Top 25 Clash in Cambridge | Fresh off a 28-21 road upset of No. 23/22 Villanova in its first top-25 matchup since 2018, No. 22/20 Colgate heads to Cambridge, Mass., for another ranked road tilt Saturday night at No. 20/22 Harvard.
Series History | Harvard leads the all-time series 5-4, though the programs haven't met since 1999. The Raiders won the last two matchups (24-21 in 1999; 34-14 in 1998) after the Crimson took the inaugural meeting 21-20 in 1952.
Statement Win | Colgate’s 28-21 win at Villanova marked its first victory over a ranked opponent since November 2023 and its first win over the Wildcats since 1978 in their inaugural meeting as Patriot League foes.
Defense on Demand | Under second-year defensive coordinator Trevor Warner, the Raiders lead the FCS in interceptions (9) and red zone defense (.429), while ranking fifth nationally in both total defense (258.6 YPG) and scoring defense (13.0 PPG).
Pitching Zeroes | Colgate has allowed just seven fourth-quarter points across three Patriot League games this season, including final-frame shutouts against both Fordham and Holy Cross.
Pressure Cooker | The Raiders logged seven sacks at Villanova—their highest single-game total since posting nine at Fordham in 2024. Colgate’s 10 sacks through five games rank third in the Patriot League.
Stearney Shines | Senior quarterback Jake Stearney completed a season-best 71.1% of his passes (15-for-21) for 158 yards and three touchdowns to three different receivers at Villanova, while adding 56 rushing yards on 11 carries.
Finding Fogler | Sophomore receiver Matt Fogler leads the Patriot League in receiving yards per game (92.2) and touchdown catches (5). He notched his second 100-yard outing of the season against Cornell with eight catches for 137 yards and a score.
First-Year Backfield | Filling in for league-leading rusher Danny Shaban, freshman running backs Caleb Naumann and O’Shea Faison combined for 95 rushing yards on 33 carries at Villanova, with Naumann punching in his first career touchdown.
Spreading the Wealth | Three Raiders scored their first career touchdowns at Villanova: Caleb Naumann scored on a first-quarter run, while Peyton Way and Chief Montalvo hauled in five-yard TD passes from Jake Stearney in the third quarter.
Mad Mags | Junior linebacker Christian Magliacano leads the Patriot League in interceptions (3) and tackles for loss (7.0). Through five games, he also paces the Raiders in solo stops (25) and quarterback hurries (3).
Can’t Tame Trooper | Senior linebacker Trooper Price earned his second Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week honor after pacing the defense with a team-high nine tackles, 2.5 TFLs, and 1.5 sacks in the win at Villanova.
Lucky Number 13 | Colgate considers 13 its lucky number and celebrates Colgate Day every Friday the 13th. In 1817, 13 men met in Hamilton, N.Y., to found the institution, backing their vision with 13 dollars and 13 prayers.
With a win the Raiders would…
- …post two Ivy League wins for the first time since 2023
- …even the all-time series at 5-5 against Harvard
- …record their third consecutive head-to-head win over the Crimson
- …remain unbeaten against FCS foes this season
- …win back-to-back road games for the first time since 2018
- …elevate Curt Fitzpatrick’s record at Colgate to 10-8
