penn three weeks ago, he threw a 40-yd. touchdown past to lift the Elis to victory. This time, there was more time but also more space to cover.

Ryan completed two of his next four passes to bring the Elis to their 37 yard-line. But Troy Jenkins fumbled on a pitch out on first and 10 and Yale was sunk.

Ryan had no more time. No More room.

"I'm going to remember this game," Ryan said, "but more importantly I'm going to remember the four years I had at Yale. I feel a little down. It was a tough game and we lost. But when I look at the whole picture, playing football at Yale has been a gift. I've treasured it."

His resume is as long as his longest touchdown pass. Long, but not as long as it could have been. For Kelly Ryan, not long enough.