We elderly Harvard football fans would like to give our most heartfelt thanks to Dan Curran. We mean heartfelt literally. With his team having just scored a touchdown on the final play of regulation to pull within a point, the Crusaders’ head coach elected to go for a do-or-die two-point conversion. Thus, no matter the outcome, we would not have the heart attacks that overtime almost certainly would have brought on.
As it happened, the pass for two points was broken up and Harvard escaped with a 35-34 victory, its third in a row. The Crimson moved to 4-1 overall; its Ivy League mark stands at 1-1, with Dartmouth and Columbia on top at 2-0. Hard-luck Holy Cross dropped to 3-5 overall but remained in first place in the Patriot League with a 2-0 mark.
On a sparkling autumn day (and with the Head of the Charles Regatta wending its way along the river), the two longtime Bay State rivals put on a sparkling show, replete with big plays, stirring comebacks and some gutsy, if questionable, choices by the coaches. Really, it’s good that it ended the way it did. We couldn’t have taken any more.
The victory showcased the Crimson’s multiplicity of offensive weapons (even without senior captain running back Shane McLaughlin, out with an injury). But with the remainder of the season devoted to Ivy games, it also highlighted flaws that may make it impossible for Harvard to defend its league co-championship. One such weakness is coughing up leads. Another is the lack of a rushing attack in McLaughlin’s absence; the Crimson netted only 81 yards on the ground, for a paltry 2.8 average. Yet one more is potentially and perhaps probably fatal: placekicking. Freshman booter Kieran Corr missed two of three point-after-touchdown tries. (He was not called on to attempt a field goal.) As always happens, the second of these misses came back to haunt the Crimson and almost cost it the game. This could literally be Harvard’s Achilles heel.

| Photograph by Dylan Goodman PHotography/courtesy of Harvard Athletic Communications
Andy Aurich, in his first season as Stephenson Family head coach for Harvard football, preferred to accentuate the positive. “The reality is, when it came to the two-minute drive with the offense [at game’s end], they executed, and the defense ultimately got the stop they needed to get the win,” he said. Immediately Aurich must turn his attention to longtime rival Princeton, whom the Crimson faces next Saturday. The Tigers have beaten Harvard six times in a row. Adding intrigue (not that more is needed): Princeton is Aurich’s alma mater and a team he served as an assistant coach. The fans of both schools will be watching. (But no pressure, Coach.)
The first period was scoreless, despite Holy Cross’s strenuous efforts. Operating behind a line of 300-pound-plus behemoths, Crusader quarterback Joe Pesansky led a ball-control offense. In the opening quarter Holy Cross held the ball for 12:32 of the 15 minutes, including the final 7:36. As the quarter ended, the Crusaders reached the Harvard nine, first and goal. On the first play of the second quarter, with Holy Cross in a wildcat formation, the ball was snapped to running back Jayden Clerveaux, who mishandled it. Crimson junior defensive back Ty Bartrum scooped it up and set sail in the opposite direction—all the way to the end zone. Corr kicked the extra point. Harvard 7, Holy Cross 0. (Add this 88-yard jaunt to Bartrum’s 96-yard pick six last year against St. Thomas.)
HARVARD FOOTBALL
Sign up for Harvard Magazine’s weekly email to follow the Crimson. Get Dick Friedman’s football news, game summaries, and insights each Friday during the season.
Follow us on X for breaking game updates and Instagram for game photos and coverage: @harvardmagazine
The Crusaders bounced right back. They covered 71 yards in 10 plays, with Clerveaux banging into the end zone from the Crimson two. Daniel Porto kicked the point. Harvard 7, Holy Cross 7.
Late in the period the Crimson reassumed the lead courtesy of another Crusader fumble, which senior defensive lineman Jacob Psyk recovered at the Harvard 46. Junior quarterback Jaden Craig connected with, in order, sophomore running back Xaviah Bascon, junior wideout Cooper Barkate, and senior wideout Scott Woods II. Facing third-and-16 at the Crusader 32, Craig was rushed, but he nimbly played for time, then spotted senior wideout Kaedyn Odermann standing open near the goal. Craig fired and Odermann caught the ball at the two. On the next play Bascon took it over the goal. This time Corr missed the point. At the half it was Harvard 13, Holy Cross 7—this despite the Crusaders having led in total yards, 234 to 102, and in time of possession, 21:45 to 8:15.
As the second half opened, Harvard gave Holy Cross some of its own long-drive medicine, going 75 yards in a bit over six minutes for a score. The salient feature of this series was coach Aurich’s use of senior quarterback/running back Charles DePrima with Craig in the backfield. This paid special dividends on fourth-and-two from the Crusader 16, when Craig handed to DePrima, who broke a tackle and gained five yards. Given a new set of downs, Craig on the next play whipped a pass into the end zone to senior tight end Scott Giuliano. Now Aurich elected to get back that lost extra point by going for two. The gamble worked when Craig completed a short flip to DePrima, who carried the ball over. Harvard 21, Holy Cross 7.
The Crimson was rolling. On its next series, after a nifty Woods punt return brought the ball to the Harvard 25, the Crimson went 75 yards in only six plays. On second down from the Holy Cross 35, Craig handed to DePrima, who swept to his right, then fired a bullet to sophomore tight end Seamus Gilmartin, who caught it and reached the Crusader 18. On the next play, Craig threw to the end zone to junior tight end Ryan Osborne, who went down low and somehow pinned the ball to his right knee before it would have hit the ground. Again, however, Corr missed the point after, shanking the kick to the left. Harvard 27, Holy Cross 7.
