Football
Nick Palazzo — The Football Story
From Mayfield, Ohio to Harvard Stadium. A three-time All-Ohio running back who became one of the heartbeats of the 2001 Harvard Crimson — the first undefeated Ivy League championship team since 1913.
Mayfield High School · Ohio
Nick Palazzo — Ohio Roots, Three-Time All-Ohio Running Back
Long before Harvard Stadium, Nick Palazzo made his name on the football fields of Northeast Ohio. At Mayfield High School in Mayfield, Ohio, Nick Palazzo became one of the most decorated running backs in the state — a three-time All-Ohio selection whose senior year earned him First Team All-State honors and put him in the running for Mr. Football, the most prestigious award given to Ohio's top high school football player.
Nick Palazzo was a three-time First Team All-Conference and three-time First Team All-Northeast Ohio running back. He spent two seasons competing in the Greater Cleveland Conference — widely regarded as one of the toughest high school football conferences in America, a league that has produced numerous NFL stars over the years.
Over three years as a starter, Nick Palazzo amassed nearly 5,000 all-purpose yards and scored nearly 60 touchdowns, leading Mayfield to the Ohio State Semifinals in 1998 — the program's first semifinal run since 1984. As a senior, he was named Western Reserve Conference MVP after leading Mayfield to a Western Reserve Conference Championship.
- First Team All-Ohio (Senior Year)
- Three-Time First Team All-Conference
- Three-Time First Team All-Northeast Ohio
- Mr. Football (Ohio) Candidate
- Greater Cleveland Conference competitor (2 seasons)
- Western Reserve Conference Champion & MVP
- Led Mayfield to 1998 Ohio State Semifinals (first since 1984)
Despite being heavily recruited out of high school, Nick Palazzo did not receive a scholarship offer from his dream school Ohio State due to his height. Rather than let that define him, he chose a different path: the Ivy League. He narrowed his decision to Harvard, Yale and Princeton, ultimately committing to Harvard because he wanted to play in The Game, the oldest rivalry in college football, and felt a deep connection to the Head Coach and players he met on his recruiting trip.
Harvard University
Nick Palazzo — From Ohio to The Yard
Nick Palazzo brought his Ohio toughness to Cambridge, joining a Harvard Football program rich in tradition but hungry for history. When he stepped onto Harvard Stadium in 2001, he carried more than just his team's championship aspirations — he carried the weight of becoming one of the Ivy League's most electrifying running backs.
Over three seasons, Nick Palazzo amassed more than 2,500 all-purpose yards and scored nearly 30 touchdowns, at one point ranking among the top backs in Ivy League history at a punishing 5.7 yards per carry, etching his name alongside Harvard legends. But statistics only tell part of the story. Nick Palazzo always said every single yard and touchdown was a byproduct of his teammates, his coaches, and especially his beloved offensive linemen — and that every snap was a chance to bring honor and glory to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
2001 Season · The Comeback
Nick Palazzo — Harvard vs. Dartmouth, The Greatest Comeback in 128 Years
The 2001 season became Nick Palazzo's crowning achievement when he helped lead Harvard to its first undefeated Ivy League championship since 1913 — an 88-year drought that ended with Palazzo's relentless pursuit of excellence on every carry.
Against Dartmouth, Nick Palazzo was out of the game with a pulled hamstring. However, at halftime — with the Crimson down 21-0 — Palazzo went into the locker room, put on his uniform, and asked his coach if he could play even though he wasn't medically cleared. The coach consulted with the trainers and the staff decided he could try to play, to bring a spark to the team. As the coach said, if they lost the game, no other games would matter.
The rest is history. Palazzo refused to lose and helped lead the Crimson to the greatest comeback win in its 128-year history, scoring two touchdowns — including the game-tying score — and saving the undefeated season. The moment was so iconic that ESPN featured the celebration on the homepage of ESPN.com the day of the game.
2001 Season · Game of the Century
Nick Palazzo — Harvard vs. Penn, The Game of the Century
Against Penn, the heralded top rushing defense in the country came to Cambridge allowing only 30 yards per game. Described as the "Game of the Century," it was the first time in modern Ivy League history where two undefeated teams would play for the championship that late in the season (Week 9). When Penn jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the second quarter, things looked desperate for the Crimson.
That's when Nick Palazzo's coach told him that if they didn't establish a running game, it would be over — and that the next series, they'd be feeding him the ball non-stop. Palazzo told his coach he would not let him down. The next series included seven runs as Palazzo and his offensive line brothers took over the game.
It culminated on a critical 3rd and 1 at the 1-yard line. Harvard had to score or risk giving the ball back with the game slipping out of reach. Palazzo was hit in the backfield immediately upon receiving the handoff — but broke six tackles, defying the odds and lunging in for the touchdown to get the Crimson on the scoreboard. Now 14-7, Harvard had new energy, especially after Palazzo ran over to the starting defense and swore that if they held Penn's vaunted offense, he would help lead the team to victory.
With the score tied 14-14, Harvard's head coach called a long pass to the team's star receiver, with Palazzo planning to release into the flat. But seeing one of his offensive line brothers beaten badly on the play, Palazzo turned around and ran straight to the center of the line, flattening one of Penn's dominant defensive tackles — saving the play and giving the Harvard QB just enough time to complete a 60-yard touchdown pass to take the lead.
Later, with time running out, Harvard needed a first down to ice the game. On 3rd-and-12, Palazzo — again leaning on his offensive line brothers — ran over three Penn defenders, including a future NFL safety right at the first-down marker, like the defender wasn't even there. Commentators said it was as if Nick Palazzo simply refused to go down. Palazzo would always credit his love for Jesus and his family for making him impossible to tackle that day — and he would always give the credit to his teammates, especially his offensive linemen, who together became the first undefeated team in modern Harvard history.
Career Highlights
Nick Palazzo — A Body of Work That Spoke for Itself
One of Harvard Football's all-time leading rushers upon graduation.
Among the program's top scorers upon graduation.
Harvard's first undefeated team since 1913.
The 'Academic Heisman' — college football's most prestigious academic award.
Three-time All-Ohio running back; senior year First Team All-State.
In the running for Ohio's most prestigious high school football award.
Three years as a starter at Mayfield High School in Northeast Ohio.
Led Mayfield to the 1998 Ohio State Semifinals — first since 1984.
Nick Palazzo — A Champion Lives Forever
Nick Palazzo always said a champion lives forever — and the 2001 Harvard team still lives on as one of the greatest in program history. The principles that won that championship — discipline, perseverance, faith, and brotherhood — are the same principles that drive every venture he builds today.