CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – No. 18/19 Harvard Football scored the game's first 48 points and ultimately emerged with a 48-7 home victory over Howard on Saturday. With the victory, the Crimson improved to 5-0 on the season, while the Bison dropped to 2-4.

How It Happened

• Running back Isaiah Abbey gave Harvard the early 7-0 lead with his 1-yard rushing TD. The play capped a 12-yard drive that covered 77 yards in 5:21. During the possession, quarterback Charles DePrima twice connected with Scott Woods II for a total of 30 yards.
• The Crimson defense came up big late in the first quarter, stopping Howard in its tracks after the Bison marched to the Harvard 29. Jacob Psyk sacked Howard QB Quinton Williams and forced a fumble that Nick Yagodich scooped up.
• Harvard carried a 7-0 lead into the second quarter and doubled it when DePrima found first-year Xaviah Bascon on a short 7-yard pass for the touchdown. Earlier in the drive, DePrima kept the Crimson's hopes alive when he rushed for two yards on a 4^th-and-1. Ultimately, Harvard went 71 yards in 14 plays, while eating 6:41 on the clock.
• After the Crimson kicked off, Howard orchestrated three plays, with the third resulting in an Eric Little interception. With the offense back on the field, DePrima rolled right and hit a wide-open Woods II, who was going left, and the wide receiver walked in with a 30-yard TD catch, giving Harvard a 21-0 advantage.
• Right before the end of the half, Harvard tacked onto its lead with Abbey's second TD of the afternoon, scampering into the endzone from eight yards out. The sophomore capped the first half with 62 yards on the ground.
• Abbey found the end zone for a third time, sprinting down the left sideline 52 yards for the score on Harvard's first play of its opening drive of the third quarter. The TD put the Crimson ahead, 35-0, with 11:17 left in the frame.
• Cali Canaval, limited to kicking only extra points up to this point, was called into field-goal-kicking action late in the third quarter after a drive stalled at the Howard 14. The senior answered the bell, booting a 32-yarder to give the hosts a 38-0 lead with 2:35 remaining in the third. He later added a 39-yard field goal to open the fourth-quarter scoring.
• With Harvard ahead, 41-0, the Crimson inserted QB Conor Easthope, who finished off a 5-play, 80-yard drive with a 19-yard rushing TD. The touchdown was the first of his career.
• The Bison thwarted Harvard's shutout bid with 3:36 left in the game when Tony Bedell rushed for eight yard into the endzone, providing the final margin.

Harvard Team Highlights

• Harvard improved to 5-0 for the first time since 2021. The Crimson is 5-0 under Tim Murphy for the 10^th time (2023, 2021, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2001). Next week, Harvard will look to move to 6-0 for the first time since 2015.
• The Crimson remains as two undefeated teams in the FCS, along with No. 1 South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits, who entered this week's action at 5-0, are in action today at 3 p.m. ET, playing host to Northern Iowa.
• The Crimson remained perfect at home, improving to 4-0, a season after posting a 1-4 record at Harvard Stadium.
• Harvard improved to 3-0 all-time vs. Howard. The Crimson secured wins in 2019 (home) and 2022 (road).
• The Crimson's 41-point margin of victory marked its largest since defeating Howard, 62-17 (45 points), in 2019.
• The Crimson held Howard to seven points, which represented the Bison's season low. It is the fewest points Harvard has allowed since giving up seven to Penn in a 23-7 win on Nov. 13, 2021.
• Harvard held Howard to its lowest point total since Sept. 11, 2021, when it was shutout at Maryland. It was the Bison's lowest scoring output vs. an FCS team since Nov. 16, 2019, when it scored seven in a 39-7 loss at Florida A&M.
• Harvard closed out its non-conference schedule with a 3-0 record and has won four straight against non-league foes. The Crimson has won 47 of its last 58 games vs. non-Ivy opponents.
• The Crimson improved to 54-16 in the month of October, dating to the 2006 campaign.
• Harvard upped its record to 144-61 in games played in New England, a mark that goes back to the 1994 season. The Crimson is also 119-33 in the region since 2001 and 65-21 since 2012. 

Harvard Player Highlights

• Isaiah Abbey posted the first multi-touchdown game of his career with his three on the afternoon. The last time a Harvard running back had a three-TD game was Sept. 16, 2022, when Aidan Borguet rushed for three vs. Merrimack College. The sophomore also set career highs in rushing yards (120) and attempts (16).
• Xaviah Bascon scored the first touchdown of his career with his first-quarter TD reception, which was also his first reception of his career. The first-year running back also established career-bests in rushing attempts (8) and rushing yards (46).
• Scott Woods II, playing in his second game of the season, caught three passes for 60 yards, both of which were 2023-bests. He has also scored a touchdown in both of his appearances this season.
• Jacob Psyk forced the first fumble of his career in the first quarter with Nick Yagodich recovering his second fumble of the season. Psyk was also credited with his first career sack.
• Eric Little notched the first interception of his career in the second quarter. He also returned it six yards, while adding four tackles.
• Malik Frederick rushed for a career-high 78 yards, with a long run of 37 yards. His seven attempts were a personal best.
• Ty Bartrum finished with a career-high 10 tackles, surpassing his previous best of nine, which he accomplished three other times this season.

Up Next

Harvard returns to action on Saturday when it travels to Princeton for a 1 p.m. ET start. The Ivy League game will air live on SNY, NBC Sports Philadelphia and ESPN+.