2026 Harvard Football Preview: Can The Crimson Make Another Run To The FCS Playoffs?

Our 2026 FCS football team preview series continues with Harvard, which is looking to build on last season's run to the FCS Playoffs.

The expectations remain high for the Crimson, especially after they've won a share of the Ivy League championship in back-to-back seasons. Harvard was one of two Ivy League programs to make the FCS Playoffs, but the season ended in disappointing fashion with a 52-7 loss to Villanova in the first round.

This team has a ton of returning talent that should have the Crimson firmly in the Ivy League race once again, but the biggest question will be who steps up at quarterback after Jaden Craig's departure. Now, the question is going to be whether Harvard can finish the job at the end of the season, plus carry that momentum into the postseason.

Let's take a deep dive into Harvard ahead of the 2026 college football season.

Roster Outlook

2025 Record: 9-2 (6-1 Ivy League)
Head Coach: Andrew Aurich (3rd season, 17-4)

Returning All-Conference Contributors (2025): Damien Henderson (CB), Spencer Doan (OL), Thomas O'Brien (OL), Sean Line (LB), Xaviah Bascon (RB), DJ Godon (RB), Seamus Gilmartin (TE), Kieran Corr (K)

Returning Significant Contributors (OFF): 11
Returning Significant Contributors (DEF): 9

Quarterback

The biggest question for the Crimson, by far, going into next season is who will step up at quarterback. Jaden Craig transferred to TCU this offseason, which has created an opportunity for someone to step up and lead this team. It'll be no easy task, especially with Craig being a two-time All-Ivy League selection and a Walter Payton Award finalist.

The favorite appears to be senior Dante Torres, who saw action in seven games last season. He finished the year with 153 passing yards, 1 passing TD, and 1 INT in only 13 attempts. He's unproven at the college level, but was named the New York Gatorade Player of the Year and was a record-setting quarterback at St. Anthony's.

Sophomore Charlie Smith, junior Ty Fein, and junior Sam Kaiser are the other names to watch in this quarterback battle. I would keep an eye on Smith and Kaiser, who were both highly-touted 3-star prospects with multiple FBS offers, but neither saw much playing time last season.

Running Back

This may be the most talented offensive unit for the Crimson. All three leading rushers return, including All-Ivy selection Xaviah Bascon. He led the team with 626 rushing yards and 7 rushing TDs, averaging 56.9 rushing yards per game. You could tell this offense missed his presence in the playoffs against Villanova, but he's become an important workhorse for the Crimson.

Senior Jordan Harris and junior DJ Gordon also return after serving as key rotational players in the backfield. Harris was an explosive weapon for this offense, averaging a team-high 7.1 yards per carry. He ended the year with 341 yards and 1 TD on only 48 carries.

Gordon may be listed as a quarterback on the roster, but he's an integral piece to this rushing attack. He ranked 2nd on the team with 448 rushing yards and 5 rushing TDs. It was a real breakout season for him, in which he was an All-Ivy League honorable mention.

There's some promising young talent, like sophomore Cole Allen, but the trio of Bascon, Harris, and Gordon will receive a majority of the carries next season. The experience and depth in this room will be very important for this team early in the year as the Crimson try to get their new quarterback comfortable before conference play begins.

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Brady Blackburn returns after leading the team with 38 receptions for 732 receiving yards and 5 receiving TDs last season. He took a big step forward for this offense and appears ready to be the No. 1 target for whoever wins the QB1 job in 2026. He posted 100 or more yards in four games, which earned him second-team All-Ivy honors.

Another important weapon for the new starting quarterback will be tight end Seamus Gilmartin, who enters next season as a two-time All-Ivy selection. At 6-4, he's a matchup nightmare for smaller defensive backs and is a real threat in red-zone situations. Over the past two years, Gilmartin has recorded 762 receiving yards and 9 TDs on 47 catches. He'll split time with senior Logan Reaska once again. Reaska had 114 yards and 2 TDs, but served an important role as a blocking tight end.

There is a major question behind these Top 2 options as to who will emerge as the next go-to target. Sophomore Ryan Tattersall really came on strong at the end of last season, finishing with 19 catches for 293 yards and 3 TDs. He's another weapon with a big frame at 6-5, who could mesh well with Blackburn's skillset.

The rest of the room is very young, but there are some promising options who could emerge as breakout players. Tafari Moe played well in limited action last year, seeing playing time in only four games as a freshman. Reed Phillips didn't see action last season as a true freshman, but was a 3-star prospect who was an elite deep threat, averaging 34 yards per catch over his entire high school career.

Incoming freshman Judge Nash is a name to watch as one of the top recruits in Harvard's 2026 recruiting class. He held offers from multiple Power Four programs and was a 1,000-yard receiver out of Archbishop Riordan. There's also a chance that seniors Isaiah Kacyvenski or Ryan Mooney step into a bigger role next season.

Offensive Line

Three full-time starters return along the offensive line, including first-team All-Ivy selections Thomas O'Brien (6-6, 310) and Spencer Doan (6-8, 300). O'Brien was the most effective pass-blocker for the Crimson last season, allowing zero sacks and only 8 QB pressures from his left guard spot. Doan was the anchor at left tackle, playing over 700 total snaps and only allowing 1 sack.

Brandon Sullivan (6-2, 295) also returns after playing nearly 600 snaps as the starter at right guard. His jump from freshman to sophomore year was massive and sets the stage for an even better 2026 season. Nihaal Rana (6-4, 290) was the sixth man for this OL last season, playing roughly 220 snaps, but has the ability to play guard or tackle. He appears ready to push for a starting role with a strong fall camp.

There are a few unproven, young players who will be competing for a starting role, including junior Enzo Agostini (6-6, 300) and junior Logan Demchyk (6-3, 285). Agostini played over 130 snaps last year, while Demchyk was the No. 2 at center for the Crimson, playing in four games last season. This will be an extremely important position to watch throughout fall camp, especially if Harvard is going to make another run to the FCS Playoffs.

Defensive Line

If Harvard is going to make another run to the postseason, this is the unit that's going to need to take the biggest step forward. In their playoff loss, the defensive line really struggled, which led to Villanova being able to run for over 300 yards and 4 TDs in that game.

There are only three players who played over 300 snaps returning on the defensive line, which means this unit will have a ton of new contributors who need to grow up quickly. Defensive tackle Jake Darling (6-4, 290) is the most experienced returner, playing 437 snaps and posting 27 tackles last season.

Jacinto Lopez (6-5, 285) also returns after playing roughly 300 snaps at defensive tackle, while Brandon Ukonu (6-2, 280) earned more playing time later in the season as a freshman. Darling projects as a starter, but the Crimson could really use a breakout year from Lopez or Ukonu to solidify the interior of this defensive line.

The leader of this defensive line unit appears to be defensive end Josh Fedd (6-4, 250), who took a massive step forward last year as a junior. He finished the year with 26 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, and 3 sacks, but his best performances came late in the year, setting himself up for a real breakout campaign as a senior.

Across from Fedd, the Crimson need to see Jack Crowley (6-4, 250) or Stephen Scourtis (6-4, 250) become a reliable starter at defensive end. Both players played roughly 100 snaps last season, but are going to be expected to produce at a much higher level going into next season.

If it's not one of those two guys, it'll need to be sophomore Achilles Anderson, who was a major recruiting win for Aurich and this staff. He battled injuries throughout high school, but he has all the tools to be a key contributor on this defensive line if he's fully healthy.

Harvard hasn't shied away from letting freshmen see the field, which is why I expect Mikhal Johnson to earn some immediate playing time. He held 10+ FBS offers and was the Mission League Most Valuable Lineman in back-to-back seasons. At 6-2, 260 lbs, he has the frame and skillset to be an immediate contributor with a strong performance in fall camp.

