Then, with a 40-yard field goal for the win as time expired, Giampaolo kicked the ball low, and Splendorio knocked it down. Giampaolo had just made a 39-yarder, but his attempt never had a chance, partly because of a low snap.

But it's mostly the defense's fault, especially since there are eight seniors starting on the unit. It's the most talented and, theoretically at least, the most dependable part of the team. There's no reason why the defense should play well for so long then be unable to finish the game off.

Murphy and Kacyvenski were unable to explain the problem in the postgame press conference. In fact, both seemed shell-shocked.

They had to revert to the standard excuse, which is that the other team made plays and they didn't. That excuse only works once, however, and Harvard used up its quota a week before.

That leaves a couple of different excuses to address. Both Murphy and Kacyvenski claimed that Rahne simply made great passes, that people weren't that open. Nevertheless, Harvard's scheme has to come into question because on some occasions there were huge gaps in the zone, and Rahne was able to pick the defense apart. Harvard also didn't put much pressure on Rahne in the final drives, which is puzzling because the Crimson's defensive line played well leading up to the last two series.

Murphy also has to wonder about whether his defense has a killer instinct. This year's seniors were on the '97 championship team that gave up only 12.3 points per game and didn't allow a rushing touchdown in league play. But they were sophomores then, following the lead of an extremely talented senior class. Now, they have the responsibility for closing out games, and they're finding it isn't as easy as it used to be.

Harvard needs to find the solution soon. Even in its 25-17 Week Two win at Holy Cross, the Crusaders drove 63 yards before a Harvard sack pushed them back to the Crimson's 16. On fourth-and-goal, the Holy Cross receiver made an acrobatic catch but was ruled out of bounds, so Harvard has struggled in two-minute situations three weeks in a row.

If football games were a little shorter, Harvard would be 4-0. Game length isn't one of the rule changes under consideration, however, so if the Crimson wants to keep its now-wounded Ivy hopes alive, it had better learn to play the last three minutes the way it plays the first 57. It's not too late, but Harvard's running out of time. And as the past two weeks have shown, that's when it's had the most trouble of all.