Charlie Smith threw for 375 yards and three touchdowns and Harvard stunned Colgate 20-17 on the last play of the Crimson’s home opener on Saturday. The game featured three lead changes in the final 2:08.
Trailing, 17-14, with 4 seconds left at the Colgate 44-yard line, Smith drifted to his left and heaved a pass that was caught at the 6 by tight end Teigan Pelletier.
As two Raiders defenders attempted to tackle the 6-foot-6-inch, 230-pound Pelletier, he lateraled the ball to freshman Nate Bailey who ran it in from the 8 to end the game.
Bailey finished with 197 yards receiving — the most by a Crimson player since Kyle Juszczyk in 2012 — and a touchdown on 16 receptions.
Harvard (3-0) entered ranked 20th in the FCS Stats Perform poll. Colgate entered 22nd.
Colgate (4-2) appeared to have the win in hand when Jake Stearney led a 13-play, 75-yard drive that ended with his 13-yard scoring pass to Matt Fogler to put the Raiders ahead, 17-14, with 27 seconds remaining.
Fogler finished with 138 yards receiving and a touchdown on 12 receptions.
The Crimson grabbed a 14-10 lead with 2:08 remaining on a 2-yard Seamus Gilmartin touchdown catch, capping off a 10-play drive.
Harvard will visit Cornell next Saturday.