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Harvard Football vs. Princeton at Harvard Stadium (Oct. 24, 2026)
Harvard Athletic Communications (GoCrimson.com)
7
Princeton PRI 4-2 , 2-1
35
Winner Harvard HAR 6-0 , 3-0
Princeton PRI
4-2 , 2-1
7
Final
35
Harvard HAR
6-0 , 3-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
PRI Princeton 0 0 7 0 7
HAR Harvard 3 10 8 14 35

Game Recap: Football |

No. 17/15 Football Cruises to 35-7 Home Win Over Princeton

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – No. 17/15 Harvard Football jumped out to a 3-touchdown lead and never looked back in defeating Princeton, 35-7. The Crimson improved to 6-0 on the season and 3-0 in the Ivy League. The Tigers, who were receiving votes in both top-25 polls this week, dropped to 4-2 (2-1 Ivy).

How It Happened

  • Harvard opened the scoring by driving 74 yards in 18 plays, all while eating 10:02 off the clock. A 21-yard run by running back DJ Gordon, who was making his season debut, aided a drive that ended with a 24-yard field goal from Kieran Corr. The Crimson took that 3-0 lead into the second quarter.
  • After forcing a Princeton turnover on downs to open the second frame, Harvard quarterback Charlie Smith executed three straight chunk plays – a 17-yard pass to Tafari Moe, a 26-yard completion to Logan Reaska and another 26-yard strike, this time to Henry Shoemaker. The final completion resulted in a touchdown to boost the Crimson's lead to 10-0 with 10:48 left in the half.
  • On the ensuing possession, Princeton, again, went for it on fourth down and the result was the same – a turnover on downs. Harvard took advantage of the opportunity and drove 61 yards in 14 plays, setting up a Corr 32-yard kick through the uprights. The Crimson ultimately took that 13-0 lead into halftime.
  • Harvard opened the second half with the ball and watched Smith go 4-for-5 through the air, with the first two completions going to Teigan Pelletier (31 yards). An 18-yard catch by Moe got the Crimson into the Tigers' half of the field. Four plays later, quarterback Kise Flannerty found Pelletier, who caught an 18-yard TD pass. With Harvard ahead 19-0, it opted to go for the two-point conversion. Wideout Nathan Bailey snapped the ball to Smith, who flipped it back to Bailey to secure the two points and 21-0 lead.
  • Princeton got on the scoreboard with 1:02 left in the third quarter. Wyatt Becker threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Aidan Besselman, who helped the Tigers make the score, 21-7.
  • The Crimson added another seven points to its lead when Smith connected with Moe on an 18-yard pass. The TD pass put a lid on a 7-play, 75-yard drive that covered a tidy 3:12, pushing the hosts to a 28-7 advantage.
  • Shortly after the Moe TD grab, Harvard sent a vicious rush toward Princeton Ty Ciongoli and Xaden Benson forced a fumble. Dorsey Benefield scooped up the loose ball and returned it 32 yards for the score and final margin. 

Team Notes

  • Harvard improved to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Ivy League for the second straight campaign.
  • The Crimson held its second consecutive opponent to single digits and has done so three times this season. Harvard has limited four foes to 10 points or fewer in 2026.
  • Harvard is now the only unbeaten team (overall and conference) in the Ivy League.
  • The Crimson scored 35 points on a Princeton defense that was allowing just 10.2 points entering today.
  • Harvard is one of three unbeaten teams in the FCS (Stephen F. Austin – 7-0, Tarleton State – 8-0) and one of seven in Division I (Miami – 7-0, BYU – 6-0, Utah – 6-0, UCLA – 6-0). 

Player Notes

Dorsey Benefield – Made a team-high eight tackles to go with a fumble recovery and 32-yard TD return… The defensive touchdown was Harvard's first of 2026.
 
Xaden Benson – Made a season-high-tying six tackles and added season highs in TFL (1.5), sacks (1.0), forced fumbles (1) and PBU (2)… The forced fumble and sack were the first of his career.
 
DJ Gordon – Rushed for a game-high 67 yards on nine carries in his first game action of the season.
 
Austin-Jake Guillory – Set a season high with seven stops… Logged his first TFL (1.0) and PBU (1) of the season.
 
Tafari Moe – Matched his career high with three catches and 53 yards… Caught his second TD of the campaign and second in the last three games.
 
Teigan Pelletier – Had a game-high 53 yards receiving and one touchdown… Caught at least one touchdown in four of five games… His four receptions tied a career high.
 
Charlie Smith – Threw for 230 yards, which was 103 more than Princeton had as a team (127)… Completed 22-of-28 passing attempts, while the Tigers were 20-for-28… Had multiple touchdown tosses for the fourth time this season (fourth in last five games).
 
Henry Shoemaker – Has caught at least one touchdown in three straight games… Finished with one catch for 26 yards.

Up Next

Harvard will travel to Hanover, New Hampshire, to face Dartmouth on Friday, Oct. 30. The nationally televised game on ESPNU will begin at 7 p.m. ET.
 
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