Skip To Main Content

Harvard University

Scoreboard

Skip to Navigation
>
>
Harvard Football defeats No. 20 Colgate in a thriller.
17
Colgate COL 4-2 , 3-0
20
Winner Harvard HAR 3-0 , 1-0
Colgate COL
4-2 , 3-0
17
Final
20
Harvard HAR
3-0 , 1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
COL Colgate 0 7 0 10 17
HAR Harvard 7 0 0 13 20

Game Recap: Football |

No. 22/20 Football Defeats No. 20/22 Colgate in Instant Classic, 20-17

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – No. 22/20 Harvard Football defeated No. 20/22 Colgate, 20-17, Saturday night on a Hail Mary catch-and-lateral as time expired to improve to 3-0 on the season. The Raiders, meanwhile, dropped to 4-2.
 
After surrendering a touchdown with 27 seconds left in the fourth quarter to trail, 17-14, Harvard took the field with 75 yards in front of it. Quarterback Charlie Smith completed a pair of 12-yard passes to Nathan Bailey, the second of which took the Crimson to its own 49-yard line. Another completion to Tafari Moe got Harvard to the Colgate 39, where it lined up for a 54-yard field goal.
 
A false start pushed the Crimson back to the 44 with four seconds left, bringing the offense back onto the field. With Smith in the shotgun, the sophomore heaved a pass to Teigan Pelletier, who hauled it in at the six-yard line and then lateraled to Bailey, who rushed eight yards for the game-winning score.

How It Happened

  • Harvard forced two quick Colgate possessions to open the game and received great field position in the process. A missed field goal from 22 yards out put a damper on its initial drive, but its second was an efficiency exhibition. Smith directed a five-play, 55-yard drive, which ended with a six-yard strike to Pelletier, giving the Crimson a 7-0 lead with 5:48 left in the first quarter.
  • The Raiders ended the first period down, 7-0, but with the ball to open the second and took advantage. A 19-yard reception by Matt Fogler got Colgate to the Harvard 5 and the hosts looked primed to get out of the situation by forcing a 4th-and-1. The Raiders' Caleb Naumann, however, rushed from a yard out and used a second effort to cross the goal line to knot the score at 7-7 with 12:36 left in the half. The TD wound up being the final points for either team in the frame.
  • Colgate halted a defensive battle when it connected on a 24-yard field goal Luke Vogeler. The boot gave the Raiders a 10-7 lead with 7:10 left in the fourth.
  • Harvard moved in front with just over two minutes remaining in regulation when Smith connected with Seamus Gilmartin on a two-yard TD pass. The score capped a 10-play, 78-yard drive. Colgate, however, answered with a 13-yard touchdown from Fogler to put the visitors ahead, 17-14, leaving Harvard with the aforementioned 27 seconds left to win the game. 

Team Notes

  • The Crimson improves to 4-2 in its last six games vs. nationally ranked teams.
  • Harvard has won its last two home games vs. nationally ranked teams.
  • Harvard improved to 3-0 for the second straight season and for the third time in the last five years.
  • The Crimson has won 12 straight regular-season non-conference games.
  • Harvard has won 10 straight games at night and is now 14-1 at night since 2021.
  • The Crimson has won 25 consecutive home openers.
  • Harvard has won 10 straight games in the month of October.
  • The Crimson improves to 6-4 all-time vs. Colgate and 5-3 at home. 

Player Notes

  • Nathan Bailey: Set a career high with 187 receiving yards, besting his previous high of 80 set last week at Brown… Set a personal best with 16 receptions, erasing his previous best of nine last week at Brown… His 16 catches are the second-most in program single-game history, surpassing Kyle Juszczyk '13 (15 in 2012); Carl Morris '03 owns the record (21 in 2002)… The 16 receptions are a school-record for most catches in a game by a first-year… Recorded his second receiving touchdown of the campaign.
  • Dorsey Benefield: After having a career- and game-high 12 tackles at Brown, the junior finished tonight with another 12… He has recorded at least eight stops in all three games this season.
  • Charlie Smith: Finished with 31 completions, 375 yards and three touchdowns… The 31 completions and 375 yards were both career highs… His three TDs is a career high… The 31 completions are tied for the third most in program single-game history, tying Colton Chapple '13 in 2012… His 375 yards passing are the 12th-most in program single-game history.
  • Xaden Benson: Intercepted his fifth pass of the season as the first half came to a close… Has five interceptions and one fumble recovery on the season.
  • Teigan Pelletier: Caught his second TD of the season in the first quarter… Finished with four catches and 62 yards, which are both career highs.
  • Tafari Moe: Finished with three receptions for 53 yards after posting three catches and 38 yards in 2025.

Up Next

The Crimson steps back into Ivy League play when it plays at Cornell on Saturday, Oct. 10. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. ET, with the contest airing live on ESPN+.
 
 
Print Friendly Version