Harvard-Yale: A Preview of the 150th Anniversary of The Game
Graphic by Jordan Wasserberger
When Harvard meets Yale on the football field this weekend, it is more than just a season closer. Known simply as “The Game,” the annual matchup is one of the oldest and most widely recognized rivalries in American collegiate sports.
The Harvard Crimson and Yale Bulldogs first faced off in 1862 when their men’s crew teams raced on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. From there, the rivalry expanded to baseball (1868), track (1891), lacrosse (1882), hockey (1900), and more. The original football matchup occurred in 1875 and eventually became the core rivalry of the Ivy League, defined by traditions and a community of fans each year.
Past Three Seasons
Yale has taken the last three meetings, regardless where the two teams stood in the Ivy League standings. In both 2023 and 2024, Harvard finished higher in the conference, yet Yale walked away with the win. This history acknowledges what the majority already knows: The Game rarely follows the script.
2022: Yale 19, Harvard 14
Yale stepped onto the 50-yard line for The Game at Harvard in 2022 with strong momentum, holding a 7-2 overall record and sitting at the top of the Ivy League standings. Harvard, entering with a 6-3 record and fourth in the conference, kept the game close—tying it up by the beginning of the second quarter—but ultimately lost.
2023: Yale 23, Harvard 18
The 2023 matchup flipped pregame expectations. Harvard arrived in New Haven as the top team in the Ivy League with an 8-1 record, while second-ranked Yale stood at 6-3. Despite being the underdogs, Yale secured a 23-18 win—leading to Harvard, Yale, and Dartmouth sharing the Ivy League title.
2024: Yale 34, Harvard 29
In 2024, Harvard again arrived at The Game with a stronger Ivy League record. At 8-1 overall, they were the top contenders in comparison to Yale’s 6-3 record. But much to the Crimson fans’ dismay, the pattern from the previous season repeated. Yale found crucial scoring opportunities late in the game and emerged with a 34-29 win at Harvard Stadium.
This Season
This year, Harvard is undefeated at 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the Ivy League as of last Saturday, Nov. 15. With this record, Harvard has clinched at least a share of the Ivy League title. Yale, currently 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the Ivy League, has lost so far to Lehigh and Dartmouth. Harvard’s 31-10 win over Dartmouth, compared to Yale’s narrow 17-16 loss, will hopefully be a healthy predictor of The Game’s outcome.
What to Expect on Game Day
Well before kickoff, parking areas and fields outside the Yale Bowl transform into early morning gathering spots, where undergraduates, families, and fans alike set up tents, speakers, and grills. Tailgates become shared spaces for both Harvard and Yale affiliates to connect, making them one of the most memorable annual traditions, central to shaping the atmosphere of The Game.
As kickoff nears, marching bands, choirs, and cheerleaders take the field. Their spirited, sometimes humorous, performances are part of the longstanding traditions that define the rivalry. For many attendees, these performances encourage team camaraderie and set the tone before the first play of The Game.
Throughout the afternoon, the competitive spirit between Harvard and Yale students and alumni continues to unfold: fight songs echoing across sections, handmade signs with the most diabolical slogans, and long-standing inside jokes that reappear from year to year. Student pranks, from cheeky banners and harmless mischief to the occasional coordinated stunt, play a big role in the day, underscoring how deeply the rivalry shapes school pride. The competitiveness of the students shows just how alive the collegiate spirit is.
The timing of the matchup, typically just before Thanksgiving, also contributes to the mood. The Game becomes a break from routine and an unofficial marker of the semester’s final stretch, one of the last big moments before students head home for the holiday. With that upcoming departure from school, school spirit feels especially strong.
After the final whistle, the end of The Game does not immediately dissolve the energy of the day. People linger, take photos, and make their way to post-game gatherings. Whether the result is celebration or disappointment, for many, attending The Game is less about the outcome and more about participating in a tradition that spans generations.
Katherine Chung ’29 (katherinechung@college.harvard.edu) writes Sports for the Independent and believes Harvard will take home the W.