Football | November 10, 2025

Harvard Football: Harvard 31, Columbia 14

The Crimson stay unbeaten with a workmanlike win over the Lions.

by Dick Friedman

Columbia player is tackled from behind by a Harvard defender during a play. — **LINE DRIVE Harvard’s Sean Line wraps up Columbia’s Braden Dougherty. The junior Crimson linebacker tied for the team lead in tackles with eight and made a sensational interception.** | Photograph courtesy of Harvard Athletics

Bright lights, big city: neither proved a distraction last Friday night as the Harvard football team rolled to a 31-14 win over Columbia at Kraft Field at Wien Stadium in New York City. The victory kept the Crimson undefeated, running their record to 8-0 overall and 5-0 in the conference play; the Lions dropped to 1-7, 0-5. Harvard is atop the Ivies by one win over Yale; if the Crimson beat Penn next week, they are guaranteed no less than a share of the Ivy title. The Crimson entered the game ranked No. 9 in the national Stats Performance Football Championship Series poll and emerged No. 7.

The game took on what has become a pattern for this Crimson team: leap out to a big lead, score in the 30s, and hold the foe to a point total in the teens. A 21-point flurry in the second quarter gave Harvard a cushion that proved insurmountable. The defense, keyed by timely interceptions by two juniors, linebacker Sean Line and defensive back Jack Donahoe, bottled up the Lions and in Donahoe’s case set the Crimson up for an easy score.

While star quarterback Jaden Craig did not have a vintage game statistically, his strong arm delivered a couple of long passes that put Harvard in position for touchdowns. All in all, a workmanlike win over a struggling foe.

“We got those two touchdowns before halftime and that kind of took the wind out of their sails,” said Andrew Aurich, Stephenson family head coach for Harvard football. “To get the win and get out of here, I’m just relieved.” He praised his team’s ability to stay focused: “These guys are never too high, never too low, ready to do the job on the next series. The credit goes to them.”

The contest began as if it would be the prototypical trap game: one in which the inferior team performs an ambush. The Lions took the opening kickoff and in 20 plays drove to the Crimson eight. There they stalled, so Hugo Merry tried a 28-yard field goal—wide right. Not being able to cash in is a hallmark of unsuccessful teams.

Harvard player catches football in the end zone as Columbia defenders and a referee look on. — **HANDY MAN Harvard’s Seamus Gilmartin gloms onto one of his two touchdown passes from quarterback Jaden Craig. This was the second consecutive multi-touchdown game for the Crimson tight end.** | Photograph courtesy of Harvard Athletics

This has not been a problem for Harvard. As has so often happened this season, the Crimson scored on their first series. Deftly mixing runs and passes, Craig led Harvard on an 80-yard drive; the big play was a 29-yard jaunt by junior back Xaviah Bascon that brought the ball to the Columbia five. Two plays later, from the one, Bascon lowered his head and ran into the end zone. Sophomore Kieran Corr kicked the point. Harvard 7, Columbia 0.

Later in the quarter and into the second, after the Crimson muffed a punt, the Lions reached the Crimson 14. Again, they were poised to score. On first and 10, Columbia quarterback Chase Goodwin threw and Line made a sensational pick, reaching back with one hand and gathering the ball in. Drive over.

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The next time the Lions got the ball, they started at their 12. On first down, Goodwin threw an ill-advised pass into an area that was jammed with three Crimson defenders. Donahoe was one of them. He intercepted and ran the ball back 24 yards to the Columbia two. On the next play, Craig flipped to the back of the end zone, where wide-open senior tight end Seamus Gilmartin grabbed it. Corr booted the conversion. Harvard 14, Columbia 0.

After the defense forced a three and out, Craig got the ball at the Crimson 32 and unlimbered his arm. On second down, he saw senior wideout Cayden Coffman streaking down the middle. Craig dropped the ball right into his hands, hitting Coffman in stride. The play covered 58 yards. Three plays later, on fourth and goal from the Lions’ three, Harvard got a fortunate bounce. Craig eluded the rush and threw to the end zone.

The ball was deflected off Harvard freshman wideout Ryan Tattersall and into the hands of the opportunistic Gilmartin. This was Gilmartin’s second straight two-touchdown game. Corr put through the conversion. Harvard 21, Columbia 0.

The onslaught was not over. After another three-and-out, the Crimson got the ball at their own 36 with 2:58 remaining in the half. Craig now let backs Bascon and sophomore D.J. Gordon do most of the work, either as runners or receivers. With 19 seconds left in the half, from the Lions’ one, Craig handed to Bascon, who crashed into the end zone behind some rugged blocking by junior offensive lineman Thomas O’Brien. One more time Corr split the uprights. Harvard 28, Columbia 0.

Harvard player runs with ball while fending off a tackle from Columbia defender near the sideline. — **LION TAMER Harvard’s Xaviah Bascon fends off Columbia’s Jeremiah Douglas. The junior Crimson running back led all rushers with 94 yards and scored twice.** | Photograph courtesy of Harvard Athletics

Realistically, a Columbia comeback would have been difficult, made more so in the middle of the third quarter when Corr kicked a 22-yard field goal. Harvard 31, Columbia 0. Still, for the rest of the game, with the Crimson giving ground to eat up the clock, the Lions showed their pride, rallying for two touchdowns. This was a testament to coach Jon Poppe, a former valued Harvard assistant who last year, in his first season at Morningside Heights, sparked traditionally downtrodden Columbia to a share of the Ivy title.

On the day, Craig completed 16 of 24 passes for 213 yards. He employed nine receivers, with senior speedster Cam Henry catching five balls. Bascon led the rushers with 94 yards in 18 carries. On defense, Line continued to his ascent to stardom, tying for team high (with senior lineman Jaeden Kinlock) with eight tackles while snatching that otherworldly interception.

Now we are in for football in earnest: the two-game season. Penn is next week’s opponent. With their defeat to Cornell, the two-loss Quakers probably have slim title chances, but they are a dangerous team. Behind them lurks Yale. Still work to do!

Tidbits

WHO OWNS NEW YORK?: The series now stands in favor of Harvard 66-16-1. The Crimson have won the last three games against the Lions.

KINGS OF THE ROAD: The victory was Harvard’s seventh straight on the road, the longest such streak in the Football Championship Subdivision.

CRAZY EIGHT: The Crimson are 8-0 for the first time since 2015, when they finished 9-1.

COMING UP: On Saturday, Harvard returns to the Stadium for its final home game of the season to face Ivy rival Penn. Kickoff: Noon. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and broadcast on the radio on WBOS 92.9 FM and Bloomberg 1330 AM and 1450 AM. This season, the Quakers are 5-3 overall and 3-2 in Ivy play. In a series that began in 1881, Harvard leads 53-39-2. The Crimson have won the last four, including last year’s 31-28 victory in Philadelphia. Saturday will be Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day.

THE SCORE BY QUARTERS