The first game in the Harvard-Yale series was played at New Haven on November 13, 1875. Since the formation of a football club at Harvard three years before, the two colleges had not been able to agree on a code of rules to govern play. Yale's game consisted solely of kicking, while at Harvard running with the ball, holding, and passing were allowed. The difficulty was at length overcome by concession on the part of Yale, who agreed to play under rules with which she was unfamiliar. In consequence she was beaten, the score by the old system being four goals and two touchdowns to nothing. Fifteen men played on a side.

The following year, playing for the first time with elevens, Yale won by a score of one goal to nothing. Harvard made two touchdowns, but by previous agreement these did not count. In 1877 Yale again wanted to play with elevens, but the Association, of which Harvard was a member, prescribed fifteen; and in consequence there was no game. The next year, however, Yale yielded to the demands of the Association, and games were played with fifteens until 1880, when the eleven was finally adopted.

From 1878 to 1890 Yale lost no game to Harvard. In 1879 there was a draw; in 1885 intercollegiate football was forbidden at Harvard; and in 1888 Harvard forfeited the game, her faculty not allowing the eleven to play in New York, while the Yale team was not allowed to play outside of that city.

This left Yale with a record of ten straight victories and one draw, when in 1890 the Harvard eleven, with Arthur Cumnock as captain, won the first victory which was clearly due to superior playing. The score in this game was twelve to six; but the success was only temporary.

For the last two years Yale has continued to win, though it is questionable whether her victory in 1892 was the result of superior playing. However that may be, she unquestionably holds the excellent record of twelve games won and one draw out of the fifteen which have been played.