It’s been more than 135 years since Lafayette and Lehigh first battled on the gridiron. The Lafayette and Lehigh football rivalry, known as “The Rivalry”, is the most played rivalry in college football. Together, the Leopards and Mountain Hawks have played in the longest uninterrupted rivalry game (125 seasons), playing every year since 1884 (there was no game in 1896 due to eligibility concerns and 2020’s game was played in spring 2021).
MORE: These are the 15 oldest rivalries in college football
When Lafayette and Lehigh met in 2025, it marked The Rivalry’s 161st all-time meeting. The Leopards hold an 82-74-5 head-to-head edge, losing 2025’s contest 42-32.
However, there’s more to this rivalry than wins and losses, with immense history throughout the series. These are just a few notable happenings in football history that put The Rivalry in perspective:
1899: The Territorial Cup becomes the first trophy awarded for a rivalry game
1906: The forward pass is legalized in football
1913: All-time college football head coach Paul “Bear” Bryant is born
1920: The Akron Pros won the first NFL championship
1967: The Green Bay Packers won the first Super Bowl
Here are six moments chronicling Lafayette and Lehigh’s decorated pasts.
1884 – The first game
Lafayette Athletics
A Lafayette college newspaper previews the first ever meeting between Lafayette and Lehigh
The first Lafayette-Yale football game was held in Easton, Pennsylvania in 1884. Lafayette began playing football in 1882 and approached Lehigh for competition after the standardization of football rules in 1883. Upon gameplay, “[Lehigh] knew so little of the game that only one man had [cleats] on his shoes and the rest of us slid over the worn grass as though we were on roller-skates,” said then-Lehigh football player Richard Harding Davis. Lafayette won the inaugural meeting 56-0.
Lehigh Athletics
Lehigh’s 1884 Football team
1891 – The Rivalry meets for a third time at Wilkes-Barre
1891 marked the only year The Rivalry had three games and the first game in the series was not played in Easton or Bethlehem. After each school hosted a home game, Lafayette and Lehigh traveled to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to play the third meeting of the year. In front of a large crowd, Lehigh completed the season sweep, winning 16-2.
1987 – An ice-cold comeback
Lehigh Athletics
Lehigh fans tear down the goal posts after a game at Taylor Stadium. This tradition lasted until 1991
The 1987 edition of The Rivalry was the final college football game played at Lehigh’s Taylor Stadium. 1987 also was one of the coldest days in Rivalry history with minus-17-degree wind chills. Lehigh trailed 10-9 in the fourth quarter until QB Mark McGowan led a ten-play, 59-yard scoring drive. McGowan ran in for a touchdown, securing the 17-10 victory.
1995 – A double-overtime classic: “The Catch”
More than Rivalry bragging rights were on the line in 1995; the Patriot League title was on the line. Entering the fourth quarter, Lafayette led 30-14. A late Lehigh rally forced the first overtime game in Rivalry history.
After a scoreless first overtime, the scoreboard lights at Lehigh’s Goodman Stadium were brightened to the highest extent, providing light as the sun set. Amid darkening conditions, Lehigh’s Bob Aylsworth passed to Brian Klingerman in the end zone, with Klingerman making a spectacular one-handed catch that would go down in history. The Mountain Hawk defense would make a defensive stand on fourth-and-one to win the game.
2005 – A backup quarterback makes his mark
Lehigh entered The Rivalry in 2005 ranked 12th in the country. After Lafayette starting quarterback Brad Maurer got hurt on the first series, the Mountain Hawks played well against their rivals, leading 19-17 with just over two minutes remaining. However, Lehigh failed to run the clock out and was forced to punt the ball away to the Lafayette 15-yard line.
In front of 16,017 fans on the road, Lafayette backup quarterback Pat Davis had to lead a comeback. On fourth-and-ten, Davis found RB Jonathan Hurt for a touchdown, taking the lead with 38 seconds left. The Leopards would win 23-19, also winning their second-straight Patriot League championship.
WINS: Here are the 9 winningest FCS teams in college football history
2014- The Rivalry 150: Pinstripe Edition
Lehigh Athletics
The 150th edition of The Rivalry was held at Yankee Stadium
In celebration of the 150th game in the series, The Rivalry moved to Yankee Stadium. The Leopards and Mountain Hawks played in front of a sellout crowd of 48,256 people. Lafayette would jump out to a 21-0 lead, holding on to win 27-7.
