Football Rallies Past No. 22/22 Dartmouth for 31-27 Road Win

Game Recap: Football | 11/2/2024 6:02:00 PM

HANOVER, N.H. – Harvard Football rallied from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to upend No. 22/22 Dartouth, 31-27, Saturday afternoon at Buddy Teevens Stadium at Memorial Field. The win lifted the Crimson to 6-1 on the season and 3-1 in the Ivy League, while the Big Green suffered its first loss of the year, falling to 6-1 (3-1 Ivy). Harvard is now tied with Dartmouth and Columbia for first place in the Ivy League standings.

How It Happened

• Harvard started the game by receiving the opening kickoff and took full advantage. The Crimson gained 7, 9, 6, 7 and 5 yards on its first five plays. After an incompletion, Charles DePrima received the snap and rushed to his right for the 8-yard touchdown to help put Harvard ahead, 7-0, with 12:00 left in the first.
• The Crimson extended its lead right before the end of the first period with the help of a pair of large receiving gains from Cooper Barkate. The junior wideout caught passes for 17 and 14 yards, helping Harvard get in field-goal range. Harvard, ultimately, attempted a 32-yarder that Kieran Corr put through the uprights, pushing the Crimson lead to 10-0.
• The hosts cut into their deficit with 11:19 left in the first half when Dartmouth kicker Owen Zalc connected on a 37-yard field goal, capping an 11-play, 56-yard drive.
• After the Zalc field goal, Harvard fumbled on its next possession and subsequently forced Dartmouth into a 3-and-out. The Crimson, however, was whistled for roughing the kicker on Dartmouth’s punt attempt and the Big Green took advantage, which helped set up a 54-yard Zalc field goal. Despite the long field goal, Harvard still led, 10-6, with 8:01 left in the second quarter.
• As the half was coming to a close, Dartmouth added a touchdown on a 1-yard pass play from Grayson Saunier to Sean Ward. The scoring drive gave the Big Green its first lead of the day at 13-10, with 1:47 left in the frame.
• After taking a 13-10 lead into halftime, Dartmouth tacked on an 11-yard touchdown with 3:03 remaining in the third period. Jackson Proctor connected with Chris Corbo for the score, which put the Big Green up, 20-10.
• Harvard answered Dartmouth’s 20 unanswered points with a quick-strike attack to get within three points. DePrima rushed for eight yards, Jaden Craig completed a 13-yard pass to Scott Woods II, Malik Frederick rushed for 25 yards and the four-play drive was punctuated with a 29-yard TD reception by Seamus Gilmartin.
• As quick as the Crimson scored (4 plays, 75 yards, 1:18), Dartmouth’s response was even quicker, going 75 yards in two plays over 48 seconds. The deciding play was a Proctor-to-Daniel Haughton completion that went for a 72-yard TD. The touchdown helped the hosts extend its lead to 27-17 with 57 seconds left in the third, a lead it would take into the final 15 minutes.
• Harvard inched closer when it marched 94 yards in 14 plays (6:42). The Crimson received chunk plays from Barkate (33-yard catch, 16-yard catch), Kaedyn Oderman (15-yard catch), Xaviah Bascon (9-yard rush) and Gilmartin (15-yard catch), which all set up a DePrima 6-yard TD run. The scoring scamper brought Harvard to within 27-24, with 5:59 to go.
• The Crimson forced Dartmouth into a 3-and-out, setting up the visitors’ final march down the field with 3:59 to play. After opening its drive with an incompletion, Harvard picked up 34 quick yards on receptions from Odermann (10 yards) and Barkate (24 yards). From there, Harvard was clicking on all cylinders, getting plus yardage. Despite moving toward the endzone, the Crimson was faced with a 4^th-and-3 from the Dartmouth 32 only to have Odermann haul in an 8-yard Craig pass. The new set of downs ultimately got Harvard to the 9-yard line and saw DePrima score what ended up being the deciding touchdown with 27 seconds left.
• Dartmouth would not go down without a fight, advancing the ball to the Harvard 32-yard line. With three seconds left, Proctor threw a Hail Mary that was batted down by the Crimson as the visitors escaped Hanover with the victory.

Team Notes

• With today’s win, Harvard…
  • Extends its season-long winning streak to five games, which matches its longest overall winning streak since the 2015 team opened 8-0. The 2021 and 2023 squads also had five-game winning streaks.
  • Defeats Dartmouth for a third straight time and improves to 74-48-5 all-time vs. the Big Green.
  • Moves to 14-1 in games played at Dartmouth since the start of the 1994 season.
  • Upped its record vs. nationally ranked squads this season to 2-0.
  • Gives Andrew Aurich his sixth win of the season, which is the most by a first-year Crimson football coach since Edward L. Casey won seven game in his inaugural campaign in 1931.
  • Improves to 6-1, matching its best 7-game start to a season (2016, 2023) since the 2015 team opened with seven straight victories.

Player Notes

• Charles DePrima (8 rushes, 43 yards, 3 touchdowns): Has rushed for a TD in each of his last two games… His eight rushing attempts tied a season high… His three rushing TDs matched his career high (3 vs. Cornell in 2023).
• Bartrum House (16 tackles, 1 TFL): Finished with a game- and career-high 16 tackles… Has 29 tackles the last two seasons vs. Dartmouth… Recorded at least nine tackles for the third straight game… Posted his sixth straight game with at least six stops.
• Scott Woods II (8 receptions, 54 yards): Led all players with eight catches, a week after posting 10.
• Seamus Gilmartin (4 receptions, 60 yards): Scored a touchdown in back-to-back games for the first time of his career… Has scored at least one TD in three of his last four outings.
• Cooper Barkate (7 receptions, 124 yards): Had a game-high 124 receiving yards… Has more than 100 yards receiving in two straight games and in three of his last four.

Up Next

The Crimson returns to the friendly confines of Harvard Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9, when it plays host to Columbia. The Military Appreciation Game is scheduled for a noon ET start and will air live on ESPN+. Tickets to the game are available at GoCrimson.com.