#23 UNH Edged 27-20 at Dartmouth in Granite Bowl

Saturday, September 20

Hanover, N.H.

1 PM

University of New Hampshire

2-2 , 0-0

Dartmouth

1-0 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

New Hampshire

Dartmouth

Photo by: Ryan Moran

9/20/2025 6:08:00 PM | Football

Box Score

HANOVER, N.H. – The No. 23 University of New Hampshire football team was defeated 27-20 by Dartmouth College in Saturday afternoon's Granite Bowl matchup at Buddy Teevens Stadium at Memorial Field.

UNH's last drive, which began at the UNH 25 with 2:53 remaining, ended when the Wildcats did not convert 4^th-and-3 from the DC 23 with 38 seconds on the clock.

Sophomore quarterback Matt Vezza (Elmhurst, Ill.) completed 22 of 35 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown; he was intercepted twice. He also rushed the ball a team-high 13 times for 33 yards.

Grad student Chase Wilson (Lake Charles, La.) pulled in six catches for 120 yards, including a 38-yard TD.

Senior captain Duncan Moreland (Beverly, Mass.) finished with a game-high eight tackles and redshirt freshman Matthew Sopp (Beverly, Mass.) recorded UNH's lone takeaway with his first career interception.

Dartmouth was led offensively by D.J. Crowther, who had 20 carries for 143 yards and three touchdowns. Grayson Saunier was 22 of 30 for 244 yards and had eight carries for 37 yards and a TD.

UNH moves to 2-2 and DC is 1-0.

UP NEXT

UNH returns to action Sept. 27 against UAlbany for its Throwback Game and Military Appreciation.

CLICK HERE to buy tickets online or e-mail unh.tickets@unh.edu or call (603) 862-4000.

FIRST QUARTER

UNH converted an interception into a TD drive and a fourth-down stop by the defense into a field goal to build a 10-0 lead through 15 minutes.
Sopp ended the first drive of the game with an interception at the UNH 22 yard line and had a 65-yard return to set up 1^st-and-10 at the DC 13.
Vezza extended UNH's drive with a four-yard run on 4^th-and-2, then scored one play later on a keeper up the middle and the PAT kick by Nick Reed (Harrison, N.Y.) gave the Wildcats a 7-0 lead at 9:03.
On the next drive, the Big Green faced 4^th-and-6 at the UNH 39 and Jordan Mcallister (South Orange, N.J.) stopped Crowther for a one-yard loss to give possession back to the 'Cats.

Reed's 32-yard field goal capped a seven-play, 46-yard drive that was highlighted by a 23-yard keeper by Vezza and extended UNH's lead to 10-0 at 1:00.

SECOND QUARTER

Crowther's four-yard TD run capped a 9-play, 75-yard drive that lifted the Big Freen within 10-7 at 11:27 and that was all the scoring in the second quarter.

THIRD QUARTER

Crowther's second TD rush, this time from 16 yards, gave the home team its first lead of the game, 13-10, at 9:45.

UNH responded with a 12-play, 41-yard drive that consumed 6:17 off the clock and culminated with Reed's 52-yard field goal, which matched his career long.

FOURTH QUARTER

Crowther's third touchdown on a 33-yard scamper put Dartmouth back in front, 19-13, at 10:05.
Vezza found Wilson in the front-right corner of the end zone and Red's PAT gave New Hampshire a 20-19 Lead at 7:43.
The Big Green marched 75 yards on eight plays as Saunier scored on a QB keeper and also ran in the 2-point conversion to give Dartmouth a 27-20 lead at 2:53.
With the 'Cats facing 4^th-and-3 at the UNH 31, Burke pulled in a ball that was tipped in the air for a nine-yard gain to extend the drive. New Hampshire then converted 4^th-and-15 when Vezza connected with Wilson for a 20-yard pass plat to the DC 45.
Dartmouth was penalized for pass interference to advance the ball to the DC 30 with 43 seconds on the clock.
Following a pair of incompletions, Myles Thomason's seven-yard reception set up 4^th-and-3. Vezza attempted to connect with Peyton Strickland (Goffstown, N.H.) over the middle at the DC 18, but the pass was broken up by Patrick Campbell.

DC gained possession with 38 seconds left and secured the win with a pair of QB kneel downs.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Reed made a 52-yard field goal for the second consecutive week and he has made 3 of 4 attempts from 50+ yards this season.
UNH entered the weekend leading FCS football with three interceptions and increased that total to four with Sopp's INT at Dartmouth.
New Hampshire had won each of the previous two Granite Bowl matchups – 24-7 at home in 2023 and 14-0 in Hanover in 2022.

UNH has played in a season opener all four games this year – at NC Central, home vs. Holy Cross, at Ball State and at Dartmouth.

Wildcats for Life returns Sept. 29–Oct. 10
UNH Athletics' annual fall fundraiser is just around the corner, supporting student-athletes across all programs. This year, your impact will go even further thanks to a $35,000 match! Stay tuned for how you can get involved and help fuel the success of our Wildcats.