Pizzotti had three of his career-high four touchdown passes in the first half to lead the Crimson (8-2, 7-0) to their 12th conference title with 37-6 win over archrival Yale. Harvard shredded the league's top defense to spoil Yale's bid for a perfect season.

The Bulldogs (9-1, 6-1) were looking for their first undefeated season since 1960. Their last three tries at an unblemished record — 1968, 1974 and 1979 — were derailed by Harvard. And it was clear almost from the start this wouldn't be the Bulldogs' day either.

The Crimson hobbled Yale's ground game and pressured quarterback Matt Polhemus all afternoon. Harvard cornerback Steven Williams had two interceptions, setting a school mark for season picks with 16. Polhemus completed just 2 of 18 attempts and was sacked twice.

Yale's leading rusher Mike McLeod, who came in averaging 174 yards a game, was held to 50, ending his conference-record streak of 18 straight games with a score.

Pizzotti threw for 316 yards and his 27 attempts were also a career best. He came out throwing and the strategy paid off quickly, setting the tone for the rest of the game. He completed 3 of 4 passes in an opening 69-yard drive, hitting wide-open Matt Luft streaking into the right side of the end zone for a 40-yard score just over 1 minute into the game.

Luft and Pizzotti hooked up again for another score with 1:18 left in the first quarter. Luft managed to slip behind two Yale defenders and pulled in a 33-yard scoring pass to give Harvard a 13-0 lead. Just like that the Bulldogs' stingy defense, which had held opponents to an average of 11 points, had given up as many in the first 15 minutes as it had in the last two games.

Harvard was far from finished.

Tailback Cheng Ho capped a 60-yard drive with a 2-yard scoring run with 9:34 left in the first half. Yale's next drive sputtered and a high snap to punter Tom Mante sent him scrambling and he was tackled at the Yale 15. Pizzotti found reserve wideout Mike Cook in the end zone on the very next play and the Crimson lead ballooned to 27-0.

The one bright spot in the half for Yale came on defense. With Harvard threatening again from the Yale 1, the Bulldogs held firm as time expired and ran into the locker room pumping their fists, finally enlivening the crowd of 57,248 at the Yale Bowl.

But it wouldn't get much better for the home team. Patrick Long added a 19-yard field goal for Harvard in the third quarter and Pizzotti hit tight end Jason Miller for a 5-yard score early in the fourth quarter.