What Is 2022 Harvard Crimson football team

Content on WhatAnswers is provided "as is" for informational purposes. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees. Content is AI-assisted and should not be used as professional advice.

Last updated: April 15, 2026

Quick Answer: The 2022 Harvard Crimson football team represented Harvard University during the 2022 NCAA Division I FCS season, finishing with a 5–5 overall record and 3–4 in Ivy League play under head coach Tim Murphy, who retired after the season.

Key Facts

The 2022 Harvard Crimson football team finished with a 5–5 overall record
They went 3–4 in Ivy League competition during the 2022 season
Head coach Tim Murphy retired after 30 seasons at Harvard, concluding with 200 career wins
Harvard played its home games at Harvard Stadium in Boston, Massachusetts
The team scored 208 total points, averaging 20.8 per game in 2022

Overview

The 2022 Harvard Crimson football team represented Harvard University in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), competing as a member of the Ivy League. Led by 30th-year head coach Tim Murphy, the team navigated a challenging schedule that included traditional rivals and conference foes, ultimately finishing with a balanced 5–5 record.

The season marked the end of an era as Murphy, the winningest coach in program history, announced his retirement following the campaign. Despite missing a winning record and Ivy League title, the team showed resilience in close games and laid groundwork for future seasons under new leadership.

Record: The Crimson finished the 2022 season with a 5–5 overall record and a 3–4 mark in Ivy League play, their first non-losing season since 2019.
Head coach: Tim Murphy retired after 30 seasons, amassing 200 wins and leading Harvard to 11 Ivy League championships since 1994.
Home stadium: Harvard played all home games at historic Harvard Stadium, a 30,323-seat venue in Boston built in 1903.
Scoring: The offense averaged 20.8 points per game, totaling 208 points across 10 games, with a season-high 38 against Princeton.
Defensive performance: The defense allowed 22.7 points per game, struggling in close losses to Dartmouth (21–20) and Penn (31–28).

Season Structure & Performance

The 2022 season followed the traditional Ivy League football schedule, featuring a 10-game slate with no postseason due to conference rules. Harvard faced a mix of non-conference and Ivy opponents, with key games determining their final standing.

Opening game: Harvard opened the season on September 17, 2022, defeating Stetson 41–3, marking a strong start with 507 total yards.
Conference play: Ivy League games began on October 1, with Harvard losing to Yale 23–22 in a tightly contested rivalry matchup.
Key victory: The team defeated Princeton 38–28 on November 5, their highest-scoring output of the season and a highlight of the campaign.
Season finale: The final game was a 34–7 loss to Penn on November 19, contributing to their 3–4 conference record.
Player performance: Quarterback Tom D'Arcy started most games, throwing for 1,348 yards and 9 touchdowns with 6 interceptions.
Defensive leader: Linebacker Luke Hobbins led the team with 78 total tackles, including 45 solo stops and 4.5 tackles for loss.

Comparison at a Glance

Harvard’s 2022 performance is best understood in context of recent seasons and Ivy League peers. The table below compares key metrics across select teams.

Team	Overall Record	Ivy Record	Points For	Points Against
Harvard	5–5	3–4	208	227
Yale	7–3	5–2	220	176
Princeton	8–2	5–2	325	187
Columbia	6–4	4–3	245	216
Dartmouth	4–6	2–5	175	201

Harvard’s performance placed them in the middle of the Ivy League standings, behind dominant teams like Princeton and Yale. While their scoring was below league leaders, their defense was competitive, particularly in low-scoring games.

Why It Matters

The 2022 season was a transitional year for Harvard football, symbolizing the end of a legendary coaching era and the beginning of a new chapter. Understanding this season helps contextualize the program’s direction and competitive balance within the Ivy League.

End of an era: Tim Murphy’s retirement after 30 seasons marked the close of the most successful coaching tenure in Harvard football history.
Recruiting impact: The transition prompted a renewed focus on recruiting, with incoming coach Mike Johnson beginning to reshape the roster.
Competitive parity: The Ivy League remains highly competitive, with no team dominating consistently, as seen in close game outcomes.
Player development: Harvard continued to develop talent, with several players receiving All-Ivy honors despite the team’s record.
Academic-athletic balance: The season reinforced Harvard’s commitment to student-athlete success both on the field and in the classroom.
Historical context: The 2022 team is part of a 145-year football tradition, contributing to Harvard’s status as one of college football’s oldest programs.

As Harvard moves forward, the 2022 season serves as a bridge between past excellence and future aspirations, highlighting both challenges and opportunities in maintaining a top-tier Ivy League program.