CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Kieran Corr's 53-yard field goal as time expired propelled No. 11/7 Harvard Football to a 45-43 home win over Penn. The victory secured at least a share of its third straight Ivy League title and kept the Crimson undefeated at 9-0 (6-0 Ivy). The Quakers, meanwhile, fell to 5-4 (3-3 Ivy).

How It Happened

• After Penn opened the game with a 7-play, 65-yard scoring drive that ended with Donte West rushing one yard for a touchdown, Harvard answered with a TD drive of its own. Jaden Craig took the Crimson offense 75 yards in 13 plays, with Xaviah Bascon scoring on a 2-yard rush, helping Harvard even the score at 7-7.
• The third and fourth drives of the game mimicked the first two with both teams scoring touchdowns. Penn went up, 14-7, when Liam O'Brien connected with Jared Richardson for a 26-yard TD pass to complete a 9-play, 75-yard dive. Harvard answered by going 78 yards on 12 plays and again going to Bascon, who took a shovel pass 12 yards to the house. Bascon's second TD leveled the score at 14-14.
• Penn took a 21-14 lead on another West 1-yard touchdown run with 4:40 left in the second quarter (13 plays, 77 yards). The Crimson failed to answer on its ensuing possession and allowed an O'Brien-to-Richardson 10-yard TD. The Quakers missed the PAT to take a 27-14 lead.
• With just 49 seconds left in the first half, Harvard took full advantage of the opportunity, marching 75 yards in 11 plays. The 11^th play presented the Crimson with the option of kicking field goal or going for it on 4^th-and-2 from the 2-yard line. Harvard went with the latter and Craig cruised into the endzone to head into the locker room trailing, 27-21.
• Harvard took its first lead of the day when Craig dropped in a 23-yard pass to Brady Blackburn in the corner of the endzone. The acrobatic reception capped a 9-play, 63-yard drive, giving the Crimson a 28-27 lead with 5:36 left in the third.
• After Harvard forced a 3-and-out, its offense re-took the field and faced a 2^nd-and-20 after a holding penalty. With the ball on its own 18-yard line, Harvard called Ryan Osborne's number and Craig delivered an on-the-money pass, leading to an 82-yard touchdown. Craig's second-longest completion of his career helped the Crimson extend its lead to 35-27 with 4:05 remaining in the period.
• Penn opened the fourth quarter with a 7-yard touchdown pass from O'Brien to Richardson and attempted a 2-point conversion. The Crimson defense stood tall, however, and thwarted the Quaker attempt to maintain its lead, which was trimmed to 35-33 (14:21) as a result of the TD.
• Penn attempted an onside kick that failed, giving Harvard good field position. The Crimson started its drive at the Penn 41 and needed only nine plays to find the endzone. Bascon added a third TD to his ledger, rushing four yards for the score. The hosts now enjoyed a 42-33 lead with 10:47 to play.
• The Quakers scored 10 points in a matter of 3 minutes, 23 seconds, on an O'Brien 1-yard TD rush and a Mason Walters 30-yard field goal with 22 seconds left. The 10 spot gave Penn a 43-42 lead.
• Harvard would not be denied on this afternoon, however, as Craig found Dean Boyd for a 21-yard reception, completed a short 1-yarder to Bascon and then hit Ryan Tattersall for an 18-yard catch. That put the ball at the Penn 35-yard line, setting up Corr to split the uprights from a career-best 53 yards.

Team Notes

• Harvard won its 20^th Ivy League championship in program history.
• The Crimson has won three straight Ivy titles for the first time since 2013-15, and the second time overall.
• Harvard improved to 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the Ivy League, both program firsts since 2014.
• The Crimson has now won five straight vs. the Quakers and improved to 54-39-2 all-time vs. Penn.
• Harvard won its ninth game of the season, matching its most in a single season since 2015.
• The Crimson's ninth win sets a new personal-record for Andrew Aurich, who won eight games in his first season at the helm in 2024.
• Harvard has won 17 games in Aurich's first two seasons, which matches Robert T. Fisher '12 for the most in a Crimson head coach's first two years. 

Player Notes

• Xaviah Bascon (20 rushes, 103 yards, 2 touchdowns; 4 receptions, 29 yards, 1 touchdown): Matched his career high with two rushing touchdowns… Has four rushing TDs in his last two games… Combined for three touchdowns, which is a career best… Rushed for a season-high 103 yards and had a career-best 29 receiving yards.
• Jaden Craig (28-45-0 passing, 390 yards, 3 touchdowns; 2 rushes, 3 yards, 1 touchdowns): Threw for a career-high 390 yards… Completed a career-high 28 passes… Rushed for just his second TD of the season and the 10^th of his career.
• Brady Blackburn (6 receptions, 87 yards, 1 touchdown): Had a career-high six catches… Caught his four TD of the season.
• Ryan Osborne (2 receptions, 90 yards): Led all players with 90 receiving yards… His 82-yard TD reception was the longest catch of his career.
• Ty Bartrum (14 tackles): Made a season- and game-high 14 tackles.
• Jack Donahoe (11 tackles): Posted a career-high 11 tackles.
• Austin-Jake Guillory (10 tackles, 2 PBU): Made a season-high 10 tackles… Had his second game of the season with multiple PBUs.
• Sean Line (10 tackles): Recorded his four game this season with at least 10 stops.

Up Next

Harvard will close out its regular season on Saturday when it faces Yale in New Haven, Connecticut. Kickoff is slated for noon ET with the game airing on ESPNU.