They are two powerhouses of the Ivy League. No one has won more league championships than Dartmouth, though Harvard is close behind. The last two years, the Big Green and Crimson have owned a share of the title.
But next Saturday afternoon, when the two teams take the field at Harvard Stadium, the undefeated Cambridge club will be the slight favorite. Harvard stands 6-0 and 3-0 in the Ivy League after beating Princeton, 35-14, on October 25. The Big Green is 5-1 and 2-1 in league play, their only defeat coming in a tough loss at Penn.
Dartmouth has a knack for winning close games, with three of its four wins this season coming by seven points or fewer. That includes a thrilling, last-second 17-16 win over Yale behind a 52-yard field goal from Owen Zalc ’27 as time expired. Six of the Big Green’s eight wins last season came by nine points or fewer.
But Dartmouth will enter Harvard stadium coming off its largest margin of victory since 2013, a 49-3 win over Columbia.
“You prepare the same way every week,” Sammy McCorkle, the Robert L. Blackman Head Football Coach, said when asked about the Harvard matchup. “Harvard is a big game because it's the next game. We're going to lock in and focus. They're a very good football team and we're excited for the opportunity.”
Dartmouth almost always plays a close game with Harvard. Eight of the last nine meetings between the two were decided by single digits, including last season’s heartbreaking 31-27 loss to the Crimson. Harvard jumped out to a 10-0 lead after the first quarter, but the Big Green scored 20 unanswered points—and 27 of the next 37—to take a 27-17 lead into the fourth. However, the Crimson scored touchdowns with 5:59 and 0:27 remaining for the victory.
Both teams feature a number of veterans this season, along with many people in new roles. Jaden Craig, the Harvard quarterback who threw for 311 yards against the Big Green in 2024, has continued his success in 2025—throwing for 1,315 yards and 11 touchdowns through five games. Dartmouth’s Grayson Saunier ’27 threw a touchdown pass against the Crimson last year and has impressed in his first season as full-time starter in 2025. The quarterback from Louisiana has thrown for 1,394 yards with five passing touchdowns while ranking second on the team in rushing, with 303 yards and a team-leading eight rushing scores.
In 2025, the Crimson has dominated its opponents, outscoring them by a combined 224-55 through five games while standing in the top 20 in both major national polls for most of the season. The Big Green have been receiving votes in those same polls, beginning the year with a win over top-20 New Hampshire, 27-20. Currently, Dartmouth is not in the top 20 of either poll.
“It's always been a big battle,” said McCorkle. “They're a solid team, year in and year out. We'll take it one day at a time and we'll work on getting better.”
Harvard leads the all-time series with Dartmouth, 74-48-5, which includes three straight wins. The Big Green won the previous three matchups—in 2018, 2019, and 2021—with the last two meetings coming at Harvard. The 2019 win was especially thrilling, as Dartmouth converted a Hail Mary pass as time expired for the 9-6 victory.
The pass “took forever to come down,” said the late great head coach Buddy Teevens ’79 after the 2019 game. “Then it’s, ‘Did that really happen or am I dreaming?’ ”
The latest chapter in the Dartmouth-Harvard rivalry will be written on November 1. Fans who can’t make it to the game can watch on ESPN+, with opening kickoff set for 3 p.m. from Harvard Stadium.
“You can't get too high and can't get too low," said junior nickelback Tyson Grimm after the Columbia win. “We've got to wipe it. Harvard is going to be a great test for us.”
