Big Green Kick Off Season with 27-20 Win Over No. 25/23 UNH

Saturday, September 20

Hanover, N.H.

1:00 PM

Dartmouth College

1-0 , 0-0

New Hampshire

2-2 , 0-0

1st

2nd

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4th

New Hampshire

Dartmouth

Big Green Kick Off Season with 27-20 Win Over No. 25/23 UNH

9/20/2025 7:14:00 PM | Football

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Dartmouth erased an early 10-point deficit

By: Justin Lafleur

HANOVER, N.H. — The Dartmouth football team opened its season in impressive fashion, coming back from a 10-0 deficit to defeat No. 25/23 New Hampshire, 27-20, on Saturday afternoon at Buddy Teevens Stadium at Memorial Field. D.J. Crowther enjoyed a career day to lead the offense, posting career highs in rushing yards (143) and touchdowns (3). With the win, the Big Green snapped a two-game losing streak to New Hampshire to capture the Granite Bowl. Saturday was a Faculty and Staff Appreciation Game presented by Ledyard Bank.

All four Big Green touchdowns were scored on the ground, with Crowther tallying three and quarterback Grayson Saunier scoring the other with 2:53 left in the fourth to turn a 20-19 deficit into a 27-20 lead. That proved to be the final.

"Super proud of the way the guys battled the entire game," said Sammy McCorkle, Robert L. Blackman Head Football Coach. "We had some opportunities early and we allowed UNH to have a short field, but we bounced back, we never panicked and our guys did a good job on both sides of the ball."

After no Dartmouth points in the first quarter, Crowther had rushing touchdowns in the second, third and fourth quarters to spark the offense. His 143 yards came on 20 carries.

"First and foremost, it starts with the O line," said Crowther. "I wouldn't be able to do it without their blocks, receivers blocking downfield and just trusting in the coaches. We rep every day in practice the mentality of 1-0 each and every day. And it starts in practice, which is running hard, trust in the O line and receivers blocking."

Grayson O'Bara led the receivers with seven catches for 106 yards, including a long of 48, to help set up a score. Chris Corbo added five catches for 40 yards as well.

The Big Green went 47 yards on the game's opening drive, but Saunier was picked off by the Wildcats' Matthew Sopp, who returned it to the Dartmouth 13-yard line. It took UNH five plays to punch it in and take a 7-0 lead with 9:03 left in the first quarter.

Later in the stanza, the Wildcats drove into field goal range, knocking through a 32-yarder to take a 10-0 lead.

Early in the second, Crowther scored the first of his three touchdowns. A big play was a 34-yard connection between Saunier and Luke Rives. Three plays later, Crowther was in the end zone as Dartmouth trailed 10-7 with 11:21 on the second-quarter clock.

That proved to be the final scoring of the half. UNH would drive into Big Green territory in the final two minutes, but Harrison Keith completed an athletic interception to end any hopes.

Early in the third quarter with UNH driving, Sean Williams picked off UNH quarterback Matt Vezza to stop the Wildcats in their tracks. He returned it to the Dartmouth 47-yard line, setting up a six-play, 53-yard drive.

Sean Williams, the captain, with a huge interception to begin the third!

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— Dartmouth Football (@DartmouthFTBL) September 20, 2025

The final three plays featured a Crowther 21-yard rush, then Saunier five-yard rush and Crowther 16-yard scamper into the end zone, breaking numerous tackles along the way. The extra point was no good as Dartmouth led 13-10 with 9:38 left in the third.

D.J. Crowther would NOT be denied, and the Big Green lead for the first time!

Gameday Central ➡️ https://t.co/BLcjbklvsC #GoBigGreen | #TheWoods | #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/id9tb3Nnmc
— Dartmouth Football (@DartmouthFTBL) September 20, 2025

On the ensuing drive, UNH pulled even at 13 behind a 52-yard field goal, which was the score heading to the fourth.

On its first drive of the fourth, Dartmouth went 87 yards on seven plays. Included were three consecutive completions of 13 yards or more, with the drive ending behind Crowther's third touchdown run of the day, this time from 33 yards out. The Big Green led 19-13 with 10:05 left in the fourth.

Another look at Crowther's third score!

Gameday Central ➡️ https://t.co/BLcjbklvsC #GoBigGreen | #TheWoods🌲 pic.twitter.com/fgRxoI62rc
— Dartmouth Football (@DartmouthFTBL) September 20, 2025

The Wildcats quickly retook the lead, taking just four plays to go 68 yards and ending with a 38-yard touchdown reception from Chase Wilson to make the score 20-19.

The back-and-forth action continued, with the Big Green responding in a big way. It took eight plays to go 75 yards, as Saunier found O'Bara deep down the left side for 48 yards to the UNH 16-yard line. Four plays later, a 10-yard rushing touchdown from Saunier, along with a Saunier two-point conversation on the ground, gave the Big Green a 27-20 lead.

Grayson Saunier runs it in to give the Big Green the lead back! HUGE 48-yard reception by Grayson O'Bara to help set up the score.

Dartmouth 27, UNH 20 | 2:53 4th

Gameday Central ➡️ https://t.co/BLcjbklvsC #GoBigGreen | #TheWoods🌲 pic.twitter.com/td1eNVXwv8
— Dartmouth Football (@DartmouthFTBL) September 20, 2025

UNH eventually got to the Dartmouth 23-yard line, but Patrick Campbell broke up a fourth-down pass. Two kneel downs gave Dartmouth its first win over New Hampshire since 2021 and third in the last five meetings.

Final yards were 432-361 in favor of Dartmouth, with the Big Green holding a 188-88 edge on the ground and UNH holding a 273-244 edge through the air.

"We did a good job of staying in the game," said McCorkle. "We talked about it, just make it a four-quarter game. Let's get to the fourth quarter and let our conditioning come through and see where we are. We were moving the ball [early], but couldn't finish those drives. Defensively, we were on a short field early in the first half.

"Once we were able to flip the field and start controlling the field, and we talk about field position, the tide started turning around a little bit," McCorkle continued. "You could tell the energy and momentum started picking up. Our guys, workmanlike like as always, they went out there and kept coming and coming and coming, and finished strong."

The Big Green hit the road for two straight, beginning next Saturday at Central Connecticut State for a 12 p.m. start. After the Ivy League opener at Penn, Dartmouth returns home to host Yale on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 1:30 p.m. To order single-game and season tickets, please click here. Head to this link for more information on group experiences.

NOTES: Dartmouth is now 14-1 over its last 15 season openers … The Big Green pulled to within 21-20-2 in the all-time series … Grayson O'Bara's 106-yard game marked his second career game with 100+ yards and second straight (after 124 yards in the season finale last year) … Crowther's previous career high was 79 yards.