When Harvard and Yale meet in New Haven on Saturday, they’ll celebrate the 150th anniversary of their first football matchup – a rivalry that continues to fill the Yale Bowl, drawing thousands of fans who have no direct connection to either school.
“There is something about that that resonates,” said Jack Ford, a former Yale football star who played in the game and is serving as color commentator for this weekend’s broadcast on ESPN. “In many ways, for the Harvard-Yale game, it really doesn't have anything to do with records.”
High stakes in the Ivy League
This year, though, the records matter very much. The winner will claim at least a share of the Ivy League title and earn the conference’s automatic berth to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. Ford said a turnover among university presidents helped clear the way for the league to join the postseason field.
“Starting this year,” he said, “somebody’s going to have a chance to do that.”
Could the Ivy League have two playoff teams?
Ford sees a scenario in which both schools reach the playoffs. If Yale upsets Harvard and the Crimson still finish 9-1, the selection committee could conceivably award Harvard an at-large berth.
“Wouldn’t that be fascinating if the first year the Ivy League is eligible, you got two Ivy League football teams into the playoffs?” Ford said.
A rivalry worth repeating
Ford noted practical factors that could make a postseason rematch possible: Harvard’s stadium has lights and can host large crowds, meaning a return visit to Cambridge would be feasible.
“Wouldn’t it be cool if you had another Harvard–Yale game this time up at Harvard?” he said.
Dealmaking in the stands
Beyond athletics, Ford said the game remains a major networking event. Tailgates and hospitality suites attract prominent alumni and community leaders, and conversations there often spark projects and partnerships.
At Yale’s Champions Room, he said, he’s overheard people begin talks that later grew into business deals.
“A lot of deals can get started at a place like the Harvard-Yale game,” Ford said.
Looking ahead
Ford expects another massive crowd on Saturday – “they’ll probably be 55,000 people in the Yale Bowl,” he said. For him, the game’s long-lasting appeal rests on a mix of history, spectacle and, this season, real postseason implications that make an already storied rivalry feel newly consequential.