Lafayette vs. Lehigh: Scores, all-time series
Date
Winner
Score
Location
Oct. 25, 1884
Lafayette
56-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 12, 1884
Lafayette
34-4
Bethlehem, PA
Oct. 31, 1885
Lafayette
6-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 21, 1885
Tie
6-6
Easton, PA
Nov. 6, 1886
Lafayette
12-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 24, 1886
Lafayette
4-0
Bethlehem, PA
Oct. 29, 1887
Lehigh
10-5
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 23, 1887
Lafayette
6-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 17, 1888
Lehigh
6-4
Easton, PA
Nov. 27, 1888
Lehigh
16-0
Bethlehem, PA
Oct. 30, 1889
Lehigh
16-10
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 16, 1889
Tie
6-6
Easton, PA
Nov. 1, 1890
Lehigh
30-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 15, 1890
Lehigh
66-6
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 4, 1891
Lehigh
22-4
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 11, 1891
Lehigh
6-2
Easton, PA
Nov. 25, 1891
Lehigh
16-2
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Nov. 5, 1892
Lafayette
4-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 19, 1892
Lehigh
15-6
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 8, 1893
Lehigh
22-6
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 18, 1893
Lehigh
10-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 14, 1894
Lafayette
28-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 24, 1894
Lehigh
11-8
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 9, 1895
Lafayette
22-12
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 23, 1895
Lafayette
14-0
Easton, PA
Oct. 30, 1897
Lafayette
34-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 25, 1897
Lafayette
22-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 5, 1898
Lehigh
22-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 24, 1898
Lafayette
11-5
Easton, PA
Nov. 4, 1899
Lafayette
17-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 25, 1899
Lafayette
35-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 3, 1900
Lafayette
34-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 24, 1900
Lafayette
18-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 1, 1901
Lafayette
29-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 23, 1901
Lafayette
41-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 22, 1902
Lehigh
6-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 21, 1903
Lehigh
12-6
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 24, 1904
Lafayette
40-6
Easton, PA
Nov. 15, 1905
Lafayette
53-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 24, 1906
Lafayette
33-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 23, 1907
Lafayette
22-5
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 21, 1908
Lehigh
11-5
Easton, PA
Nov. 20, 1909
Lafayette
21-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 19, 1910
Lafayette
14-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 25, 1911
Lafayette
11-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 23, 1912
Lehigh
10-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 22, 1913
Lehigh
7-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 21, 1914
Lehigh
17-7
Easton, PA
Nov. 20, 1915
Lafayette
35-6
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 25, 1916
Lehigh
16-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 24, 1917
Lehigh
78-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 23, 1918
Lehigh
17-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 22, 1919
Lafayette
10-6
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 20, 1920
Lafayette
27-7
Easton, PA
Nov. 19, 1921
Lafayette
28-6
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 25, 1922
Lafayette
3-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 24, 1923
Lafayette
13-3
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 22, 1924
Lafayette
7-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 21, 1925
Lafayette
14-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 20, 1926
Lafayette
35-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 19, 1927
Lafayette
43-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 24, 1928
Lafayette
38-14
Easton, PA
Nov. 23, 1929
Lehigh
13-12
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 22, 1930
Lafayette
16-6
Easton, PA
Nov. 21, 1931
Lafayette
13-7
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 19, 1932
Lafayette
25-6
Easton, PA
Nov. 25, 1933
Lafayette
54-12
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 24, 1934
Lehigh
13-7
Easton, PA
Nov. 23, 1935
Lehigh
48-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 21, 1936
Lehigh
18-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 20, 1937
Lafayette
6-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 19, 1938
Lafayette
6-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 25, 1939
Lafayette
29-13
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 23, 1940
Lafayette
46-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 22, 1941
Lafayette
47-7
