The officials then called the Crimson for excessive celebration after players rushed the field when they saw the scoreboard clock expire. According to the officials, time had not expired and they penalized Harvard 15 yards and put two seconds back on the clock.

After Giampaolo made the 35-yard extra point, Harvard covered Princeton's kickoff return to close out the game.

All of this drama never would have come about, however, if Princeton hadn't tied the score on its last drive of the game with a 52-yard Northrop field goal.

Sophomore quarterback Tommy Crenshaw passed to senior wide receiver Phil Wendler for 14 yards on the first play of the drive, sparking fears of yet another comeback through the air against Harvard.

After freshman running back Cameron Atkinson ran for one yard and Crenshaw threw an incomplete pass, Princeton threw incomplete again on third-and-9. However, a pass interference call on sophomore corner Willie Alford kept the drive alive and put the ball at the Crimson 39-yard line.

Crenshaw then scrambled for four yards on the ensuing play, but two incompletions stalled Princeton at the Harvard 35-yard line.

Northrop came in and nailed the 52-yarder with the strong wind behind him.

Despite the scoring at the end of the game, both offenses were stymied for most of the contest by the good defensive play of both sides.