Know Your Enemy: Harvard – Cornell University Athletics

A look at Harvard:

Harvard is off to a 2-1 start this weekend and most recently defeated #16/#21 New Hampshire Maine 28-23 on Friday night at Harvard Stadium.

Despite losing its Ivy League opener to Brown on Saturday, Sept. 28, the Crimson is receiving votes in both the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 and the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, the national polls for FCS football.

Junior Jaden Craig completed 34 of 66 passes for 599 yards and 6 touchdowns. He’s only thrown one pick so far this season, in the Ivy’s battle against Brown. Craig did not play in 2022 and did not become a mainstay at quarterback in 2023 until November 4th at Columbia.

In last season’s matchup between the Big Red and the Crimson, the Cornell defense featured mostly against then-junior Charles DePrima, still on the roster at Harvard but now more of an athlete, totaling 17 runs and one reception scored a touchdown.

Sophomore Xaviah Bascon and senior Shane McLaughlin are the Crimson’s primary runners. Bascon rushed for a total of 148 yards on 34 carries, including two scores. McLaughlin, who missed the game against New Hampshire, amassed 116 yards on 29 attempts and two home runs. DePrima is already the third-leading rusher this season with 67 yards and a score.

Junior Cooper Barkate is the Crimson offense’s favorite target, catching 13 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns. He was named an All-Ivy Honorable Mention in 2023. Senior Scott Woods II follows with 9 targets for 177 yards and two scores.

Harvard returns 2023 All-Ivy honorees Austin Gentle and Mike Entwistle on offense.

Senior linebackers Michell Gonser and Marcus Alexander lead the Crimson defense with 21 tackles each. Gonser has a pass breakup and interception this season, while Alexander has a sack for 10 yards.

Seniors Jacob Psyk and Gavin Shipman each forced a fumble. Senior linebacker Eric Little had the only fumble recovery for the Crimson.

Punter Sebastien Tasko punted 16 times for 670 yards, an average of 41.88 yards per boot. Last weekend against New Hampshire, he rushed for a season-high 55 yards. Lawson is a junior transfer from Arkansas. He appeared in 20 games for the Razorbacks as a punter.

Freshman kicker Kieran Corr is a perfect 12-for-12 on PAT attempts but has yet to attempt a single field goal this season. Corr’s last field goal lineup was with 45 seconds left in the game against Brown. With a chance to put the game on ice against the Bears, a bad snap turned into a turnover and Brown converted his first play from scrimmage for a touchdown and the winning points with 21 seconds left.

Harvard is ahead in the series 51-34-2. The Crimson have won the last four meetings.

In the last meeting, Harvard prevailed 41-23 in Cornell’s first-ever Cornell football appearance on ESPN2.

Harvard entered the competition ranked No. 21 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 and No. 19 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.

Cornell has won just four of 23 meetings since 2000. Three of the four matches took place at Schoellkopf Field.

In 2017 and 2018, Cornell edged Harvard in back-to-back meetings, with the Big Red staging a second-half comeback and scoring key points in the fourth quarter.

Harvard has a one-game lead in its all-time record at Schoellkopf Field, leading 18-17-2.

Head Coach: Andrew Aurich (Princeton ’06)

Record at Harvard: 2-1, first season

Overall record: 2:1, first season

Ivy record: 0-1

Ivy Title: N/A

Captain(s): Running Back Shane McLaughlin

2024 record: 2-1

Home/Away/Neutral: 2-0/0-1/0-0

Ivy record/2023 finish: 5-2/T-1

Returning/Losing Starters: 13-9

First year of football: 1874

All-time overall record: 903-412-50

Overall Ivy record: 292-170-9