Football earns 28-23 home win over No. 16/21 New Hampshire

23

New Hampshire
UNH

3-2, 1-0

28

winner

Harvard
HAR

2-1, 0-1

New Hampshire
UNH

3-2, 1-0

23

28

winner

Points by quarters

team	1	2	3	4	F
UNH New Hampshire	7	9	0	7	23
HAR Harvard	0	14	7	7	28

Match Review: Football | Oct 4, 2024 11:23 p.m

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard football overcame a first-quarter deficit to cruise to a 28-23 victory over No. 16/21 New Hampshire on Friday night at Harvard Stadium. The Crimson posted a 2-1 record this season, ending the Wildcats' three-game winning streak. The decision dropped UNH to 3-2.

How it happened

• The Wildcats, who forced Harvard to punt on the game's opening drive, hit the scoreboard first with a 10-play, 82-yard drive that culminated in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Seth Morgan to Caleb Burke. UNH's 7-0 lead held in the first quarter.
• Given a 3^approx-and-1, the Harvard defense stood tall and watched Marcus Alexander And Mitchell Gonser Stuff UNH running back Issac Seide for a 3-yard loss. The play forced a 52-yard New Hampshire field goal attempt, which Nick Mazzie successfully shot through the uprights. The free kick gave the guests a 10-0 lead just 2:19 minutes into the second half.
• Harvard wasted little time getting UNH's field goal. After a 10-yard rush Charles DePrima, Jaden Craig took the next snap, moved up in the pocket and found Scott Woods II for a 65-yard TD pass. The 2-play drive traveled 75 yards in just 42 seconds.
• UNH continued to put pressure on Harvard's defense, but the hosts stopped the Wildcats at 3^approx-and-6 to force another field goal attempt. Mazzie scored again, this time from 29 yards, to take a 13-7 lead with 8:11 left in the first half.
• I'm looking at a 4^Th-and-7, UNH lined up to punt but faked the attempt. The Wildcats were eventually called for a hold, giving the Crimson the ball at their own 46-yard line. Craig then found it Cooper Barkate He raced down the middle of the field on first down and scored on a 51-yard pass. Two Xaviah Bascon Later, the sophomore crossed the goal line for a 1-yard score, giving Harvard a 14-13 lead with 4:02 left in the half.
• The lead changed hands with two seconds left in the first half when Mazzie put the finishing touches on a 10-play drive that covered 69 yards and a 43-yard field goal. The long kick gave the Wildcats a 16-14 lead.
• Harvard regained the lead with 5:11 left in the third period when Bascon scampered into the end zone from a yard out. The scoring run highlighted a 10-play drive that included a 14-yard reception Ryan Osborne on the 4th^Th-and-2 and a 21-yard pass from Craig to Barkate on the next play, giving the Crimson a 21-16 lead.
• After the change on the 4th^Th-and-1 from the UNH 17-yard line, DePrima faked a handoff to Bascon and took off left to cover the remaining 16 yards for the touchdown. The TD with 11:23 left in the fourth quarter increased Harvard's lead to 28-16.
• UNH stayed within striking distance and marched down the field to the Harvard 3-yard line in 14 plays. Then on the 2nd^nd-and-goal, Morgan completed a short pass to Logan Tomlinson to cut the Wildcats' deficit to 28-23 with 5:54 left.
• Harvard finally crowned the game with two decisive plays. Opposite 3^approx-and-14, Craig connected with a 15-yard pass Seamus Gilmartin. With a new set of downs, the Crimson was forced to a 4^Th-and-1 situation, only to have Bascon rush for 17 yards. The running back had a clear path to the end zone, but fell well behind the UNH 15. Harvard then kneeled three times in a row to run out the clock and earn its second win of the season.

Team notes

• With today's win, Harvard…

  • Improved to 8-0 all-time against UNH.
  • Won two straight games against nationally ranked teams (most recent: Def. No. 5/6 Holy Cross, 38-28, at Worcester on Sept. 30, 2023).
  • Won his first home game against a national team since October 30, 2015 (most recently: defeated No. 22/22 Dartmouth, 14-13), eliminating five games.
  • Responded to a loss in the previous game with a win for the eighth consecutive game.
  • Won his eighth straight home game and fourth straight against a non-Ivy opponent at Harvard Stadium.

Player notes

• Xaviah Bascon (16 att., 66 yards, 2 TD): Recorded his first touchdown of the season in the second quarter… His first rushing TD of the night was also the first of his career… He recorded his first career multi-touchdown effort… Outrushed UNH alone (66-46)…added 48 kickoff return yards, with a long run of 28.
• Scott Woods II (8 rec., 93 yards, 1 TD): Caught a 65-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, the longest scoring game of the season…The 65-yard reception was the longest of his career … He posted a single-season high for receiving yards.
• Eric Little (11 tackles, 1 FR, 1 QBH): Set a career-high in tackles for the second straight game (finished with seven at Brown)… Posted the first double-digit tackle game of his career.. Recovered a fumble for the first time this season third quarter (2^nd Career).
• Austin Jake Guillory (9 tackles): Set a career high in a single game for tackles.
• Marcus Alexander (8 tackles, 1.0 sacks, 1.5 TFL): Gained the first sack of his career… Has 19 tackles in his last two games.
• Charles DePrima (6 atts., 33 yards, 1 TD): Reached paydirt for the first time this season with his 16-yard rushing TD in the fourth quarter…He finished with 34 yards on the ground after rushing for 33 yards this season game came.
• Jacob Psyk (1.0 TFL, 1 FF): Forced his second career fumble in the third quarter (1^st this season).

Next

Harvard returns to Ivy League action on Friday, October 11, when it takes on Cornell on the road in a game that will be broadcast live on ESPN2. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET.