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In the northeastern region of the United States reside some of the most distinguished academic institutions in the world. Aside from the elite research capabilities they possess, these schools have been responsible for producing prominent figures and important leaders throughout our nation's history. These universities belong to the Ivy League.
The Ivy League is a conference of eight schools that have been playing intercollegiate football for more than 150 years. These programs have a rich college football history, dating back to the origins of our sport. Ivy League history and college football history were synonymous in the early years of the game.
Over the next few weeks, we will be taking a closer look at all eight Ivy League teams. We will dive deep into each school's traditions and memorable seasons, as well as notable players and coaches from their past. We will also look back at 2023 results and preview the 2024 season.
Harvard Crimson, Cambridge, Mass.
Located several miles west of Boston, Mass., Harvard University was founded in 1636 and is the oldest school of higher education in America. Originally founded to train Protestant ministers, Harvard developed into one of the most elite and prestigious research universities in the world.
The Harvard Crimson football team plays at the historic Harvard Stadium, a U-shaped concrete structure with a capacity of nearly 25,000. This stadium was built in 1903 and bears a resemblance to the Panatheniac Stadium in Athens, Greece. From 1929 to 1951, Harvard Stadium had a capacity of over 57,000. Due to safety concerns and decreased attendance, the permanent steel seating in the northeast end zone was taken down. Harvard Stadium played host to the Boston Patriots during the 1970 season after the merger of the AFL and NFL.
Harvard is one of several Ivy League teams that will have a new head coach in 2024. In February of 2024, the Crimson hired Andrew Aurich for this role. Aurich spent the last four seasons as an offensive assistant with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. He coached the offensive line in 2020-2021, running backs in 2022 and tight ends last season. That was Aurich's second stint at Rutgers, having previously been with the Knights from 2009-2010.
Aurich is very familiar with the Ivy League. Excluding the 2012 season spent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a defensive assistant, Aurich was on staff each year from 2011-2019 with the Princeton Tigers. While at Princeton, Aurich worked with the offensive line, running backs and tight ends as well as special teams. He was the associate head coach and offensive coordinator for the 2019 season.
The Crimson hope that Aurich will replicate the success found by legendary coach Tim Murphy, who retired after the 2023 season. Murphy spent 30 years at the helm of the Harvard football program, winning 200 games and 10 Ivy League titles. Murphy's Crimson teams went undefeated in 2001, 2004 and 2014. In addition to those seasons, Harvard was undefeated in conference play in 1997, 2007 and 2011.
From 2001 to 2015, Harvard finished in the top two of the Ivy League in every season except for a third-place finish in 2006. Murphy began his coaching career as an assistant at Brown University in 1979. His first head coaching job was at Maine in 1987, where he spent two seasons. He was the University of Cincinnati's head coach from 1989 to 1993. In his final year at Cincinnati, he led the Bearcats to an 8-3 record. He was hired as the head coach by Harvard in 1994. Highly respected by his peers in the industry, Murphy was elected president of the American Football Coaches Association in 2012.
History
In 1874, Harvard played its first football game against McGill University, out of Canada. The squads squared off on two consecutive days, with Harvard winning the first matchup 3-0. The second contest ended in a scoreless draw. The following year, the Crimson faced off against Tufts University in what is considered to be the first game resembling modern American football.
In 1881, Harvard took down the Michigan Wolverines in Boston 4-0. In 1885, school officials banned football for a year, citing the "modified mayhem" that the sport had developed into. After some rule changes allowed the sport to return in 1886, Harvard set a single-season record for points scored on their way to a 12-2 season. This was highlighted by the 156-0 beatdown of Exeter.
Harvard has won seven national championships, the last of which was claimed in 1919. The 9-0-1 season culminated in a 7-6 victory over the Oregon Ducks. From 1912 to 1915, Harvard had a 33-game unbeaten streak, going 30-0-3. Before that—from 1898 to 1900—the Crimson went 31-0-1 and captured a pair of national titles.
Since the Ivy League was formed in 1956, Harvard has won at least a share of 18 Ivy League Championships, tied for most in the conference behind only Dartmouth. The Crimson split the title in 2023 with Dartmouth and Yale. That was Harvard's first Ivy League Championship since 2015.
Notable Alumni
Harvard is home to three coaches and 18 players who have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The last Harvard player to be inducted was wide receiver Pat McInally in 2016. McInally played at Harvard from 1972 to 1974, helping the Crimson clinch the 1974 Ivy League Championship. At 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, the Orange County, Calif. native also served as the team's starting punter.
