Weekly Sports Preview: November 5–12

Playoff season is finally here! This week, Harvard’s fall teams begin their postseason games. Meanwhile, other sports are facing historic rivals, wrapping up their regular season, or just making their debuts.

Football (6–1)

This Saturday is football’s final home game of the season at Harvard Stadium. At 1 p.m., they’ll kick off against Columbia. After a tough loss to Dartmouth last week, the Crimson is now tied for first place in the Ivy League standings. With three games left in the season, every victory is essential for the Crimson to defend their championship title. Last year, an Ivy League policy change allowed participation in post-season Football Championship Subdivision playoff games, so this year’s title winner will automatically qualify for the playoffs beginning Nov. 28. Harvard leads the series against Columbia 65–17, having won the last three matchups, so this weekend is an opportunity for a final victory statement on home turf.

Men’s Ice Hockey (1–1–0)

Eastern College Athletic Conference play starts this weekend for the Crimson, with two Ivy League home matches on the slate. On Friday at 7 p.m., Harvard will play Brown at Bright-Landry Hockey Center. This will be the Crimson’s first chance to showcase their conference form, establish their defense, and build momentum heading into the season.

The following evening brings one of the Crimson’s marquee matches of the season: a rivalry home game against Yale. Last season, an overtime loss in this game ended a nine-game win streak, so the stakes will be high as the Crimson seeks to reclaim their position against the Bulldogs. Strong goaltending and discipline will make all the difference in this match.

Then, on Tuesday at 7 p.m., Harvard faces Boston University in a non-conference game. This historic local hockey rivalry is an early test against a dominant Beanpot team. This will be a fast-paced game where puck-possession errors can be costly for the Crimson.

Women’s Ice Hockey (3–3–0)

After their conference debut last week, the Crimson face a difficult Ivy League road weekend. On Friday at 6 p.m., they head to Brown. The last two games in the series have gone into overtime, so this will be a tight match where every possession counts. After a difficult start to conference play, this will be an early opportunity for the Crimson to restore their position in conference standings.

On Saturday at 3 p.m., Harvard plays Yale. This rivalry dates back nearly 50 years, and the Bulldogs have won eight of the past 10 matchups. This would be a challenge for the Crimson on any night, but playing a two-game weekend means endurance and lineup depth will be critical for Harvard to maintain their intensity and physicality.

Field Hockey (15–1)

The Ivy League Field Hockey Tournament begins this Friday at Yale. This is the highest-stakes event of the season so far, with the tournament champion automatically qualifying for NCAA playoffs beginning Nov. 13. The Crimson enters the tournament undefeated in conference play and with a historic national semifinals run last year, so Harvard is well positioned to take home a title this weekend. Last year, then-conference leaders Harvard fell to Princeton in the tournament finals, so they’ll be looking for a comeback this year. Defensive structure, penalty corners, and rapid transitions from offense to defense will be crucial in tight matches.

Women’s Basketball (0–1)

On Thursday, the Crimson plays Boston College at Lavietes Pavilion at 7 p.m. This game pits Harvard against a local ACC team and serves as an early gauge of how the Crimson will perform against high-profile opponents. This game is part of the ambitious non-conference schedule that kicks off the season, featuring seven power-conference rivals.

On Monday at 6 p.m., Harvard plays at Holy Cross. Harvard has won the last three games in this series so it will be an easier match in the middle of a non-conference week. It’s an opportunity for the team to showcase offensive consistency and tune up ahead of tough power conference opponents.

On Wednesday, Harvard returns home for a 7 p.m. game against the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. UMass is a strong in-state rival who defeated Harvard last year, so this will be the closest matchup of the week. It will be a chance to see how the team has progressed this week and how they move the ball under pressure. Controlling turnovers and creating perimeter space will be essential.

Men’s Basketball (1–0)

This Sunday, Harvard is heading to the University of Chicago for a 2 p.m. game. Harvard hasn’t faced this opponent since 1950, so it will be an opportunity for the team to test its performance against unfamiliar opponents. It will also be a good chance for first-year players to develop on-court chemistry with returners.

On Tuesday at 7 p.m., the Crimson plays at Northeastern. Northeastern has won the last two games of the series, so preparation and rapid on-court adjustment will be key for a Harvard comeback. After returning from a long-distance road match against a Division III opponent, the Crimson will need to quickly adapt to a different playing style for these tough rivals.

Women’s Volleyball (16–3)

This weekend brings Harvard two rematches on the road. At 6 p.m. on Friday, the Crimson plays the University of Pennsylvania. Their five-set victory against this rival on Oct. 17 was marked by Ryleigh Patterson ’27, who posted a double-double with 14 kills and 10 blocks, and Kayla Nwabueze ’30, whose two consecutive kills won the fifth set for the Crimson. At this point in the season, the Crimson needs to prioritize consistency and net control. This will be a good opportunity to watch Harvard’s growth over the last month.

Harvard then plays Princeton on Saturday at 5 p.m. Last time they met, Crimson errors allowed the Tigers to make key kills and defeat Harvard in the fourth set. With Harvard ranked third in the league and Princeton fourth, a comeback win here would keep the Crimson comfortably in the top four as they close out their season and look toward an Ivy Tournament bid. Consistent blocking and high-pressure serves will serve the Crimson well against these tough opponents.

Men’s Water Polo (13–12)

This weekend’s schedule looks familiar for Harvard water polo fans, with Princeton, Long Island University, and Iona University on the slate. The Crimson played the same three schools in the same order on the weekend of Oct. 3-4, so this will be an opportunity to showcase development over the season under near-identical conditions. Unlike a month ago, Harvard will have the home advantage this weekend, which may help for their Saturday game against Princeton at 12 p.m. On October 3, Harvard lost to the Tigers after Princeton scored six unanswered points. A comeback against the Northeast Water Polo Conference leaders will require the Crimson to open the match with intensity and quickly find an offensive rhythm.

Harvard then plays LIU on Saturday at 4 p.m. and Iona on Sunday at 10 a.m. The Crimson has beaten both teams this season, so these will likely be lighter matches to close out the weekend. Victories this weekend might allow No. 2 Harvard to dethrone Princeton in conference rankings.

The high stakes and energy of playoff matches make this one of the year’s most exciting times for Crimson fans. Cheer on your favorite fall teams in person or on ESPN as they enter the season’s highest-pressure games. If winter sports are more your thing, take this week to get an early look at Harvard’s basketball and ice hockey teams!

Lucy Duncan ’28 (lduncan@college.harvard.edu) writes Sports for the “Harvard Independent.”