In the seven first encounters between Yale and Harvard, a different system of scoring was used. Harvard won the first match by four field goals and four touchdowns while Yale was blanked.

With the exception of a scoreless tie in 1879, the Elis proved dominant in the encounters played between 1876 and 1882. In 1876, they won, three touchdowns to one field goal; in 1878, Yale won by a single field goal; in 1880, the Crimson was downed by a field goal and a touchdown; in 1881 by four safeties; and in 1882, the New Haven outfit conquered by one field-goal and three touchdowns to the Crimson's two safeties. Winner  H  Y 1883  Yale  2  23 1884  Yale  0  48 1886  Yale  4  29 1887  Yale  8  17 1889  Yale  0  6 1890  Harvard  12  6 1891  Yale  0  10 1892  Yale  0  6 1893  Yale  0  6 1894  Yale  4  12 1897  Tie  0  0 1898  Harvar  17  0 1899  Tie  0  0 1900  Yale  0  28 1901  Harvard  22  0 1902  Yale  0  23 1903  Yale  0  16 1904  Yale  0  12 1905  Yale  0  6 19068  Yale  0  6 1907  Yale  0  12 1908  Harvard  4  0 1909  Yale  0  8 1910  Tie  0  0 1911  Tie  0  0 1912  Harvard  20  0 1913  Harvard  15  5 1914  Harvard  36  0 1915  Harvard  41  0 1916  Yale  3  6 1919  Harvard  10  3 1920  Harvard  9  0 1921  Harvard  10  3 1922  Havard  10  3 1923  Yale  0  13 1924  Yale  6  19