Harvard Football is making bold moves in the offseason, locking in future non-conference matchups that will test the Crimson against some of the FCS's elite programs. On Tuesday, the university announced agreements to face two Big Sky Conference powerhouses—Montana State and UC Davis—marking a significant step for an Ivy League program traditionally anchored to the East Coast.
In a home-and-home series, Harvard will host UC Davis in 2027 before traveling to California to face the Aggies in 2031. The Crimson will also head to Bozeman in 2028 to take on Montana State, last year's FCS national champion. These will be first-time meetings for Harvard against both schools, a notable departure from the Ivy League's typical scheduling patterns. With the conference now participating in the FCS playoffs, high-profile non-conference games like these are crucial for building postseason résumés.
UC Davis has been a postseason staple, reaching the FCS quarterfinals in each of the last two seasons. Montana State, meanwhile, has been a juggernaut—qualifying for the playoffs every year since 2017 (excluding the shortened 2021 spring season) and appearing in three of the last five FCS championship games.
"We have always wanted to play an Ivy League opponent, and more specifically Harvard," said UC Davis head coach Tim Plough. "Our shared commitment to performance on the field and in the classroom has always felt like the makings of a fun matchup. This has been years in the making, and we look forward to the challenge. We hope this is a game we can continue for years to come."
Harvard won't be the first Ivy League team to test the Big Sky waters. Last season, Yale traveled to Bozeman for an FCS playoff matchup, falling to the Bobcats 13-21. The Crimson will look to write a different story when they visit Montana State in 2028.
In addition to these Big Sky battles, Harvard also announced future non-conference games against Wofford and Richmond, further diversifying their schedule and setting the stage for an exciting era of Crimson football.