Harvard uses early dominance to subdue Stetson 35-0

Crimson QB Jaden Craig threw for 217 yards and three touchdowns in the win.

Harvard’s Jaden Craig. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff

By Associated Press

September 21, 2024 | 6:22 PM

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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Jaden Craig threw for 217 yards and three touchdowns and Harvard dominated its season opener, beating Stetson 35-0 on Saturday.

The Crimson scored on the game’s opening drive and were never challenged. Craig threw a 43-yard touchdown to Scott Woods II on a seven-play, 85-yard drive.

Harvard held Stetson to three-and-out and forced a punt. Woods returned the 32-yard punt 27 yards to Stetson’s 20-yard line. He followed that up with a 15-yard run to help set up Shane McLaughlin’s 4-yard scoring run.

Harvard made it a 21-0 lead when on Stetson’s follow-up drive, Mitchell Gonser intercepted Trip Maxwell and returned it 37 yards just before the midway mark of the opening quarter.

Seven seconds before halftime, Craig threw a 24-yard scoring pass to Ryan Osborne. In the third, he added a 25-yard scoring pass to Cooper Barkate.

Harvard held Stetson to 101 yards.