Xaviah Bascon’s 2 touchdowns help Harvard beat FCS No. 16 UNH 28-23

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Xaviah Bascon had two 1-yard touchdown runs, Scott Woods II had four receptions for 93 yards — including a 65-yard catch and run — and Harvard beat New Hampshire 28-23 Friday night . .

Bascon’s second TD gave Harvard a 21-16 lead with 5:11 left in the third quarter. The Wildcats scored three points on their next two possessions before Harvard quarterback Jaden Craig, running for a 6-yard gain on third-and-7, limped off the field and was replaced by Charles DePrima, who gave way to Bascon for a one-yard run that moved the sticks. On the next play, DePrima removed his hand on a zone read and ran around the left end for a 16-yard TD run to make it a 12-point game with 11:15 to play.

New Hampshire (3-2), which entered the game ranked 16th in the FCS coaches’ poll, had won three straight after a 57-3 road loss to Big 12 UCF.

Harvard (2-1) is 8-0 against the Wildcats, including a 46-0 victory in the last meeting between the programs – 31,002 days ago, on November 18, 1939.

Seth Morgan threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Burke that capped a 10-play, 82-yard drive on New Hampshire’s opening possession that trailed 5 minutes, 35 seconds. After Harvard punted for the second time, Morgan hit Joey Corcoran for a 14-yard gain on fourth-and-1 from the Wildcats’ 35 that set up a 52-yard field goal by Nick Mazzie, bringing the score to 10-0 with about 12 minutes left. remaining in the first half.

Two plays later, Craig was hit while throwing a pass to Woods at the 27, where he broke a tackle, then ran the rest of the way for a 65-yard touchdown that cut Harvard’s deficit to 10 -7 with 11:49 left. in the second trimester. The Wildcats responded with a seven-play, 64-yard drive, but had to settle for another field goal, a 27-yarder.

After New Hampshire failed to convert a fourth-and-7 from near midfield, Craig connected with Cooper Barkate for a 51-yard gain that set up a 1-yard TD run by Bascon that gave the Crimson its first lead at 14-13 with 4:08 to play in the first half.

Marcus Alexander sacked Morgan for a 10-yard loss that ultimately forced a 43-yard field goal by Mazzie as time expired in the second quarter to make the score 16-14.

Logan Tomlinson scored on a 3-yard catch-and-run that cut New Hampshire’s deficit to 28-23 with 5:54 to play.

The Wildcats have lost six straight road games after receiving a bye and are 4-9 overall after receiving a bye in the last 10 seasons.

Harvard has won back-to-back games against nationally ranked opponents. The Crimson beat then-No. 5 Holy Cross 38-28 last season at Polar Park, home of the Worcester WooSox, Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.