2021 Holy Cross Crusaders football team

The 2021 Holy Cross Crusaders football team represented the College of the Holy Cross as a member of the Patriot League during the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Bob Chesney, Holy Cross compiled an overall record of 10–3 with a mark of 6–0 in conference play, winning the Patriot League title. The Crusaders advanced to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where they beat Sacred Heart in the first round before losing to Villanova in the second round. They played their home games at Fitton Field in Worcester, Massachusetts.

2021 Holy Cross Crusaders football
Patriot League champion
NCAA Division I Second Round, L 16–21 vs. Villanova
Conference	Patriot League
Ranking
STATS	No. 19
FCS Coaches	No. 22
Record	10–3 (6–0 Patriot)
Head coach	Bob Chesney (4th season)
Offensive coordinator	Justin Roper (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Defensive coordinator	Scott James (4th season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Fitton Field

2021 Patriot League football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 19 Holy Cross $^		6	–	0					10	–	3
Colgate		5	–	1					5	–	6
Fordham		4	–	2					6	–	5
Lehigh		3	–	3					3	–	8
Lafayette		2	–	4					3	–	8
Georgetown		1	–	5					2	–	8
Bucknell		0	–	6					1	–	10
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from STATS Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 4	12:00 p.m.	at UConn*		Rentschler Field East Hartford, CT	CBSSN	W 38–28	18,782
September 11	2:00 p.m.	Merrimack*	No. 24	Fitton Field Worcester, MA	ESPN+	L 21–35	8,211
September 18	12:00 p.m.	at Yale*		Yale Bowl New Haven, CT	ESPN+	W 20–17	3,987
September 25	1:00 p.m.	at No. 20 Monmouth*		Kessler Stadium West Long Branch, NJ	ESPN+	W 45–15	4,235
October 2	1:30 p.m.	Harvard*		Fitton Field Worcester, MA	Spectrum News 1	L 13–38	10,023
October 16	1:30 p.m.	Georgetown		Fitton Field Worcester, MA	ESPN+	W 48–14	4,518
October 23	5:00 p.m.	Colgate		Polar Park Worcester, MA	Spectrum News 1	W 42–10	9,508
October 30	12:00 p.m.	at Lehigh		Goodman Stadium Bethlehem, PA	ESPN+	W 31–12	3,211
November 6	12:30 p.m.	Lafayette		Fitton Field Worcester, MA	ESPN+	W 35–10	6,514
November 13	1:00 p.m.	at Fordham		Coffey Field Bronx, NY	ESPN+	W 52–24	3,265
November 20	1:00 p.m.	at Bucknell		Christy Mathewson–Memorial Stadium Lewisburg, PA		W 45–6	864
November 27	12:00 p.m.	Sacred Heart*	No. 24	Fitton Field Worcester, MA (FCS Playoffs First Round)	ESPN+	W 13–10	4,163
December 3	7:00 p.m.	at No. 6 Villanova*	No. 24	Villanova Stadium Philadelphia, PA (FCS Playoffs Second Round)	ESPN+	L 16–21	5,109
*Non-conference game Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

Rankings

Further information: 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes т = Tied with team above or below

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Final
STATS	RV	24	RV	—	RV	—	—	—	RV	—	RV	RV	24	19
FCS Coaches	RV	RV	—	RV	24т	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	24	22

Game summaries

At UConn

See also: 2021 UConn Huskies football team

Holy Cross Crusaders at UConn Huskies  – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Crusaders	7	17	7	7	38
Huskies	14	7	7	0	28

at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field, East Hartford, Connecticut

• Date: September 4
• Game time: 12:00 p.m.
• Game weather: Sunny, 79 °F (26 °C)
• Game attendance: 18,782
• Referee: Jeff Pruitt
• TV announcers (CBSSN): Ed Cohen (play-by-play), Ross Tucker (color), and Tina Cervasio (sideline)
• Box score, Recap

Game information

First quarter HC – Matthew Sluka 6-yard run (Derek Ng kick), 10:36. Crusaders 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards, 4:21. CONN – Keelan Marion 50-yard pass from Jack Zergiotis (Joe McFadden kick), 4:23. Tied 7–7. Drive: 2 plays, 61 yards, 0:29. CONN – Jack Zergiotis 1-yard run (Joe McFadden kick), 2:22. Huskies 14–7. Drive: 3 plays, 2 yards, 1:13. Second quarter HC – Jason Modak 29-yard interception return (Derek Ng kick), 14:44. Tied 14–14. HC – Ayir Asante 24-yard pass from Matthew Sluka (Derek Ng kick), 6:54. Crusaders 21–14. Drive: 5 plays, 47 yards, 1:47. CONN – Keelan Marion 3-yard pass from Jack Zergiotis (Joe McFadden kick), 2:57. Tied 21–21. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 3:57. HC – Derek Ng 30-yard field goal, 0:03. Crusaders 24–21. Drive: 11 plays, 62 yards, 2:54. Third quarter HC – Tyler Purdy 3-yard pass from Matthew Sluka (Derek Ng kick), 6:43. Crusaders 31–21. Drive: 6 plays, 47 yards, 2:39. CONN – Jayce Medlock 8-yard pass from Jack Zergiotis (Joe McFadden kick), 3:18. Crusaders 31–28. Drive: 11 plays, 58 yards, 3:25. Fourth quarter HC – Tyler Purdy 14-yard run (Derek Ng kick), 8:19. Crusaders 38–28. Drive: 4 plays, 98 yards, 2:06.

Statistics	HC	CONN
First downs	19	18
Total yards	363	262
Rushing yards	226	88
Passing yards	137	174
Turnovers	1	4
Time of possession	33:13	26:47

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Holy Cross	Passing	Matthew Sluka	9/16, 140 yards, 2 TD
	Rushing	Matthew Sluka	14 rushes, 112 yards, TD
	Receiving	Jalen Coker	4 receptions, 75 yards
UConn	Passing	Jack Zergiotis	17/41, 174 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT
	Rushing	Kevin Mensah	21 rushes, 66 yards
	Receiving	Keelan Marion	3 receptions, 60 yards, 2 TD

This was the Crusaders' first win over an FBS opponent since 2002.