WEEK 7 NOTES
PRINCETON, N.J. – Week 7 of the Ivy League football season features a nationally televised showdown between two of the league's top title contenders as No. 13 Harvard travels to Dartmouth at 7 p.m. Friday on ESPNU. The remaining six teams will be in action Saturday, with three league matchups slated for noon on ESPN+.
Harvard (6-0, 3-0 Ivy), one of three remaining unbeaten teams in the FCS, sits atop the league standings following a dominant 35-7 win over Princeton. The Crimson earned the No. 10 spot in the FCS Selection Committee's initial Top 10 rankings released Oct. 20. Dartmouth (3-3, 2-1 Ivy), which is tied for second in the league standings, has won three of its last four games. The Big Green rushed for 247 yards and five touchdowns in a 38-18 road win over Columbia last Saturday.
Saturday's action features Cornell (3-3, 1-2 Ivy) traveling to Princeton (4-2, 2-1 Ivy) in a matchup of the league's top scoring offense and one of the nation's top defenses. Yale (3-3, 1-2 Ivy) visits Columbia (4-2, 1-2 Ivy) as both teams look to bounce back from losses last weekend. Brown (3-3, 1-2 Ivy) hosts Penn (3-3, 1-2 Ivy), with both teams looking to build on their first league wins of the season. The Bears rallied to defeat Cornell, 38-31, in overtime, while the Quakers earned a 24-21 win over Yale on ESPNU.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30
| TIME |
MATCHUP |
COVERAGE |
| 7 p.m. |
No. 13 Harvard at Dartmouth |
ESPNU | Live Stats |
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31
QUICK HITS
- At 17-7 (.708) against non-conference FCS opponents, the Ivy League ranks second nationally this season. The league has ranked among the top three conferences in winning percentage against FCS opponents in each of its last eight seasons of competition, including leading the nation in 2018 (.750) and 2022 (.792).
- Harvard moved up in both major FCS polls this week, climbing to No. 13 in the Stats Perform Media Poll and No. 16 in the AFCA Coaches Poll. The Crimson, one of three remaining unbeaten teams in the FCS, also earned the No. 10 spot in the FCS Selection Committee's initial Top 10 rankings released Oct. 20. Princeton received votes in both major polls.
- Three Ivy League teams rank among the top seven nationally in scoring defense. Harvard leads the FCS, allowing just 12.8 points per game, while Princeton ranks third (14.3) and Brown is seventh (16.2).
- The Ivy League earned 16 Phil Steele Midseason All-America selections, tied with the Missouri Valley Football Conference for the second most among FCS conferences. Harvard's eight selections tied for the most nationally, while Yale's four were tied for the third most.
- Columbia WR Bryce Coleman and Harvard WR Nathan Bailey were two of 30 players named to the Stats Perform Jerry Rice Award Watch List, presented annually to the top freshman in the FCS. Coleman ranks second nationally in receiving touchdowns (9) and has caught a touchdown pass in a program-record six consecutive games. Bailey is second nationally in receptions per game (7.83).
- Brown RB Matt Childs earned Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week honors after recording 157 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns against Cornell. Childs caught the game-tying touchdown pass as time expired in regulation before scoring the game-winning touchdown on a 25-yard run in overtime. The thrilling finish led off ESPN's College Football Final on Saturday night.
- Ivy League players earned Helmet Stickers on ESPN's College Football Final in four of the first six weeks of the season. Yale QB Dante Reno earned the honor in Week 1, Harvard DB Xaden Benson followed in Week 2, Princeton RB Kai Honda was recognized in Week 3 and Cornell QB Garrett Bass-Sulpizio earned the recognition in Week 5 following his performance against No. 4 Lehigh.
- Several Ivy League players rank among the top 10 nationally in multiple statistical categories. Brown LB Max Malo leads the FCS in tackles per game (12.2), while Harvard DB Xaden Benson leads the nation in interceptions per game (1.0). Yale WR Jaxton Santiago ranks fourth in receiving yards per game (103.7) and fifth in receiving touchdowns (8).
- For the fourth consecutive year, all eight Ivy League football programs have a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented annually to college football's top scholar-athlete.