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 21, 1942
Tie
7-7
Easton, PA
Oct. 23, 1943
Lafayette
39-7
Easton, PA
Nov. 27, 1943
Lafayette
58-0
Bethlehem, PA
Oct. 21, 1944
Lafayette
44-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 18, 1944
Lafayette
64-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 24, 1945
Lafayette
7-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 23, 1946
Lafayette
13-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 22, 1947
Lafayette
7-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 20, 1948
Lafayette
23-13
Easton, PA
Nov. 19, 1949
Lafayette
21-12
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 18, 1950
Lehigh
38-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 17, 1951
Lehigh
32-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 22, 1952
Lehigh
14-7
Easton, PA
Nov. 21, 1953
Lafayette
33-13
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 20, 1954
Lafayette
46-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 19, 1955
Lafayette
35-6
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 17, 1956
Lehigh
27-10
Easton, PA
Nov. 23, 1957
Lehigh
26-13
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 22, 1958
Tie
14-14
Easton, PA
Nov. 21, 1959
Lafayette
28-6
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 19, 1960
Lehigh
26-3
Easton, PA
Nov. 18, 1961
Lehigh
17-14
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 17, 1962
Lehigh
13-6
Easton, PA
Nov. 30, 1963
Lehigh
15-8
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 21, 1964
Tie
6-6
Easton, PA
Nov. 20, 1965
Lehigh
20-14
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 19, 1966
Lafayette
16-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 18, 1967
Lafayette
6-0
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 23, 1968
Lehigh
21-6
Easton, PA
Nov. 22, 1969
Lehigh
36-19
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 21, 1970
Lafayette
31-28
Easton, PA
Nov. 20, 1971
Lehigh
48-19
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 18, 1972
Lehigh
14-6
Easton, PA
Nov. 17, 1973
Lehigh
45-13
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 23, 1974
Lehigh
57-7
Easton, PA
Nov. 22, 1975
Lehigh
40-14
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 20, 1976
Lafayette
21-17
Easton, PA
Nov. 19, 1977
Lehigh
35-17
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 18, 1978
Lehigh
23-15
Easton, PA
Nov. 17, 1979
Lehigh
24-3
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 22, 1980
Lehigh
32-0
Easton, PA
Nov. 21, 1981
Lafayette
10-3
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 20, 1982
Lafayette
34-6
Easton, PA
Nov. 19, 1983
Lehigh
22-14
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 17, 1984
Lafayette
28-7
Easton, PA
Nov. 23, 1985
Lehigh
24-19
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 22, 1986
Lafayette
28-23
Easton, PA
Nov. 21, 1987
Lehigh
17-10
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 19, 1988
Lafayette
52-45
Easton, PA
Nov. 18, 1989
Lafayette
36-21
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 17, 1990
Lehigh
35-14
Easton, PA
Nov. 23, 1991
Lehigh
36-18
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 21, 1992
Lafayette
32-29
Easton, PA
Nov. 20, 1993
Lehigh
39-14
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 19, 1994
Lafayette
54-20
Easton, PA
Nov. 18, 1995
Lehigh
37-30
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 23, 1996
Lehigh
23-19
Easton, PA
Nov. 22, 1997
Lehigh
43-31
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 21, 1998
Lehigh
31-7
Easton, PA
Nov. 20, 1999
Lehigh
14-12
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 18, 2000
Lehigh
31-17
Easton, PA
Nov. 17, 2001
Lehigh
41-6
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 23, 2002
Lafayette
14-7
Easton, PA
Nov. 22, 2003
Lehigh
30-10
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 20, 2004
Lafayette
24-10
Easton, PA
Nov. 19, 2005
Lafayette
23-19
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 18, 2006
Lafayette
49-27
Easton, PA
Nov. 17, 2007
Lafayette
21-17
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 22, 2008
Lehigh
31-15
Easton, PA
Nov. 21, 2009
Lehigh
27-21
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 20, 2010
Lehigh
20-13
Easton, PA
Nov. 19, 2011
Lehigh
37-13
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 17, 2012
Lehigh
38-21
Easton, PA
Nov. 23, 2013
Lafayette
50-28
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 22, 2014
Lafayette
27-7
The Bronx, NY (Yankee Stadium)
Nov. 21, 2015
Lehigh
49-35
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 19, 2016
Lehigh
45-21
Easton, PA
Nov. 18, 2017
Lehigh
38-31
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 17, 2018
Lehigh
34-3
Easton, PA
Nov. 23, 2019
Lafayette
17-6
Bethlehem, PA
Apr. 10, 2021
Lafayette
20-13
Easton, PA
Nov. 20, 2021
Lehigh
17-10
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 19, 2022
Lafayette
14-11
Easton, PA
Nov. 18, 2023
Lafayette
49-21
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 23, 2024
Lehigh
38-14
Bethlehem, PA
Nov. 22, 2025
Lehigh
42-32
Easton, PA