Harvard beat Colgate 20-17 on the final play Saturday night with a Hail Mary and a lateral that ended in the end zone, as first reported by ClutchPoints. Quarterback Charlie Smith heaved it deep, tight end Teigan Pelletier came down with it, and he pitched it to freshman wide receiver Nate Bailey, who took it in for the game-winning touchdown.
The win keeps the Crimson undefeated at 3-0. ClutchPoints compared the play to Randy Moss’ famous Hail Mary-and-lateral against Denver in 2003.
The IAHHM Take
Forget the Ivy League jokes. That was one of the coolest finishes of the college football season, and it came from a team most fans don’t watch on Saturdays. A Hail Mary is already a long shot. Adding a lateral in traffic and finishing it takes awareness, trust and nerve.
The bigger story is Bailey. The freshman finished with 16 catches for 197 yards, a monster night at any level. He credited practice for the moment: “When we’re going against each other every day, I try to sharpen the tools I have… so on game day it shows.” That’s the work-before-the-shine approach we love to see from young players.
Small-school and non-Power 4 talent gets overlooked all the time, then shows up on Sundays. Just look at the Tyson Bagent story in Chicago. Keep an eye on Bailey’s name over the next three years.
Your call: Best walk-off finish of the college football season so far, or is there one that tops it?
Source: ClutchPoints
