Harvard spoils Penn’s homecoming by rallying to a 31-28 victory

Call it a homecoming heartbreaker.

Penn saw a 14-point third-quarter lead when Harvard came back to tie the game with 5 minutes left. The Crimson then kicked a 21-yard field goal as time expired to edge the Quakers, 31-28, on Saturday at Franklin Field.

The win secured Harvard (8-1, 5-1 Ivy) at least a share of the Ivy League title. Penn fell to 4-5, 2-4.

The Quakers had missed a 46-yard field goal attempt with 1 minute, 56 seconds left, before Harvard drove to the Penn 1 and converted the short field goal.

“These field goals will be the [death] of me,” Penn coach Ray Priore said. “[Junior kicker Sam Smith] had plenty of leg on the kick. … Sam has done a terrific job.”

Along with homecoming, Penn celebrated its senior class. All 29 seniors on Penn’s team were introduced before kickoff and joined by friends and family on the field.

Senior captain Aidan Sayin, Penn’s all-time pass completion leader, was announced last. The senior signal caller did not suit up for his last game at Franklin Field after sustaining an elbow injury three weeks ago against Yale.

Notably, to start the third quarter, senior tight end Mike Fraraccio scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 6-yard pass from Liam O’Brian to push the Quakers’ lead to 21-7.

“Scoring touchdowns are really fun, so getting [Fraraccio] his first touchdown, especially on senior day, homecoming in front of all our alumni, all our past teammates,” O’Brien said, “it is special.”

On Harvard’s second drive, junior quarterback Jaden Craig rushed for a first down on a fourth-and-3. After gaining the necessary yardage, Craig was tackled by Penn linebacker John Lista in a violent collision, which caused a fumble that was recovered by Penn.

Lista and Craig required medical attention, but Lista ultimately got off the field under his own power. He did not return to the game. Craig laid still on the field for an extended period of time before being carted off. He was taken to the locker room but returned to the Harvard sideline in street clothes in the second quarter, walking without assistance.

» READ MORE: Penn quarterback Liam O’Brien is ‘not really content’ at all with his record-setting performance

After the game, Harvard coach Andrew Aurich said he “believed” Craig could have suffered a concussion.

“He’s going to go get checked out and then hopefully coming back with us if he can get to the bus in time,” Aurich said. “But beyond telling you more information than I should, he’s with it. He is aware of where he’s at, and he was mad that he wasn’t allowed back in the game.”

Senior Charles DePrima stepped in for Craig. DePrima, the team’s starting quarterback last year before Craig won the job, had been used as a slot receiver and running back for the Crimson. DePrima, a threat with his legs, scored twice — once through the air and once on the ground.

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After a Harvard fumble turned to a short-field drive for the Quakers, O’Brien marched the offense into Crimson territory. On a fake handoff to sophomore running back Malachi Hosley, O’Brien found a streaking Owens in the end zone at the 12:39 mark of the second quarter.

It wasn’t the only time O’Brien would find his 6-foot-4 wideout on play action for a score. With 2:57 left in the half, the junior made a contested catch on the sideline, broke a tackle, and took it in for a 66-yard touchdown.

“I mean, [the touchdown] was electric,” Owens said. “Just the faith Liam has in me to throw the ball in a one-on-one situation and do a perfect ball, perfect placement.”

Owens caught three passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns.

On the first play of the third quarter, Hosley found a gap in the line for a 55-yard rush. On this run, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the season — Penn’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2019. He ended his day with 143 rushing yards.

O’Brien was accurate, throwing zero interceptions in his third straight game. Along with his three touchdown passes, he rushed for a 4-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. He ended with 171 passing yards and 68 rushing yards on 17 attempts.

Penn travels to Princeton looking to end its season with a win next Saturday (1.p.m., ESPN+).