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Ivy League says officiating mistake cost Harvard Crimson OT victory over Princeton Tigers in football game

College Football, Harvard Crimson, Princeton Tigers

Officials were wrong to wipe out what would have been a game-winning 2-point play in overtime by Harvard after a replay review awarded Princeton a timeout, the Ivy League said Sunday.

Princeton won 18-16 in five overtimes.

After Jack Smith hit Kym Wimberly with a pass to convert the 2-point play in the third overtime period, replay officials ordered a review to see if Princeton coach Bob Surace called timeout before the snap.

They ruled he did and replayed the down. Harvard scored again, but that play was called back because of an offensive penalty. On its third try, Harvard was stopped, and the game went two more overtimes.

The Ivy League said officials made a procedural error because a timeout can be awarded by on-field officials only before the ball is snapped. It is not a reviewable situation.

New NCAA overtime rules have teams running only 2-point plays starting in the third overtime. The first team that gets a score and a stop wins.

At Penn State on Saturday, the Nittany Lions and Illinois went a record nine overtimes, with the Illini winning 20-18.

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