Harvard beat Colgate 20-17 on Saturday night thanks to a play that borrowed heavily from the NFL. With four seconds left, tight end Teigan Pelletier caught Charlie Smith’s long pass short of the end zone, got grabbed by a Colgate defender, and did exactly what Randy Moss did in 2003: he pitched the ball to a teammate who scored the touchdown.
Pelletier’s lateral went to wide receiver Nate Bailey, who sprinted to the left corner of the end zone. The play mirrored the famous moment in the first half of a game between the Denver Broncos, when Moss caught a Hail Mary from Daunte Culpepper well short of the end zone, flipped the ball over his head to Moe Williams, and let Williams race untouched into the end zone.
Pelletier’s Read
Pelletier saw the situation clearly. He had the ball, he was being held, and he was not going to get across the goal line. Instead of going down with the ball, he threw it back to Bailey.
The pitch was a quick decision. Pelletier knew he could not make it himself, and he found the player who could. He threw the ball to Bailey, who was free to score. The result was a touchdown.
The Comparison to Moss
The 2003 play is part of NFL history. Moss caught a Hail Mary from Culpepper, was unable to get into the end zone, and flipped the ball to Williams, who scored. That is the template Pelletier followed.
Pelletier’s version worked because he was in the same position: caught short, under pressure, no chance to score on his own. The lateral was the solution. He saw the situation, recognised the problem, and found the solution. He did not try to force a play he could not make.
The Game-Winning Touchdown
The touchdown came with four seconds left. It gave Harvard the lead.
It was a dramatic finish to a game that ended with a win for the Crimson. The win also sets up a push for the FCS playoffs.
What the Win Means
The victory moved Harvard to 3-0 on the season. Colgate fell to 4-2. The win also sets up a push for the FCS playoffs.
Harvard is trying to return to the postseason for a second straight season. The Ivy League rescinded its postseason ban ahead of the 2025 season, which opened the door for the Crimson to compete again.
Last year, Harvard made the playoffs despite losing its season finale to Yale. They were eliminated in the first round by Villanova, who beat them 52-7.
The Playoff Push
Getting back to the FCS playoffs is the goal. The win over Colgate keeps Harvard in contention for that spot.
The path is not easy. Last year’s loss to Villanova showed how tough the competition can be. Harvard will need to keep winning games to stay in the conversation.
The Decision to Lateral
Pelletier made the right call. He saw the situation, recognised the problem, and found the solution. He did not try to force a play he could not make.
He threw the ball to Bailey, who was free to score. The result was a touchdown.
The Play’s Legacy
This is a play that will likely be remembered. A tight end catching a Hail Mary short of the end zone, under pressure from a defender, pitching the ball to a teammate who scores the winning touchdown is the kind of play that gets talked about for years.
It is the kind of play that changes a season. A play that mirrors a moment from NFL history, one that fans will remember for years to come.
The Final Score
Harvard 20, Colgate 17. Four seconds left. A touchdown. A lateral. A win.
The Crimson won the game, and they did it with a play that felt like something out of the pros.
| Team | Record |
|---|---|
| Harvard | 3-0 |
| Colgate | 4-2 |
The win moves Harvard closer to its goal.
See the a run of 15 images at Yahoo Sports.
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