PRINCETON, N.J. — The Ivy League’s first-ever automatic qualifier bid to the NCAA FCS playoffs will be decided at The Game.
 
No. 25 Yale hosts No. 8 Harvard on Saturday at noon in a nationally televised matchup on ESPNU in the 141st playing of The Game. The undefeated Crimson (9–0, 6–0 Ivy) are seeking to become just the third Ivy League team since 2005 to complete a perfect season, joining Harvard (2014) and Princeton (2018). The Bulldogs (7–2, 5–1 Ivy) enter on a five-game winning streak -- tied for the 10th-longest in the FCS -- and aim to win a fourth straight in the rivalry for the first time since 1942–47. Each of the last five meetings has been decided by one possession.
 
Dartmouth (7–2, 5–2 Ivy) looks to strengthen its at-large resume when it travels to Brown for a noon kickoff. Penn–Princeton and Columbia–Cornell round out the slate with 1 p.m. starts.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22

TIME	GAME	COVERAGE
12 p.m.	No. 8 Harvard vs. No. 25 Yale	ESPNU | Stats
12 p.m.	rv Dartmouth at Brown	ESPN+ | Stats
1 p.m.	Princeton at Penn	ESPN+ | Stats
1 p.m.	Columbia at Cornell	ESPN+ | Stats

QUICK HITS

• One of four remaining unbeaten teams in the FCS, the Crimson earned the No. 9 ranking in the FCS Football Committee’s Top 10 announced an Nov. 5.
• Harvard holds a top 10 ranking in the Stats Perform media poll for the third consecutive week, sliding one spot to No. 8 after its dramatic 45-43 victory over Penn. The Crimson moved up one spot to No. 10 in the AFCA coaches poll, while Yale entered at No. 25. Dartmouth is receiving votes in both polls.
• Ivies finished non-league play with a record of 16-8. Since 2017, the league has gone 135–57 (.703) in non-conference play. This marks the 13th time in 15 years they’ve finished .500 or better.
• Eight Ivies were represented on the Phil Steele Midseason All-America Team in nine different positions. First Team: Cornell TE Ryder Kurtz, Yale DB Abu Kamara, Penn PR Julien Stokes; Second Team: Penn WR Jared Richardson, Dartmouth TE Chris Corbo, Penn AP Julien Stokes; Fourth Team: Harvard QB Jaden Craig, Yale RB Josh Pitsenberger, Yale LB Inumidun Ayo-Durojaiye.
• Six Ivy players were named to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000: Dartmouth TE Chris Corbo, Harvard DB Ty Bartrum, Harvard QB Jaden Craig, Penn OL Netinho Olivieri, Penn WR Jared Richardson, and Yale RB Josh Pitsenberger. The league's six selections were the third-most among FCS conferences.
• Three Ivies were featured in FCS Football Central’s Preseason Top 10 FCS Prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft: Corbo (No. 5), Richardson (No. 9) and Craig (No. 10). The trio remained in the Top 10 in the outlet’s most recent update: Richardson (No. 3), Craig (No. 6) and Corbo (No. 8).
• Craig was also one of five FCS prospects – and the only FCS quarterback – named to the Panini Senior Bowl Top 300.
• The league posted a 5–3 record on opening weekend and has achieved a winning record in Week 1 in 14 of the last 15 years (76–44, .633 since 2010).
• The Ivy League will begin competing in the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs this season. The decision was approved by the Ivy League Council of Presidents in December 2024, following a proposal from the league’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
• Each of the past two seasons have ended with three Ivy League champions—something that has happened just six times overall (1966, 1969, 1982, 2015, 2023, 2024). Over the last eight years, six different programs have claimed at least one Ivy title.
• Twenty-two former Ivy League standouts are currently on NFL rosters, with all eight schools represented.
• Three of the league’s head coaches were Ivy League football players: Brown’s James Perry (Brown, 1996-99), Harvard’s Andrew Aurich (Princeton, 2002-05) and Princeton’s Bob Surace (Princeton, 1987-89).
• The Ivy League was the only conference across all divisions to have a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy from each institution. Named after former Columbia football team captain and later head coach Bill Campbell, the award recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.

