Dartmouth football’s 21-point loss at Harvard the largest loss in a decade

Dartmouth Football Suffers Largest Loss in a Decade Against Harvard

In a crucial Ivy League game, Dartmouth football faltered in the fourth quarter, losing 31-10 to Harvard University. Jack Zipper ’28, Abby Byrne ’28, and Kyle Greason ’29 reported from the scene.

Post-Game Atmosphere at Harvard Stadium

On a cold November Saturday outside Harvard Stadium, the Dartmouth Big Green were somber after the defeat. Still wearing their jerseys, a group of defenders formed a circle with arms around each other. Safety and team captain Sean Williams ’26 offered a simple message to his downcast teammates:

“Look ahead.”

After that, the team broke their huddle and headed to the locker room to gather their things before boarding buses for the long trip back to Hanover.

Coach’s Reflections on the Game

Head coach Sammy McCorkle summed up the performance:

“It is what it is. We didn’t play the game we wanted to. It's not the outcome we wanted.”

Game Start and Early Struggles

Despite a large crowd of Dartmouth fans energized by their tailgates, the Big Green struggled at the outset. The defense allowed Harvard to convert three third downs on the opening drive, putting Dartmouth behind 7-0 early.

On offense, Dartmouth was forced to punt after just three plays on their first possession.

“We came out excited, ready to go, and we didn’t have a great start,”

said starting quarterback Grayson Saunier ’27.

“We can’t be inconsistent … This is the first time we went three-and-out on the first drive all year.”

Summary

This defeat marks Dartmouth's largest margin of loss in a decade and highlights the team’s challenges in overcoming Harvard’s strong performance.

Author’s Summary

Dartmouth’s football team experienced a rare and decisive loss to Harvard, underscoring a tough start and a need for greater consistency moving forward.

The Dartmouth — 2025-11-04