Harvard is the school that plays Yale in the college football rivalry known simply as The Game. The matchup is formally the Harvard–Yale football rivalry, with Harvard’s Crimson facing Yale’s Bulldogs.
The teams first met on November 13, 1875, in New Haven. Harvard won that inaugural contest 4–0 under a hybrid set of rules influenced by both rugby and soccer. The game helped shape the development of American football, which was still evolving in the late 19th century.
The Game is traditionally played in November as the final regular-season contest for both schools. It is one of college football’s oldest and most frequently played rivalries, and its importance extends beyond athletics to the academic and social competition between the two universities.
A common mix-up is confusing The Game with other Harvard–Yale contests, including their regatta and soccer rivalry. In football, however, The Game specifically means Harvard versus Yale.