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Harvard vs St Thomas at Harvard Stadium 9/16
13
St. Thomas (MN) STT 1-2 , 0-0
45
Winner Harvard HAR 1-0 , 0-0
St. Thomas (MN) STT
1-2 , 0-0
13
Final
45
Harvard HAR
1-0 , 0-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
STT St. Thomas (MN) 0 0 7 6 13
HAR Harvard 21 10 14 0 45

Game Recap: Football |

Football Routs St. Thomas in Season Opener, 45-13

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard Football scored on its first three possessions and never looked back as the Crimson defeated St. Thomas, 45-13, Saturday afternoon at Harvard Stadium. The Crimson, which began its season-long celebration of 150 years of Harvard Football, improved to 1-0. The Tommies, who were receiving votes in the FCS Coaches Poll, dropped to 1-2.

How It Happened

  • Harvard, which successfully defended a trick play on fourth down on St. Thomas' opening possession, answered on its first offensive play of 2023, with quarterback Charles Deprima handing off to Shane McLaughlin. The junior running back found an opening and took it 79 yards to paydirt to give the hosts an early 7-0 lead. The TD run was the longest since at least 2009. Since the start of '09, the longest TD rush was a 75-yard scamper from Paul Stanton in 2014 at Penn.
  • The Crimson doubled its lead on its next possession, which was set up by a Deprima 21-yard rush to the St. Thomas four-yard line. Sophomore Jaden Craig, making his Harvard debut, replaced Deprima under center and then walked into the endzone for his first career touchdown, putting Harvard ahead, 14-0.
  • Harvard's defense quickly gave the ball back to the offense when Alex DeGrieck forced a fumble on the Tommies' subsequent possession. Nick Yagodich recovered the loose ball and the Crimson scored three plays later on Isaiah Abbey's 25-yard run. Harvard ended the first quarter with a 21-0 advantage.
  • Harvard's defense continued to dominate in the second quarter as Yagodich recovered a St. Thomas fumble. The offense, however, was unable to take advantage of the good field position. The defensive unit then put points on the board itself when Ty Bartrum picked off Amari Powell and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown, giving the Crimson a 28-0 lead. The interception and touchdown were the first of the sophomore's career.
  • Cali Canaval finished the first-half scoring with a career-long 43-yard field goal with six seconds left in the second half. Harvard took a 31-0 lead into the locker room.
  • Deprima opened the third quarter much like the game started – with a long TD run. The QB escaped the pocket and found an open sideline, eventually reaching the endzone for the 69-yard scoring play. The 69-yard rush was the longest by a Harvard quarterback since at least 2009.
  • St. Thomas snapped its scoreless streak with 7:40 left in the third quarter when Hope Adebayo scampered into the endzone from two yards out. The TD run narrowed the Tommies' deficit to 38-7.
  • Harvard got the points back when Deprima found Tyler Neville for an 18-yard touchdown in the right-side of the endzone, pushing the Crimson lead to 45-7. The TD pass was Deprima's first of his career and the scoring grab was Neville's fifth.
  • St. Thomas tacked on another TD with 10:18 left in the fourth quarter to round out the scoring. The Tommies, however, missed the extra point. 

Harvard Highlights

  • Charles Deprima became the first Harvard quarterback with a 100-yard rushing game since Colton Chapple vs. Bucknell on Oct. 13, 2012 (8 att., 120 yds., 2 TD). The QB finished with 113 on 10 carries.
  • Shane McLaughlin finished with 96 yards for the game, which was more than he had in his career entering the game (65 yards).
  • Ty Bartrum's interception return for a touchdown was Harvard's first since Khalil Dawsey in 2021, when he returned a pick 55 yards for the TD at Holy Cross.
  • Cali Canaval's 43-yard field goal was Harvard's longest since Jonah Lipel booted a 47-yarder at Yale in 2021.
  • Gavin Shipman recorded his second career interception with 55 seconds left in the second quarter, stopping a St. Thomas possession that began after the Tommies picked off a pass.
  • Garrett Sharp finished with a career-high 12 tackles and notched his first career double-figure tackle effort. He had 21 stops total in 2022.
  • Nick Yagodich filled the stat sheet with 1.0 sack, 1.5 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery.
  • As a defensive unit, Harvard totaled 3.0 sacks, 9.0 tackles for loss, forced two fumbles, recovered two fumbles, had two interceptions, broke up six passes and hurried the QB three times.
  • Harvard's 45 points were its most in a season-opening game since putting up 51 vs. Rhode Island in the 2016 opener.
  • Harvard improved to 12-0 in its last 12 season openers that have occurred at home.
  • The Crimson moved to 20-9 in lidlifters under Tim Murphy and 122-25-2 all-time.
  • Harvard improved to 17-2 in its last 19 home games vs. non-conference opponents.
  • The Crimson won the for the 45th time in its last 56 non-league outings.
  • Harvard won its 22nd straight home opener, which extends the second-longest active FCS streak in the country (North Dakota State – 25).
  • The Crimson improved to 49-16 in the month of September under Tim Murphy and 40-9 in the calendar's ninth month since 2001.
  • Harvard improved to 140-61 in games played in New England since 1994 (115-33 since 2001; 61-21 since 2012).
  • Tim Murphy won his 193rd game at Harvard, extending its conference-best win total.
  • The Crimson takes a 1-0 series lead vs. St. Thomas and is now 8-1 all-time vs. Pioneer Football League foes.

Up Next

Harvard returns to the gridiron on Friday, Sept. 22, when it welcomes Brown for its Ivy League opener. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET with the contest airing live on ESPN+.
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