The Harvard Crimson take on the Yale Bulldogs in an Ivy League college football clash on Saturday, Nov. 22. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
Harvard is favored by 7.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -295. Yale, meanwhile, enters as a +7.5 underdog and is +220 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits set at 50.5 total points.
Here’s my Harvard vs. Yale prediction and college football picks for Saturday, November 22.
Harvard vs Yale Prediction
- Harvard vs Yale Pick: PICK
My Yale vs. Harvard best bet is on PICK. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Harvard vs Yale Odds
| Harvard Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7.5 -113 | 50.5 -113o / -113u | -295 |
| Yale Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7.5 -113 | 50.5 -113o / -113u | +220 |
- Harvard vs Yale Spread: Harvard -7.5, Yale +7.5
- Harvard vs Yale Over/Under: 50.5 Points
- Harvard vs Yale Moneyline: Harvard -295, Yale +220
Harvard vs Yale College Football Betting Preview
Harvard Crimson Betting Preview: Rolling Toward Playoffs
Harvard has been a wagon all season, having rolled through its season schedule without breaking a sweat — until last week, that is.
The Crimson avoided near catastrophe and saved their season with a 53-yard Kieran Corr field goal as time expired, allowing Harvard to escape with a 45-43 victory over Penn in its home finale.
At 9-0, Harvard has earned a share of the Ivy League regular-season title and has almost assuredly solidified sits spot in the FCS Playoffs, which start after Thanksgiving.
The winner of this game will secure the FCS automatic bid.
This Harvard offense is electric with quarterback Jaden Craig leading the way. Craig has completed 65% of his passes with 21 touchdowns this season, while throwing for nearly 2,500 yards.
Running back Xaviah Bascon has also been electric this season, and his three touchdowns were critical for Harvard last week.
The Harvard receivers have been serviceable, but the talent isn’t going to wow anyone. The cast is good, but there are no star players, and the leading receiver on the season has just 32 catches.
The Harvard defense has done a wonderful job this year of creating unfavorable situations for its opponents and getting them away from what the intended game plan would have been.
No one has run effectively against the Crimson all season, as opponents are averaging 98 yards per game and 3.2 yards per attempt.
The secondary has been solid for much of the year, but opponents can pass on the Crimson at times due to the lack of an elite pass rush.
Yale Bulldogs Betting Preview: Here to Compete
Yale has had a very good season in the Ivy League, with its only losses coming against nationally ranked Lehigh in the nonconference and a one-point loss at Dartmouth in league play.
The Bulldogs have won five games in a row and now seek to earn a share of the Ivy League title and the automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs.
Yale is going to deploy a rush-heavy attack led by running back Josh Pitsenberger, who has rushed for 1,095 yards and 12 touchdowns this season.
Pitsenberger runs with power and rarely goes down on first contact, and he will test a Harvard defensive front seven that has been so strong against the run this year.
Quarterback Dante Reno has done well to manage games. He's an efficient passer, having completed 67% of his throws with 14 touchdowns on the year.
Yale has two electric receivers in Nico Brown and Jaxton Santiago, who have combined to catch 88 passes for 1,303 yards and 13 touchdowns.
The Yale defense has been consistent in limiting explosive plays and getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The front seven has consistently lived in the opponent’s backfield all season, registering 32 sacks and 55 tackles for loss.
The Bulldogs have also been excellent on third down, allowing just 34% of conversions against them to be successful. Their red-zone defense is the best in the Ivy League, allowing touchdowns on just 10-of-28 trips.
Yale will make Harvard work for everything in this matchup.
Harvard vs Yale Pick, Betting Analysis
This is such a storied rivalry between these two proud members of the “Ancient Eight.” This game has significant meaning with a playoff spot on the line for the first time in Ivy League football history.
Harvard has been lined as a 7.5-point favorite, but I think Yale is going to give the Crimson everything they can handle in this one. I'm taking the points here.
Yale is an outstanding football team, and between the Bulldogs, Harvard and Dartmouth, there's not a ton of separation in the overall talent makeup of these rosters.
Yale has a stout defense that has held five of its last six opponents to 17 points or less.
The Bulldogs have an excellent run defense that doesn't give up explosive rushing plays, and Harvard has just one run longer than 20 yards total over its last three games.
Harvard isn't going to dominate Yale in the trenches, as it has against other opponents this season. The Bulldogs boast the best pass-rushing grade in the Ivy League and are accustomed to creating a ton of pressure on the opposition.
Craig will be under pressure in this game, and I expect the Yale defensive line to have a significant impact. Ezekiel Larry has 9.5 sacks to his credit and has recorded multiple sacks in three straight games.
Yale is playing its best defensive football of the season at the right time, and the offense is going to test Harvard in the run game.
I expect the Bulldogs offense to do enough on the ground to sustain drives and move the football in third-and-short situations. I'm going to lean on the home team to keep this game close and send it to the wire.
Pick: Yale +7.5
Harvard vs Yale Betting Trends
