Despite four turnovers, it went into halftime tied 3-3, thanks to its tenacious defense. In fact, 5:30 into the third quarter, it was up 10-3 thanks to an equally tenacious 11-yard touchdown run by senior Chris Menick.

Brown tied the game two possessions later then went ahead when Justice, a relatively unknown substitute, returned an interception 44 yards to the Harvard 18 to set up the winning touchdown with 12:23 left in the game. It was Wilford's third interception, and it came on third-and-30, when Murphy figured an interception would equal a punt.

Justice's return made a normally safe gamble a loser. Later, senior Mike Giampaolo missed a 37-yarder with the wind at his back. After senior end Mike Sands sacked Brown quarterback James Perry on third-and-8, the officials called senior end Brian Howard for a borderline late-hit personal foul that extended the drive by another minute.

Wilford's fourth interception, a foolish pass he threw late while rolling right and under pressure, killed a drive that had gotten to the Brown 40, and Harvard's Ivy hopes are now gasping for breath, if not dead.

Last year's Crimson team wasn't good enough to repeat the '97 team's success (9-1, 7-0). This year's team was good enough to come close, but unlike in '97, it wasn't a team of destiny. In Harvard's 14-12 '97 win against Princeton, Giampaolo hit a then-career long 43-yarder, and another kick went through despite being tipped as Harvard rallied from a 12-8 deficit. There was no similar sign of otherworldly blessing on this team, however.

Murphy has said repeatedly that the talent level in the Ivy League is close. This year proves him right, since four teams were tied for the league lead at 3-1 entering this past weekend. Little things in individual Ivy games determine the champion, and despite a truly great effort, it looks like this isn't Harvard's year.

I only wish it weren't Brown's, either.