WILLIAM V. CAMPBELL TROPHY SEMIFINALISTS
Brown	John Starman
Columbia	Mark Chapman
Cornell	James Reinbold
Dartmouth	Delby Lemieux
Harvard	Ryan Osborne
Penn	Liam O'Brien
Princeton	Justice Musser
Yale	Mason Shipp

 

• Several Ivies rank in the Top 10 of national statistical categories:

 

IVIES IN THE TOP 10 (TEAM)
Brown	Fumbles Lost (1st, 1) Kickoff Return Defense (2nd, 14.37) Passing Offense (5th, 290.4) Fumbles Recovered (10th, 9)
Dartmouth	3rd Down Conversion Pct (3rd, 0.538) Fewest Penalties Per Game (5th, 4.11) Sacks Allowed (7th, 0.89) Fewest Penalty Yards Per Game (10th, 39.11)
Harvard	Tackles for Loss Allowed (1st, 2.89) Winning Percentage (1st, 1) Fewest Penalties Per Game (2nd, 3.78) Red Zone Defense (2nd, 0.654) Scoring Defense (3rd, 15.1) Passing Yards per Completion (5th, 14.51) Sacks Allowed (5th, 0.78) Team Passing Efficiency Defense (5th, 109.16) Fewest Penalty Yards Per Game (6th, 37) Rushing Defense (6th, 98.1) Total Defense (6th, 282.7) Scoring Offense (7th, 40.7) Total Offense (7th, 466.7) Defensive TDs (8th, 3) Passing Offense (8th, 288.6) 3rd Down Conversion Pct (9th, 0.492) Blocked Punts (9th, 2)
Penn	Punt Return Defense (1st, -4) 3rd Down Conversion Pct (2nd, 0.54) Punt Returns (4th, 16.45)
Princeton	Fewest Penalties Per Game (9th, 4.33)
Yale	Kickoff Return Defense (3rd, 15.52) Team Sacks (3rd, 3.56) Sacks Allowed (5th, 0.78) Red Zone Defense (6th, 0.714) Scoring Defense (6th, 16) Tackles for Loss Allowed (6th, 3.33) Team Passing Efficiency Defense (7th, 110.88) Kickoff Returns (10th, 25.06)

 

IVIES IN THE TOP 10 (INDIVIDUAL)
Elias Archie, Brown DB	Passes Defended (4th, 1.33)
Miles Brophy, Brown DB	Solo Tackles (4th, 5.88)
James Murphy, Brown QB	Completions Per Game (2nd, 24.89) Passing Yards Per Game (2nd, 286.2)
Ike Odimegwu, Brown DL	Sacks (7th, 1)
John Perdue, Brown LB	Solo Tackles (7th, 5.67) Fumbles Recovered (8th, 2)
Braylon Howard, Cornell DB	Passes Defended (4th, 1.33)
Ben Sahakian, Cornell LB	Forced Fumbles (3rd, 0.44)
Johnny Williamson, Cornell DB	Fumbles Recovered (8th, 2)
D.J. Crowther, Dartmouth RB	Rushing Yards Per Game (10th, 98.8)
Harrison Keith, Dartmouth DB	Interceptions Per Game (8th, 0.44)
No'Koi Maddox, Dartmouth DB	Punt Return TDs (6th, 1)
Sean Williams Dartmouth DB	Interceptions Per Game (8th, 0.44)
Brady Blackburn, Harvard WR	Yards per Reception (10th, 20.25)
Jaden Craig, Harvard QB	Passing Yards Per Game (4th, 272.9) Passing Efficiency (9th, 163.9) Yards per Pass Attempt (9th, 9.2) Passing Yards per Completion (10th, 14.28) Total Offense (10th, 279.3)
Riley Jenne, Harvard WR	Blocked Kicks (5th, 2)
John Lista, Penn LB	Solo Tackles (8th, 5.5)
Liam O'Brien, Penn QB	Completions Per Game (6th, 21) Total Offense (6th, 294.4)
Bisi Owens, Penn WR	Receptions Per Game (3rd, 6.78)
Jared Richardson, Penn WR	Receiving TDs (1st, 12) Receiving Yards Per Game (1st, 104.2) Receptions Per Game (1st, 7.56) Receiving Yards (7th, 938)
Julien Stokes, Penn RS/RB	Punt Return TDs (6th, 1)
Brady Clark, Princeton P	Punting (10th, 44.3)
Torian Roberts, Princeton DB	Interceptions Per Game (8th, 0.44)
Inumidun Ayo-Durojaiye, Yale LB	Total Tackles (9th, 10.1)
Nico Brown, Yale WR	Receiving Yards Per Game (2nd, 98.6) Receptions Per Game (4th, 6.5) Receiving TDs (9th, 9)
Abu Kamara, Yale DB	Fumbles Recovered (2nd, 3)
Ezekiel Larry, Yale DL	Sacks (4th, 1.06)
Noah Piper, Yale K	Field Goals Per Game (2nd, 1.71)
Josh Pitsenberger, Yale RB	Rushing Yards Per Game (5th, 121.7) All Purpose (8th, 131.33) Rushing Yards (8th, 1,095)