Football to Clash on Saturday at No. 22/22 Dartmouth

Dylan Goodman

football
Oct 29, 2024 9:34:00 am

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard travels to The Granite State for a Saturday afternoon showdown at No. 22/22 Dartmouth. Ivy League play has implications for the conference title, as the Crimson is one of three teams that are 2-1, while the Big Green sits atop the league at 3-0. It is also a meeting between two of the three teams sharing the 2023 Ivy League crown. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET, with ESPN+ broadcasting the game live.

Quick hits

– The matchup between Harvard and Dartmouth is one of the top games in the country and the only FCS contest in which two teams have suffered one or fewer losses this season. In all of Division I (FCS and FBS), there are only three games with two teams with one loss or less – Harvard (5-1) vs. Dartmouth (6-0), Ohio State (6-1) vs. Penn State (7th). :0). ) and Pittsburgh (7-0) at SMU (7-1).

– The Crimson had a perfect month in October, something the program hasn't achieved since 2015. Harvard went 4-0, which included a 28-23 home win over then-No. 16-21 New Hampshire and its most recent win, a 45-13 decision against Princeton last Saturday at Harvard Stadium.

— Harvard is looking for its fifth straight win, which would tie the program's longest (2021, 2023) since the 2015 team opened the campaign with eight straight wins. The Crimson will attempt to accomplish that feat while at 13-1 since the start of 1994, including a 28-13 finish in 2022.

– Despite the recent one-sidedness of games played in Hanover and Harvard's current two-game winning streak, the advantage has shifted in favor of the Big Green in recent seasons. Dartmouth has won three of the last five meetings, but all five have been extremely close: four were decided by a total of 21 points (average margin of victory – 5.3 points) and all five by 36 points (average margin of victory – 7.2 points). ). Of the 2013 game, which included ten games, eight were decided by eight points or less. The other two had margins of 11 points (2014) and 15 points (2022), respectively.

– In Harvard's convincing victory over Princeton, quarterback Jaden Craig continued his outstanding play. The junior completed a career-high 26 passes (26-33) for 345 yards and a personal best four touchdowns. As of October 11, Craig leads all FCS signal-callers (at least three games) with a 77.6 completion percentage, 11 TDs (No. 1 in FCS and FBS), a 12.9 percent touchdown percentage and a QB rating from 208.7. He also ranks fourth in yards per game (306.0) and fifth in yards per game (918) (minimum three games).

– Junior wide receiver Cooper Barkate caught two touchdowns (14, 39 yards) and finished the game against Princeton with a game-high 106 yards. As of October 11, Barkate ranks first among FCS players (at least three games) in touchdowns (5), fifth in yards per game (106.7) and receiving yards (320), and 14th in receptions (19). senior Scott Woods IIwho had a game- and career-best 10 catches for 81 yards against the Tigers, ranks seventh nationally in receptions with 23 since Oct. 11.

– Barkate and sophomore tight end Seamus Gilmartin teamed up to post 100-yard receiving days against Princeton. Barkate had 106, Gilmartin added 101 with a touchdown. The duo became the first Harvard teammates to record at least 100 yards receiving in the same game since November 3, 2018. That afternoon, Jack Cook rushed for 107 yards on three catches (1 TD) and Henry Taylor had five receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns against Columbia.

– Harvard recorded six sacks, including 2.5 from seniors Jacob Psyk7.0 tackles for loss, one interception (Ty Bartrum) and five quarterback hurries against Princeton. The Crimson's defensive performance handed the Tigers their biggest loss since a 51-14 loss to Yale on November 16, 2019. Harvard also lost six games to Princeton and recorded its biggest win in the series since 2015 (42-7 Harvard -Victory).

– Bartrum has 22 tackles (14 solo), 1.0 sacks, 1.0 TFL, a fumble recovery that went for an 88-yard touchdown, an interception and a pass breakup in the last two games alone. Psyk, meanwhile, was a threat on the defensive line, totaling 4.5 sacks and a team-high 7.5 tackles. The senior's TFL total accounts for half of his tackle count for the season (15). The two anchor a unit that leads the Ivy League in third-down defense (.341), defensive TDs (2), pass yards allowed (206.0), rushing defense (108.3) and total defense (314). ,3) comes first.