Hempel, Harvard hold off Penn rally, win 38-30

Published Nov. 16, 2013 6:43 p.m. ET

foxsports

Conner Hempel completed 21 of 25 passes for 227 yards and two scores and ran for 65 yards and a touchdown as Harvard held off rallying Penn 38-30 on Saturday.

Harvard (8-1, 5-1 Ivy League) opened up a 38-0 lead early in the third quarter when Paul Stanton Jr. scored the second of his two rushing touchdowns.

Lonnie Tuff returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards before Asante Gibson stripped the ball and Caleb Johnson recovered it at the Harvard 26-yard line.

Then the wheels came off for the Harvard offense, which had scored on six of its first eight possessions, including five touchdowns.

Penn (4-5, 3-3) then scored touchdowns on its next five offensive possessions, including a pair of two-point conversions, while forcing five straight three-and-outs by the Crimson offense, cutting the Harvard lead to 38-30.

The Quakers' final drive stalled, in the waning seconds, at the Harvard 20.