Brown Football Tests Harvard in Ivy League, Home Opener, Falls 31-17

Friday, September 21

Providence, R.I.

7:00 pm

Brown University

0-2 , 0-1

Harvard

2-0 , 1-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

HARVARD

BROWN

Photo by: David Silverman Photography

Brown Football Tests Harvard in Ivy League, Home Opener, Falls 31-17

9/21/2018 11:15:00 PM | Football

Box Score Box Score

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Behind a pair of touchdown drives in the second half, Brown University football rallied to within one score of Harvard University in the fourth quarter, before falling, 31-17, in its Ivy League and home opener on Friday night in front of 9,309 fans and a national television audience at Brown Stadium.

Trailing 24-3 at halftime, the Bears (0-2, 0-1 Ivy) rallied to within 24-17 in the fourth quarter before the Crimson (2-0, 1-0 Ivy) added a late score and held on for the win in a game televised nationally on ESPNU.

Bears sophomore quarterback Michael McGovern (St. Louis, MO) completed 22-of-43 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior tight end Anton Casey (Bethesda, MD) caught four passes for 64 yards and a touchdown, and junior Jaelon Blandburg (Orange County, CA) made five receptions for 48 yards and a score. Junior Jakob Prall (Tipp City, OH) totaled 120 receiving yards on three catches, including a long reception of 55 yards.

Defensively, senior defensive backs Jorquel Condomina (Naples, FL) and Sebastian Dovi (Newark, DE) each intercepted passes for the Bears, making their second and third career picks respectively.

Junior defensive lineman Michael Hoecht (Oakwood, OH) and sophomore linebacker Ryan Putman (Greenville, SC) each recorded a sack. Hoecht and sophomore defensive back Izayah Powell (Bronx, NY) led the Bears with eight tackles apiece.

Brown marched down the field on its opening possession, but its initial drive stalled on the Harvard 10-yard line. Fortunately for the Bears, freshman kicker Dylan Brady (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) booted a 27-yard field goal for a 3-0 Brown lead with 10:51 left in the quarter.

Harvard answered on its first possession with a 78-yard, six-play scoring drive to take a 7-3 lead on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Jake Smith to Henry Taylor. A 43-yard run by BJ Watson with 4:59 left gave the Crimson a 14-3 advantage.

Crimson cornerback Cole Thompson stepped in front of a Brown pass and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown for a 21-3 Harvard advantage with 9:22 remaining in the second quarter. A late field goal by Jake McIntyre from 23 yards out gave the Crimson a 24-3 edge at the half.

The Bears capitalized on a Harvard miscue, taking over on the Crimson three-yard line. Three plays later, McGovern threw his first career touchdown pass, connecting with Blandburg for a four-yard touchdown with 6:57 left in the third quarter, cutting Harvard's lead to 24-10.

Brown continued its comeback bid when McGovern connected on a 29-yard scoring pass to Casey, who grabbed the ball at the 20-yard line and scampered into the end zone to trail, 24-17, with 12:24 remaining in the game.

Harvard went ahead 31-17 with 4:11 left in the fourth quarter as Smith found Adam Scott for a 22-yard touchdown. The score capped a 14-play, 87-yard drive in 8:05 for the Crimson.

Brown led Harvard in passing yards, 293-251, while the Crimson held a 237-32 advantage in rushing yards.

For the Crimson, Smith finished 23-of-30 passing for 251 yards and two touchdowns. Aaron Shampklin ran for 93 yards on 15 carries while Watson rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown on four carries. Scott caught eight passes for 90 yards and a score.

Brown continues its two-game homestand on Saturday, September 29, hosting the Georgetown Hoyas at Brown Stadium. Kick-off is 1:00 p.m. on ESPN+.