Harvard and Yale face off in historically significant edition of 'The Game'

Harvard defensive back Mike Silva (25) breaks up a pass intended for Yale wide receiver Jaylan Sandifer (82) | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

This year's edition of "The Game" between Ivy League cornerstones Harvard and Yale takes on a few degrees of extra meaning. For the first time this century, the 2025 rivalry matchup has postseason implications on the line. The winner takes both the conference championship and an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.

Prior to 2025, the Ivy League did not participate in the college football postseason at all. In their self-contained little world up there in greater New England, eight of the finest educational institutions in America rotated through their seven games against one another to determine a league champion and played no games beyond that.

Until Yale wide receiver Mason Shipp and his fellow students and student-athletes decided they ought to force a change. After pleading with administrators over the past year and some change, the movement finally got over the hump, and ahead of the 2025-26 sports seasons, the Ivy League made the change to begin participating in postseason tournaments at the FCS level.

In their first season of postseason participation, the Ivy League is already enjoying the heightened excitement. Heading into the final of 10 games on their respective regular season slates, Harvard heads to New Haven at 9-0 and 7-0 in conference play to face bitter rival Yale, with the home side Bulldogs standing 7-2 and 6-1 in the Ivy League. It's winner take all right off Chapel Street.

Harvard very well gets in regardless of a win or loss thanks to their impressive record, but with two losses, Yale is looking at a likely must-win situation in order to make their first postseason appearance.

It’s a football rivalry so old that it’s merely referred to as “The Game.”

Harvad and Yale face off on Saturday, with the winner going to the college football postseason for the first time since the Woodrow Wilson administration.https://t.co/PmlRVsq6pV

— CNN Sports (@cnnsport) November 21, 2025

The Bulldogs can rest easy, though, knowing they still have 11 national championships, all from 1909 or earlier, according to the Helms Athletic Foundation. Formed in 1956 by a baker named Paul Helms, this foundation essentially consisted of he and a buddy going back and systematically naming national champions and handing out awards from college football seasons where there were no official designations.

Walter Camp was the bigwig coach for Yale, winning three championships between the late 1880s and early 1890s. Other championship-winning coaches include William Rhodes, Malcolm McBride, William Knox and Howard Jones. Some of Yale's other ancient head coaching names include... Frank Butterworth, George Chadwick, Foster Rockwell, L. Horatio Biglow, Reginald Root and Ducky Pond.

From 1892 through about 1916, Yale had 18 different head coaches yet routinely posted zero or one-loss records, won several titles, and even had seasons where a head coach wasn't even listed. But rather than bandy about in the annals of 100-year-old history, it's high time for Yale or Harvard to collect some new postseason trophies to add to those dusty old closets.