40 games. 600 minutes of game-time. Over 1,600 hours of practice. For the past four years, the 21 graduating seniors on Yale’s football team have dedicated their falls, and much of their springs, to fighting for an Ivy League championship year after year.

It hasn’t been an easy road for the class of 2010. After winning the Ivy League title as freshmen and defeating Harvard on Crimson turf, these seniors have endured their fair share of adversity. As sophomores, much of 2010 moved up to the varsity squad, where they had a near-perfect season until the Game, when Harvard defeated Yale handily on our own territory. The Bulldogs fully intended to return with a vengeance, but as juniors, they found themselves on a squad riddled with injury and without a consistent quarterback. They fought, in what would turn out to be Coach Siedlecki’s last season. The team never found continuity or rhythm, and ended the season with another loss to the Crimson. This year, one of transition, has been filled with highs and lows. After a season-opening manhandling of Georgetown, the Elis struggled off-and-on before an impressive comeback victory against Columbia, which appeared to be a turning point of the season. It was not to be, however, as they followed the win with two straight agonizing defeats to Brown and Princeton.

The class of 2010 very well could have been 8-1 going into Saturday. Instead, they will walk into the Yale Bowl with a 2-4 record in the Ivy League, whereas, the Harvard team has only lost one conference game this season. The Crimson, although they cannot win the Ivy League title outright, are in a position to share the conference championship if they win The Game, and if Penn is upset by a dismal Cornell team.

The Bulldogs, though, have chosen not to look back at what could have been. Rather than dwell on the difficulties they’ve faced this season, this year’s seniors chose to reflect on some of their favorite football moments; talk about what they’ll miss most after the end of their college careers; and send a few messages to a Crimson squad they plan to defeat on Saturday.

On Pre-Game Traditions

“No pre-game traditions, but this year the entire team is sleeping in Payne Whitney together and hopefully starting a new tradition.”

—Justin Oplinger, Linebacker, SM

“The seniors have always taken the time to express to the underclassmen how special these rival games are, and to cherish the memories of each and every one of them.”

—Tom Mante, Kicker/Punter, BK

“At the end of our last practice, all of the seniors talk to the team about their four years and basically thank everyone and tell them what football meant to them and such. This year we are also having a will of sorts where seniors will hand things down (numbers, etc) to underclassmen.”

—John Sheffield, H-Back, TD

“Harvard-Yale traditions? We’d like to make one: Win handily like we did in 2006.”

—A.J. Haase, Tight End, ES

“It’s a big rivalry with a lot of tradition so we try to embrace that, but at the same time we try to approach it as we do any other game with the same preparation”

—Tom McCarthy, Defensive Tackle, BR

On Their Favorite Harvard-Yale Moment

“My favorite Yale-Harvard moment was winning the Ivy League championship in Cambridge my freshman year. There haven’t been a lot of other positive ones since.”

—Sheffield

“My favorite Harvard-Yale moment would have to be raising the Ivy League Championship Trophy on Harvard’s home turf my freshman year. It was an unforgettable feeling. I had the opportunity to contribute to defeating our archrival on their home field, and having our fans storm the turn to celebrate it with us was amazing. The atmosphere was unlike anything I have ever experienced.”

—Mante

“Best moment? Definitely beating Harvard in Cambridge in 2006 and being forced off the field for celebrating too long. A bunch of cops on horseback forced us off the field, but we didn’t care; nothing could touch us. We beat Harvard and were Ivy League Champions. That was probably the best moment of my entire athletic career.”

—Haase

“Best moment was after beating Harvard freshman year, seeing alumni handing out cigars to anybody in a Yale uniform. Coach Clark smoked his in the shower. And the first time I saw the Yale Bowl as a recruit. I knew I wanted to play for Yale right then.”

—Jon Charest, Offensive Line, DC

“The best moment so far has been without a doubt winning our Ivy League Championship freshman year at Harvard. Even though I didn’t play that year, beating them 34-13 in their stadium was great.”

—McCarthy

On What They Will Miss

“The brutal off-season workouts that we went through as a team. There were times during our winter conditioning sessions when half the team was puking, but we kept pushing forward. Those are the moments that bring a team together, and those are the moments I won’t ever forget.”

—Tim Handlon, Linebacker, BK

“Games on Saturdays. Not any one in particular. Though we have had some great wins, it is just the energy and emotion that we feel every weekend.”

—Rich Scudellari, Quarterback, BR

“My most memorable football related moment is just all the time that is spent with my teammates, especially the senior class. We have developed a tight bond over the past four years and have cherished all the great moments.”

—Max Newton, Linebacker, JE

“I’ll miss the big time atmosphere surrounding The Game every year”

—Paul Rice, Linebacker, SM

“What will I miss most? My teammates. These are some of the best people I’ve been around in my life and it’s always a special feeling to be part of the team.”

—Larry Abare, Safety, JE

“I love the guys I play with, and it’s going to be very tough not being around them every day when we’re done.”

—Justin Oplinger, Linebacker, SM

“When you go through what we go through on a daily basis, you become very close. Not a lot of people in this world have the privilege of being part of something like that.”

—Handlon

On This Season’s Highlights

“Best moment of the season was our come from behind victory over Columbia. You could tell from the atmosphere on our sideline that we were not going to quit and give up without a fight. Everyone on our sideline knew that we were going to come back and win it, and that is what we did.”

—Mante

“It was memorable for me to see A.J. [Haase, against Dartmouth] score the game winning touchdown after all of the adversity he has been through.”

—Sheffield

“Our team fought back from a large fourth quarter deficit [against Columbia] to come back and win. The best part of the game was that so many different players made plays.”

—Rice

Messages to the Harvard Squad

“To Harvard­: Good luck and I hope everyone plays well, but we still hate you.”

—Jordan Farrell, Running Back, PC

“Sorry, no comment. I don’t want to provide any billboard material for their team.”

—Handlon

“Huck Farvard.”

—Haase

“Go Home!”

—Charest