Given that this is Harvard football, we never are allowed to exhale. On the third play of the next series, Pesansky threw the ball deep down the right side to midfield. Receiver Max Mosey, covered by two Crimson defenders, leaped, grabbed the ball, and ran untouched into the end zone. Porto kicked the point. Harvard 27, Holy Cross 14. Once again, the Crimson had handed an opponent a lifeline.
Two series later, a Crusader punt pinned the Crimson at its one-yard-line. The ensuing Harvard punt by senior Sebastien Tasko went only 22 yards and was downed at the Crimson 27. Three carries by the bruising Clerveaux followed; the final one was a 13-yard touchdown run. Porto again booted. Harvard 27, Holy Cross 21.

| Photograph by Dylan Goodman PHotography/courtesy of Harvard Athletic Communications
Could the Crimson run out all, or at least a substantial part, of the remaining 7:47? On third-and-two from the Harvard 45, the Crimson could have had the clincher when it dialed up a sweet flea-flicker, with Craig pitching to DePrima, who fired to junior wide receiver Caydon Coffman, streaking behind the defense. The ball hit Coffman in the hands. He dropped it.
On fourth down, Aurich chose not to punt—a decision that backfired when senior running back Malik Frederick was stopped for no gain. Did Aurich think of punting? “Absolutely not,” he said. “I was going [for it]. You have to have confidence that you can execute. I will make the same call again because I want these guys thinking that we are going to win games.” Admirable, if questionable. A good punt would have left the Crusaders with perhaps 80 yards to cover, rather than 45.
Holy Cross took over and in eight plays the unstoppable Clerveaux was in the end zone. Now that last missed extra point was a killer. Porto did not fail on his attempt. Holy Cross 28, Harvard 27, with 1:44 left.
If anything, the Crusaders had left Craig and Barkate too much time. In only a minute the two connected on four passes, the final one an 18-yard touchdown. “Coop can’t get be guarded,” said Aurich. “He’s that special of a receiver….When the game’s on the line, and the ball’s headed his way, I feel very confident that good things are gonna happen.” The Crimson again went for two and again made it, on a Craig shovel pass to Bascon. Harvard 35, Holy Cross 28.
On the touchdown play, however, Woods was penalized for excessive celebration, meaning Harvard had to kick off from its 20 rather than its 35. The Holy Cross return was to its 36. In six plays Pesansky was in the end zone. On the final play, the ball was snapped with one second left. If any school has a name that qualifies it for a Hail Mary, Holy Cross is that team—and it worked. Pesansky threw to the goal line; tight end Jacob Petersen caught it standing just inside the end zone. Harvard 35, Holy Cross 34.
So…what now for Curran? He elected to try to win the game—and it almost succeeded. Pesansky’s pass to Justin Shorter was broken up by Harvard sophomore defensive back Damien Henderson. Arguably, it could have been interference. Likewise, arguably Curran should have handed the ball to the unstoppable Clerveaux. But you know something? We won’t argue.
All but impeccable, Craig finished 20-of-25 passing for 257 yards, three touchdowns—and no interceptions. At week’s end he stood second in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision in passing yards per completion (15.84). Nine Crimson receivers made catches, including previously unused freshman Brady Blackburn (two). Barkate led with six, for 91 yards. On defense Bartrum had a game-leading 13 tackles, plus that 88-yard fumble return to the house. A tip of the hat to Holy Cross’s pile-driving Clerveaux, who gained 165 yards on 27 carries. We believe he was last seen breaking through the Harvard line and accelerating toward Worcester.
So the first half of the season is complete, and from here on out it is all Ivy, all the time. To paraphrase Lowell native Bette Davis: Fasten your seat belts—it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
TIDBITS: The series now stands in favor of Harvard 47-26-2….The victory was Harvard’s ninth straight at home….Quick starters: This is the fifth season in a row that Harvard has won at least four of its first five games.
Weekly Roundup
Columbia 23, Penn 17
Cornell 34, Bucknell 21
Dartmouth 20, Central Connecticut 16
Princeton 29, Brown 17
Yale 38, Lehigh 23
Coming up: Harvard concludes its two-game home stand next Saturday against longtime Ivy rival Princeton. Kickoff: 3 P.M. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription needed), and broadcast on 92.9 WBOS FM, 1330 AM, and 1450 AM. This season the Tigers are 2-3 overall and 1-1 in Ivy play. In a series that began in 1877, Princeton leads 60-48-7 and has won the last six meetings, including last season’s 21-14 victory in New Jersey. At Saturday’s game the Crimson will honor recently retired longtime coach Tim Murphy; the 1974, 2004 and 2014 Ivy champions; and Hall of Fame inductee Ryan Fitzpatrick ’05.
THE SCORE BY QUARTERS
Holy Cross | 0 | 7 | 7 | 20 | — | 34 | ||
Harvard | 0 | 13 | 14 | 8 | — | 35 |
Attendance: 6,950
THE SEASON SO FAR: follow Dick Friedman’s dispatches.
Football: Harvard 38-Cornell 20
Football: Harvard 28-New Hampshire 23
Football: Harvard 35-Stetson 0
Pre-season: