NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The No. 25/24 Yale Bulldogs are Ivy League Football Champions. Trailing by as many as 19 and 17 in the fourth quarter, the Elis completed the improbable comeback with two touchdowns in the final 90 seconds to force overtime before winning in double OT, 50-43, in the 136
th edition of The Game vs. Harvard.
It was senior quarterback
Kurt Rawlings, who set a career high with 417 passing yards and 479 yards of total offense, who threw both touchdown passes in the final 88 seconds of regulation to clinch a share of the Ivy League title.
Not only the Bulldogs have to rally past a game Harvard squad but also an hour delay due to an on-field protest out of halftime and darkness setting in on the stadium-lightless, 105-year-old Yale Bowl, as the contest finshed after sunset.
Yale trailed 15-3 at the half, 22-13 in the third quarter and 36-19 in the fourth, but would not be refused their second Ivy Championship in three years, marking the first time since 1981 the Bulldogs have done so.
"Every player on this team has complete faith in every other guy and that's what showed today," said head coach eight-year
Tony Reno. "This is incredible to be a part. I have been fortunate and blessed to have some many opportunities with these players and to be a part of Team 147."
The 147
th iteration of Yale Football ends its season as champs and on a six-game winning streak in which they hit 50 points in the final three games and at least 45 in the last five.
The prolific offense was led by three of the greatest players in Yale history as Rawlings now owns every passing record in Eli history and wide receivers
Reed Klubnik and
JP Shohfi finished first and second in all-time in receiving yards, respectively.
Rawlings finished the day with three passing touchdowns as he completed 33-of-53 passes and added 62 yards on the ground and a rushing score.
Shohfi pulled down a game-high 10 balls for 103 yards and a touchdown while Klubnik had nine catches for a game-high 141 receiving yards.
The Bulldogs were selected No. 1 in the Ivy League preseason poll and finish season 147 of Yale football as Ivy League Champions.