McInally was selected first-team All-Ivy in 1973 and 1974 and broke seven school receiving records. In 1974, he was a first-team All-East selection and first-team All-American after catching 46 passes for 655 yards and 8 touchdowns. McInally was a fifth-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1975, where he played for 10 years.
He played receiver for the first half of his NFL career, finishing with 57 career catches, 808 yards and 5 touchdowns. He flourished as the Bengals starting punter, making the Pro Bowl in 1981. McInally helped the Bengals reach Super Bowl XVI, ultimately losing to the San Fransisco 49ers.
One of the most recognizable players to come through Cambridge is long-time NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. After playing sparingly during his first two seasons, Fitzpatrick took a big leap in his junior season, finishing with over 1,700 passing yards, 430 rushing yards and 22 total TDs. The next year, as a senior, Fitzpatrick was named first-team All-Ivy and Ivy League Player of the Year after leading the Crimson to a 10-0 record and an Ivy League title.
The St. Louis Rams selected Fitzpatrick in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He was a journeyman QB throughout his 17-year NFL career, playing for nine different teams. His longest tenure with the same franchise was from 2009 to 2012 with the Buffalo Bills. Fitzpatrick owns 12 NFL records, including the most career-passing TDs by an Ivy League graduate.
San Fransisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk played tight end for the Crimson from 2009 to 2012. He switched to fullback after being drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He is an eight-time Pro Bowler and is the first Harvard graduate to score in a Super Bowl. While at Harvard, Juszczyk racked up over 1,500 receiving yards, 22 TDs and was a two-time first-team All-Ivy selection.
Actor Tommy Lee Jones was an offensive lineman for Harvard from 1965 to 1968.
Rivalries
Harvard has several rivals within the Ivy League, including Princeton, Penn and Dartmouth. Harvard owns a considerable series lead against Dartmouth, winning 22 of the last 26 matchups. The Crimson have played Princeton 115 times, beginning in 1877. Harvard has beaten the Penn Quakers in all three of their most recent three matchups, including a 25-23 thriller in triple overtime in 2023.
However, the Crimson's most important rivalry is their annual matchup with the Yale Bulldogs, dubbed "The Game." The two teams play on the last weekend of the regular season each year. The 2024 matchup will be the 140th meeting between the two squads. The Game is the second-oldest continuous collegiate football rivalry. Yale has a 70-61-8 edge in the rivalry and has won five out of the last seven against the Crimson.
The first matchup between the two schools was in 1875, a 4-0 victory for the Crimson. The game was played using a mixture of soccer and rugby rules. Since 1919, The Game has been played every year except for 1943, 1944 and 2020. From 2001 to 2015, Harvard took 14 out of 15 from Yale. In 2014, ESPN hosted College Gameday on Harvard's campus for the Crimson's thrilling 31-24 victory over the Bulldogs. In 2018, the two Ivy League juggernauts met in Fenway Park in Boston, Mass., with the Crimson winning 45-27.
2023 Season Review
Last season, Harvard went 8-2 overall and 5-2 in Ivy League play. They were named co-champions of the Ivy League along with Yale and Dartmouth. The Crimson relied on their outstanding ground game to be the highest-scoring offense in the Ivy League, averaging over 31 points per game. Harvard's junior running back Shane McLaughlin rushed for a league-leading 830 yards and 6 TDs in just nine games. QB Charles DePrima added another 518 yards and 5 TDs on the ground.
On defense, the Crimson were anchored by the thunderous play of defensive tackle Thor Griffith. The 6-foot-2, 320-pound senior ended the year with 55 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and 8 QB hurries. Griffith had 2 TFLs in each of the Crimson's final three games of 2023. Griffith was named as a second-team AFCA All-American and first-team All-Ivy. Griffith transferred to Louisville where he joins a very talented Cardinals defensive line.
2024 Season Outlook and Schedule
Harvard will start the 2024 campaign at home against Stetson on Sept. 21. The Crimson will begin conference play the following week on the road against the Brown Bears. The Crimson will be in prime time on ESPNU against Cornell on Oct. 11. Harvard took down the Big Red 41-23 in 2023.
On Oct. 26, Harvard will look to avenge last year's loss against the Princeton Tigers. Harvard will face off against Yale in the friendly confines of Harvard Stadium on Nov. 23. The 140th matchup of The Game will be broadcast on ESPN.
Stay tuned to College Football Dawgs throughout the 2024 season for more coverage of your favorite Ivy League teams!
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