CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The No. 17/17 Harvard football team defeated Holy Cross, 30-7, at Harvard Stadium on Saturday. The Crimson improved to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in Ivy League play, while the Crusaders fell to 2-5.
Sophomore quarterback Charlie Smith completed 19-of-32 passes for 297 yards and a touchdown. First-year quarterback Kise Flannery rushed for two scores, and senior kicker Kieran Corr made all three of his field-goal attempts as Harvard closed out its non-conference schedule with a win. The Crimson finished with 461 yards of offense and held Holy Cross to 311 yards and seven points.
How it Happened
- Harvard scored on its first drive of the day, a nine-play, 72-yard possession capped by Flannery's one-yard touchdown run. A 25-yard run by Nate Bailey helped move the Crimson into the red zone.
- Holy Cross moved into Harvard territory on its next possession, but the defense forced a field-goal attempt that hit the right upright, giving the ball back to the Crimson.
- Harvard's next possession continued into the second quarter. The Crimson covered 61 yards in 13 plays, and Corr converted a 37-yard field goal to extend the lead to 10-0 with 11:43 remaining in the half.
- Holy Cross cut the lead to 10-7 on a 51-yard touchdown pass from running back Jake Croce to Joseph Williams.
- The Crusaders recovered a fumble on Harvard's next drive, but the Crimson defense held and forced a punt with just over three minutes remaining in the half.
- Smith connected with tight end Seamus Gilmartin for a 30-yard gain to move Harvard across midfield. Smith then led a two-minute drive, completing passes to Bailey and Gilmartin to move the Crimson into field-goal range. Corr made a 37-yard field goal with three seconds left, sending Harvard into halftime with a 13-7 lead.
- Harvard's first two possessions of the second half ended in punts, but the defense held Holy Cross scoreless. Austin-Jake Guillory intercepted a pass on the Crusaders' next drive to give Harvard the ball.
- The Crimson turned the interception into three points. On a nine-play, 65-yard drive, Smith connected with tight end Teigan Pelletier for 34 yards and Logan Reaska for 11. Corr finished the possession with a 42-yard field goal, extending Harvard's lead to 16-7.
- After the defense forced a three-and-out, Smith connected with first-year Henry Shoemaker for a 67-yard touchdown. Corr's extra point made it 23-7 on the final play of the third quarter.
- The defense forced another Holy Cross punt to open the fourth. Flannery then capped a 12-play, 84-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run, giving Harvard a 30-7 lead.
- Donahoe recorded his first interception of the season and returned it 51 yards to put the Crimson in the red zone. Harvard did not add another score, but ran down the clock to secure the 30-7 win.
Team Notes
- Harvard improved to 5-0 for the second consecutive season and the third time in the past four years.
- The Crimson extended its October winning streak to 12 games.
- Harvard held Holy Cross scoreless in the second half and tied its season low for points allowed.
- The team has allowed 10 points or fewer in three of its five wins.
- Harvard remained one of three unbeaten FCS teams following the early games. Stephen F. Austin (6-0) and Tarleton State (6-0) were also unbeaten and scheduled to play later in the day.
- The Crimson totaled 461 yards of offense, its second game this season with more than 450 yards.
- Harvard recorded multiple interceptions for the fourth time this season, bringing its total to 10 in 2026.
Player Notes
Kise Flannery: Scored two rushing touchdowns for his first career multiple-touchdown performance. Both scores came in the red zone. He finished with a career-best 36 rushing yards on five carries and became the second first-year to score multiple touchdowns this season, joining Nathan Bailey.
Henry Shoemaker: Scored his second career touchdown on a 67-yard reception in the third quarter. The score was Harvard's longest touchdown this season and its longest since Ryan Osborne '26 caught an 82-yard touchdown pass against Penn in 2025. Shoemaker has now caught a touchdown in back-to-back games. He finished with three receptions for a career-best 83 yards.
Jack Donahoe: Recorded his first interception of the season in the fourth quarter and returned it 51 yards. The return was Harvard's longest since Ty Bartrum '26 had a 96-yard interception return for a touchdown against St. Thomas in 2023.
Austin-Jake Guillory: Intercepted his first pass of the season and added three tackles.
Kieran Corr: Went 3-for-3 on field-goal attempts, connecting from 37, 37 and 42 yards. He has made his last five attempts.
Up Next
Harvard will return to Ivy League play next weekend, hosting Princeton at Harvard Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m., with the game streaming live on ESPN+.
