Harvard has touchdown called back against Yale after running back's obscene gesture

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Harvard touchdown called back after player’s obscene gesture

A Harvard running back had his touchdown called back after he made an obscene gesture to the opposing Yale team.

Harvard running back Devin Darrington was left crimson-faced after having a touchdown run called back during his school’s 45-27 win over Yale on Saturday.

Darrington charged up the middle for a 27-yard score in the fourth quarter of “The Game” at Boston’s Fenway Park, but as he raced toward the goal line he appeared to flip off the chasing Yale defenders.

Instead of adding another score, the play was called back for unsportsmanlike conduct, and ultimately the Crimson had to settle for a field goal.

On the Crimson's next possession, Darrington again broke loose, gaining 27 yards to the 6. Two plays later, he took it in from the 4 to give Harvard a 37-27 lead.

The sophomore back finished with 91 yards on nine carries with two touchdowns.

Harvard coach Tim Murphy, who is now 18-7 in the rivalry, came down hard on his player following the win.

"The bottom line is: He was wrong," Murphy said.

"He was wrong. It's that simple. It was the right call; he was wrong. I'm just so grateful to our team that he didn't have to learn that the absolute hard way of trying to live with that for a year or however many years."

But the worst was yet to come for Harvard, who lost senior quarterback Tom Stewart to an injury in his final game.

Stewart, who threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns, wheeled off the field on a stretcher in the fourth quarter after taking a hit while dropping down to slide.

As doctors attended to him, players on both teams kneeled; Yale quarterback Griffin O'Connor made the sign of the cross.

The sold-out crowd acknowledged Stewart when he was wheeled off. The school announced after the game that it was a right hip injury and Stewart was expected to make a full recovery.

With the win, Harvard moved to 6-4 on the season, while Yale fell to 5-5.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.