Hallmark History: A Look at 149 Years of The Game

When one thinks of a football rivalry, what might immediately come to mind are the dramatic showdowns between top SEC schools like Alabama and Auburn. But, the precedent for those games actually stems back to the oldest football rivalry in the United States. Developed as a sport amongst the Ancient Eight universities scattered along the Eastern seaboard, the storied history of the Harvard-Yale football series dates back over 150 years and is the second-oldest and third most-played football showdown in collegiate history.

The traditional legacy of the game has become a staple in the lives of both Harvard and Yale students over the years. Alternating between New Haven, Conn. and Cambridge, Mass., thousands of students trek 132.6 miles by car, bus, and train to swarm the opposing campus for a weekend rivalry that extends beyond the Stadium.

The Crimson won the first ever matchup in 1875, 4-0. This fateful clash marked the beginning of one of sports’ most cherished rivalries.

Writing the Rules

The cerebral aptitude of the Harvard and Yale players certainly was put to the test during the first few renditions of “The Game,” as the kinks of the competition were worked through. At its inception, the sport looked a bit different than its modern counterpart.

As one of the first collegiate programs and first formal football programs to exist, Harvard called the early sport “foot-ball,” and labeled trips into the end zone as single-point “goals” rather than touchdowns. Members of each team were also allowed to run, throw, and kick the ball in an effort that essentially hybridized soccer and rugby. While there were disagreements between the two programs as to the number of players that should be allowed on the field — the two schools found themselves arguing over whether 15 or 11 was proper protocol — compromises were soon struck.

Evolving Fandom

The game was initially fairly democratized, with 50 cent tickets rivaling today's exorbitant ticket fees that can often sail over $150 for a single General Admission seat.

The initial game, however, brough much less fanfare than today’s hoopla-filled weekend. The first game at Harvard, which took place two years after the inaugural game, looked a bit different too. Harvard Stadium was not constructed until 1903, so the Crimson’s home games were played at a variety of different venues, with most matches taking place on Jarvis Field, which was situated at the Harvard Law School campus deep in Cambridge. With less gravitas surrounding the matchup, the focus remained solely on football.

As more extracurricular activity began to be associated with The Game, the attitude toward the weekend began to shift as well. Starting in 1900, the Harvard and Yale Glee Clubs have held annual joint concerts, with locations being shifted between Boston, Cambridge, and New Haven throughout the years. This year’s concert will occur at Sanders Theater on Nov. 22 at 8 p.m..

Lifetime Record

During The Game’s lifespan, many ebbs and flows have occurred within the Harvard-Yale rivalry and within football itself. The Crimson, despite winning its inaugural match, stumbled to a 3-14-1 record in its first 18 cracks at The Game, and was unable to tame the Bulldogs on its home turf until 1901. Harvard eventually won its first game in Harvard Stadium in 1913, part of a dominant 1910s where the Crimson won five of eight games played and tied two (two games were canceled in 1917-1918 due to World War I).

As the decades progressed, the rivalry continued to evolve, cementing its place not only in college sports but also in American tradition. The 1920s saw a surge in the popularity of college football across the nation, and The Game became a must-see event, drawing alumni, families, and fans alike to either Cambridge or New Haven. One notable clash from this period came in 1923, when Harvard claimed victory in a hard-fought 13-0 shutout, redeeming a string of earlier losses and setting the stage for a more competitive series in the years to follow.

The 1930s brought a new level of athleticism and strategy to the gridiron, with both teams refining their playbooks. But as Harvard and Yale prepared to face off in 1943, the war in Europe and the Pacific left college campuses in tumult, and The Game was canceled for two consecutive years. When play resumed in 1945, the players who returned to the field were not only students, but veterans, reinforcing a sense of resilience and camaraderie to a rivalry often marked by friendly competition.

Memorable Moments

Since that brief gap in the action, there have been numerous memorable battles between the two schools during the 20th and 21st centuries. Harvard’s 1968 victory, later dubbed “The Tie,” would go down as one of the most dramatic in the rivalry's history. In a nail-biting match-up that saw Yale dominate for most of the game, Harvard rallied in the final minutes, scoring 16 points to tie the game 29-29. The Harvard Crimson famously reported on the game with the bold headline: “Harvard Beats Yale, 29-29.” This result became legendary in the lore of both schools, embodying the rivalry’s unpredictability.

In the following years, the rivalry saw more thrilling showdowns. During the 1983 game, dubbed the “Perfect Season Game,” Harvard came into the final matchup undefeated. With an electrifying crowd on its feet, the Crimson defended its winning streak and achieved a perfect season with a resounding 16-7 victory over Yale. This game symbolized the enduring spirit of competition the tradition bringts, pushing both schools to excel in the face of immense pressure and sky-high expectations.

Moving into the 21st century, The Game continued to make history. In 2004, Harvard faced Yale in the 121st meeting, and once again, the Crimson dominated the field, securing a 35-3 victory in Cambridge. The win not only extended Harvard's winning streak to four years but also showcased the evolving athletic prowess and strategic depth of Ivy League football.

Most recently, the 2019 game was memorable for its intensity on the field — when football was being played and during breaks in the action. As the two teams battled into double overtime, student protestors stormed the field at halftime to preach fossil fuel divestment on their respective schools, capturing national attention and adding a modern political twist to the storied rivalry. Yale went on to win the game 50-43 in a thrilling finish.

A brief intermission also occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic, and in the time since, the all-time record has settled to favor Yale at 70-61-8.

Despite a heart-wrenching 23-18 loss in last year’s rendition, which forced the squad to relinquish its outright Ivy League title for a share of the pot, the Crimson will play on its home turf with the chance of bringing bragging rights — and an outright Ivy League title — back to Cambridge, as it continues to deepen a rivalry more than a century in the making.

—Staff writer Jack Canavan can be reached at jack.canavan@thecrimson.com.