Brown gets past Harvard, ending its 12-game losing streak

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Jake Willcox and Mark Mahoney scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the last with 21 seconds left for Brown’s first lead of the game, and the Bears rallied to beat Harvard 31-28 on Saturday and to snap a 12-game losing streak in the series.

Brown’s last win in this series came in the first-ever night game at Brown Stadium in 2010.

Trailing 28-23, Brown forced a punt near midfield with 2:32 left in the fourth, but turned it over on downs deep in his own territory. Harvard worked down the clock before attempting a field goal with less than a minute left. Harvard’s first field goal attempt of the season ended with a high snap that Brown picked up and returned to the Crimsons’ 27-yard line with 28 seconds left.

Mahoney made a juggling catch in the corner of the end zone with 21 seconds left to give Brown a 29-28 lead. Mahoney also outran a defender and scored the 2-pointer for a three-point lead.

Harvard almost reached midfield before a lateral attempt to end the game was abandoned as many students in the stands stormed the field.

Willcox was 21 of 37 for 288 yards and three touchdowns for Brown (2-0).

Jaden Craig passed for 178 yards for Harvard (1-1), with two touchdowns going to Cooper Barkate.

With six minutes left in the fourth quarter, the officials examined a possible play. It appeared a Brown receiver fielded a long pass from Willcox in the end zone, but a Harvard cornerback got his hands on the ball and knocked it out. Officials confirmed the on-field call of an incomplete pass. The Bears continued their drive and scored on Mahoney’s 9-yard catch in the middle of the end zone.

The Bears went for a 2-point conversion to get within 28-25 with 5:07 left. Qwentin Brown caught the ball in the short corner of the end zone before it was knocked out of a receiver’s hands again. After further review, the officials stuck with the call for an incomplete pass on the field to keep Harvard’s lead at five points.