Harvard Football Hosts Columbia in Rainy Home Finale Needing a Win, and Help, to Regain Ivy Control

No. 19/22 Harvard plays its final regular-season home game Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, against Columbia at Harvard Stadium, one week after a loss at Dartmouth cost the Crimson control of the Ivy League race. Kickoff is 1 p.m. on ESPN, according to Columbia Athletics, with rain in the forecast; Harvard has already canceled its Crimson Village pregame festivities, The Harvard Crimson reported.

Harvard (6-1, 3-1 Ivy) is tied atop the league with Princeton and Dartmouth, all with one conference loss. Columbia (4-3, 1-3) has lost its last two games.

The Ivy title math for Harvard Columbia football

For the first time since the Ivy champion began receiving an automatic FCS playoff bid, Harvard does not control its own path, the Crimson reported. Dartmouth holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over Harvard after its win last week. But Dartmouth plays at Princeton on Saturday, and Harvard owns the tiebreaker over Princeton after beating the Tigers 35-7 last month, as The Boston Report covered in its Harvard-Princeton recap. If Princeton wins and Harvard wins out, the Crimson would clinch the league’s automatic bid, according to the Crimson’s analysis.

That makes Saturday a two-game watch for Harvard fans: beat Columbia, then check the Princeton score. The Ivy champion qualifies automatically for the FCS playoffs, which begin Nov. 28, according to the Harvard Independent.

What went wrong at Dartmouth

Harvard gained more than 400 yards against Dartmouth for only the third time this season but scored just 14 points, tying its season low, and went 1 for 4 in the red zone. Sophomore quarterback Charlie Smith threw five interceptions against a Dartmouth secondary that had five picks in its previous six games combined. Coach Andrew Aurich said Smith has had “a great week” of preparation. “He’s definitely putting in extra time,” Aurich said.

By the numbers: Harvard’s defense vs. Columbia’s air attack

Source: Columbia Athletics game preview, Nov. 4, 2026.

Harvard’s pass defense meets the Ivy’s most pass-heavy team. Columbia has thrown 55 more passes than any other Ivy team, the Crimson reported. Senior quarterback Chase Goodwin has 1,905 passing yards and 14 touchdowns but is tied for the league lead with 10 interceptions. Freshman receiver Bryce Coleman leads the Ivy with 10 touchdowns and set Columbia first-year records for receptions (51) and receiving yards (637), according to Columbia.

The Crimson’s best counter is junior defensive back Xaden Benson, who had three interceptions at Dartmouth, giving him nine this season and breaking a 79-year program record. He leads the nation with 1.29 interceptions per game. On offense, freshman Nate Bailey leads the Ivy with 53 catches, and Harvard’s three big tight ends, Logan Reaska, Seamus Gilmartin and Teigan Pelletier, have combined for 41 catches, 508 yards and five touchdowns.

History favors Harvard

Harvard leads the all-time series 66-16-1 in a rivalry that began in 1877, according to Columbia’s notes (the Harvard Independent lists it as 65-17), and won 31-14 at Columbia last season after leading 28-0 at halftime. The Crimson have won eight straight at home since a 34-29 loss to Yale to end the 2024 season. Columbia has not won at a ranked opponent since a 19-0 shutout at Dartmouth in 2021. Columbia coach Jon Poppe spent two stints on Harvard’s staff.

The last time Harvard played in bad weather, it beat Brown 14-10 in September’s nor’easter as Smith went 30 for 37 on short passes and screens. See also our earlier Harvard-Princeton preview.

This is a preview. The Boston Report will report the result after the game.

Sources

• The Harvard Crimson: No. 19/22 Harvard looks to bounce back at home against Columbia (Nov. 7, 2026)
• Columbia University Athletics: Football ships to Boston to take on No. 19/22 Harvard Saturday (Nov. 4, 2026)
• Harvard Independent: Weekly Sports Preview, Nov. 5-12 (Nov. 5, 2026)