Linebackers

The middle of this defense will be anchored by Preseason All-American Sean Line, who returns after earning first-team All-Ivy honors in 2025. He led the team with 94 total tackles, while also posting 4 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, 1 INT, 10 QBHs, and 2 PBUs. His veteran presence will be important because the rest of this room will feature a lot of new faces in key roles.

Luckily, junior Dorsey Benefield returns after being limited to six games last season, but he could emerge as one of the most important contributors for this team. He was the highest-graded defensive player for Harvard last season, recording 27 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, and 1 INT. It feels like a certainty that he steps back into a starting role next year if he's 100% healthy.

Caleb Phillips and Owen Johnson have been around the program, but will need to show they can thrive in expanded roles if this unit is going to reach its potential. Johnson graded out well last season, but only played 122 snaps, while Phillips was limited to six games after missing the entire 2024 season due to injury.

I would keep a close eye on sophomore Ethan Carson as someone who could fight his way into a starting role. He earned a ton of playing time later in his freshman season, including playing nearly 40 snaps in Harvard's playoff loss against Villanova. I love his upside with another year of development, and he could see a big jump in production with more snaps over a full season.

Defensive Backs

The strength of this defense is going to be the secondary, which has four players returning with starting experience, who also played over 450 snaps last year. It starts with arguably the best cornerback duo in the Ivy League, as Damien Henderson and Austin-Jake Guillory are set to return.

Henderson is a three-year starter for this defense, which began with his Freshman All-American campaign in 2023. He's now a two-time All-Ivy League selection and is one of the best returning cornerbacks in the FCS. He finished last season with 46 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 2 INTs, and 8 PBUs. Guillory is a two-year starter, but has really continued to grow into his role for this defense. Over the past two seasons, he has recorded 87 tackles, 3 INTs, and 15 PBUs.

The Crimson have two solid players ready to step into key rotational roles behind Guillory and Henderson. Kennard McGuire Jr. and DJ Thomas played limited snaps last year, but appear ready to see a bigger role for the Crimson in 2026. Cristopher Ramirez is another name to watch as someone who could push for playing time as a reserve next year.

At safety, the Crimson are going to have to replace All-American Ty Bartrum, but there's no shortage of returning talent in this room. Xaden Benson played over 500 snaps last season, posting 41 tackles, 3 TFLs, 2 INTs, and 6 PBUs. He'll be joined by senior Jack Donahoe, who recorded 46 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 INTs, and 4 PBUs in 11 games. Both players have All-Ivy upside, while Donahoe showed flashes of being one of the better safeties in the conference last season.

Omari Gayles was a rotational player last year, but could see a bigger role after Bartrum's departure. The name to watch as a breakout star may be Mekhi Hicks, who played 4 games as a freshman, but graded out very well in his limited snaps. He was a high school standout coming out of Miramar, FL, which created interest from several FBS programs.

Season Outlook

I discussed the disappointing end to last season earlier in this preview, which I think sets the stage for a very important season for Harvard. The Crimson already expect to compete for Ivy League titles and now are going to expect to be in the playoff discussion each and every season. This season will be about establishing this program as an annual playoff contender, but that starts with finding postseason success, which should be the next logical step for Harvard in 2026.

The path back to the FCS Playoffs won't be easy because Harvard does have to navigate some interesting non-conference matchups. They open the year with a trip to New Hampshire, which was in the playoffs last season, along with games against Holy Cross and Colgate, who are competitive Patriot League programs. That doesn't even include road trips to Penn, Dartmouth, and Yale in conference play.

If Harvard finds a way to survive and win a share of the conference for the third consecutive season, this team should be much more battle-tested than they were last season going into the postseason. It's going to come down to whether the new starting quarterback can be an effective and efficient playmaker, along with the development along the lines of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

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