When Yale meets Harvard in late November every year the Bulldogs, of course, always want to beat their Ivy League rivals. The two have butted heads for 140 years in one of the oldest and most historic
rivalries the sport has to offer. “The Game” as it’s come to be known is one of the defining ones in not just FCS football but college football in general. Pride, tradition and often a league trophy come along with this contest every fall and such will be the case this year in New Haven.
Of any of their many, many meetings, however, this might be the one that Yale would find a triumph most meaningful in. For the first time ever, it won’t be just an Ivy League crown on the line, there will be a spot in the FCS playoffs waiting as well. The Ancient Eight, at long last, agreed to participate in the chase for the national championship beginning this year. To get that coveted spot in the 24-team bracket, though, the Bulldogs will have to do what no team has been able to yet against the Crimson this season: win.
To beat Harvard, Yale will need to play up to snuff on both sides of the ball but specifically on defense. The Crimson offense led by senior quarterback Jaden Craig has been terrific all year. It isn’t just because they average over 40 points and 466.7 yards per game that makes them deadly either, it is also the fact that they don’t often make mistakes. Craig has only thrown five interceptions all year and as a team Harvard has lost just three fumbles. Somehow, some way the Bulldogs will have to force Craig and company into uncharacteristic errors, otherwise it seems unlikely that they’ll be able to slow down that offense enough.
Yale does have some dudes on its defense, though. Seniors like linebacker Inumidun Ayo-Durojaiye and defensive back Joshua Tarver have stepped up in a big way for that unit this season and will need to again in this one. Tarver is tied for second in the Ivy League right now with three picks while Ayo-Durojaiye leads the team with 91 tackles. Junior lineman Ezekiel Larry will also be a key player for the Yale defense up front. He has 9.5 sacks and 10.5 TFLs this season. Getting to Craig will be critical and if anyone can slow down the dynamic QB it’s Larry.
Yale will have its hands full with more than just Craig, though. Running back Xaviah Bascon is tough to bring down when he gets a head of steam and receiver Brady Blackburn has torched defenses several times this fall on the outside. It will take all hands on deck from the Bulldogs defense to stymie Harvard’s myriad of playmakers.
Defensively, the Crimson are nothing to scoff at either but if there’s one thing Yale truly has going for it, it’s their ability to keep quarterback Dante Reno out of harm’s way. Reno has been sacked just seven times all year thanks to an offensive line that stonewalls pass rushers. Harvard will be sending a wrecking crew led by senior lineman Alex DeGrieck but if the front men can do what they’ve done all season, Reno should be fine.
As too should the Ivy League’s best running back in Josh Pitsenberger. With a conference-leading 1,095 yards and 12 scores on the ground, Pitsenberger may be the ace in the hole for the Bulldogs in this one. He’s carried the load all year and will need to one more time against a Crimson defense that surrenders a mere 98.1 rushing yards per contest. Strength will meet strength when Yale is on offense and the winner of this battle might very well be the one who ends up on top when the clock hits zeroes.
No matter how you cut it, when leather meets toe on Saturday at the Yale Bowl, Tony Reno and his Bulldogs will have a battle on their hands. But what they will also have is the chance to do something truly the first of its kind in a rivalry that is full of notable moments. Knocking Harvard from its lofty perch will not be easy and it will likely take a darn-near perfect performance to get it done. If they do, though, Yale would roar into the FCS playoffs with a confidence that few other squads would be able to rival. Uncharted territory is one victory away for the boys from New Haven and it should make for one heck of a showdown this weekend.
Yale and Harvard will kick off at 2:00 PM (ET) on Saturday. The game can be watched on ESPNU.
