Lehigh vs Lafayette Football History
The Lehigh-Lafayette football series is college football’s most-played rivalry. The Rivalry, as it has come to be known, has grown to transcend the annual football game to include all athletic competitions between the two schools, located less than 20 miles apart in eastern Pennsylvania.
Beginnings
Historical records indicate that Lehigh’s founder Asa Packer was initially approached in connection with the addition of an engineering wing to Lafayette College. Packer’s interest turned sour when he learned that Lafayette was under control of the Presbyterian Church, a congregation that had not welcomed him in his home town. So instead, Packer founded Lehigh University in 1865 and the seeds for a rivalry between the two institutions were planted.
Lehigh records reflect the first official athletic competition between Lehigh and Lafayette was a track and field meet consisting of 14 events on May 14, 1881. Lehigh emerged victorious in this competition, winning ten of 14 events. Lafayette history suggests there were two baseball games played in 1869; one a 45-45 tie and the other a 31-24 Lafayette victory. Apparently, “The Rivalry” extends even to historical record keeping!
The early years
The first football game between the two schools was in 1884, just one year after standardized football rules were established. Lehigh and Lafayette battled on the gridiron twice a year from 1884-1895 with the exception of 1891, when three games were contested. In that year, each school hosted a game, plus a third rivalry game was played in Wilkes-Barre, the only neutral site game in series history prior to 2014. Lehigh won all three games that year. At that time, few teams were playing organized football and travel was via horse and buggy making the home and home series economical and practical.
From 1897 to the present day
An eligibility dispute put the rivalry on a one-year hiatus in 1896, but the series resumed the following year and has continued every year since. The schools continued to play twice a year from 1897 through 1901 settling on a one game per year schedule in 1902. During World War II, Lehigh and Lafayette met twice in both 1943 and 1944 due to wartime travel restrictions. Lafayette enters the 150th meeting with a 77-67-5 lead in the series, though Lehigh has won 19 of the last 31 games, including a recent five game win streak from 2008-2012.
To this day, the annual game draws sellout crowds and national media attention. Additionally, the week before the Lehigh-Lafayette football game is one of the most energized times on South Mountain. Students, faculty and staff proudly wear their brown and white and participate in Spirit Week, six days filled with campus and student activities that culminate with the gridiron showdown.
The spirit, intensity and importance of the Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry carry across all of Lehigh’s sports. For the student-athletes, alumni and the campus community, the match-up of Lehigh-Lafayette in any sport is one of the most anticipated and often most memorable competitive events of any year, and of many college careers.
What they’re saying
“Watching a Lehigh-Lafayette game is something you have to do once in your life.” – Sports Illustrated
“Lafayette-Lehigh is a rivalry that truly transcends time. It’s pure. Players are motivated by the love of the game and perhaps the hatred of their rivals.” – Chris Fowler, ESPN College Gameday Host
“No other teams have met more times on the football field than Lehigh and Lafayette. The rivalry has been intense, sometimes bitter, but always one of good, hard football.” – New York Times, November 22, 1959
“What I remember most about my career at Lehigh is probably beating Lafayette three times. I think the Lafayette games were more exciting to me than any other games I played in, including the NFL games.” – Kim McQuilken ’74, Two-time game MVP, and former NFL quarterback.
"Well, it's impressive, but not so exciting as the Lehigh-Lafayette game." – Nancy Barrett-Kreider ’79, wife of former Cincinnati Bengal Steve Kreider ’79, when asked about the excitement surrounding the 1982 Super Bowl.
“For those 60 minutes, we’re on the same size field as those other guys, in front of 20,000 people, and it’s every bit as meaningful to those players as it is those playing in the Alabama-Auburn or Michigan-Ohio State games. It’s all that matters.” -- Mark Yeager ’81, former Lehigh Football co-captain, current Lehigh Trustee, as told to Michael Bradley in Big Games, College Football’s Greatest Rivalries, 2006.
LEHIGH-LAFAYETTE MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS
Beginnings
Historical records indicate that Lehigh’s founder Asa Packer was initially approached in connection with the addition of an engineering wing to Lafayette College. Packer’s interest turned sour when he learned that Lafayette was under control of the Presbyterian Church, a congregation that had not welcomed him in his home town. So instead, Packer founded Lehigh University in 1865 and the seeds for a rivalry between the two institutions were planted.
Lehigh records reflect the first official athletic competition between Lehigh and Lafayette was a track and field meet consisting of 14 events on May 14, 1881. Lehigh emerged victorious in this competition, winning ten of 14 events. Lafayette history suggests there were two baseball games played in 1869; one a 45-45 tie and the other a 31-24 Lafayette victory. Apparently, “The Rivalry” extends even to historical record keeping!
The early years
The first football game between the two schools was in 1884, just one year after standardized football rules were established. Lehigh and Lafayette battled on the gridiron twice a year from 1884-1895 with the exception of 1891, when three games were contested. In that year, each school hosted a game, plus a third rivalry game was played in Wilkes-Barre, the only neutral site game in series history prior to 2014. Lehigh won all three games that year. At that time, few teams were playing organized football and travel was via horse and buggy making the home and home series economical and practical.
From 1897 to the present day
An eligibility dispute put the rivalry on a one-year hiatus in 1896, but the series resumed the following year and has continued every year since. The schools continued to play twice a year from 1897 through 1901 settling on a one game per year schedule in 1902. During World War II, Lehigh and Lafayette met twice in both 1943 and 1944 due to wartime travel restrictions. Lafayette enters the 150th meeting with a 77-67-5 lead in the series, though Lehigh has won 19 of the last 31 games, including a recent five game win streak from 2008-2012.
To this day, the annual game draws sellout crowds and national media attention. Additionally, the week before the Lehigh-Lafayette football game is one of the most energized times on South Mountain. Students, faculty and staff proudly wear their brown and white and participate in Spirit Week, six days filled with campus and student activities that culminate with the gridiron showdown.
The spirit, intensity and importance of the Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry carry across all of Lehigh’s sports. For the student-athletes, alumni and the campus community, the match-up of Lehigh-Lafayette in any sport is one of the most anticipated and often most memorable competitive events of any year, and of many college careers.
What they’re saying
“Watching a Lehigh-Lafayette game is something you have to do once in your life.” – Sports Illustrated
“Lafayette-Lehigh is a rivalry that truly transcends time. It’s pure. Players are motivated by the love of the game and perhaps the hatred of their rivals.” – Chris Fowler, ESPN College Gameday Host
“No other teams have met more times on the football field than Lehigh and Lafayette. The rivalry has been intense, sometimes bitter, but always one of good, hard football.” – New York Times, November 22, 1959
“What I remember most about my career at Lehigh is probably beating Lafayette three times. I think the Lafayette games were more exciting to me than any other games I played in, including the NFL games.” – Kim McQuilken ’74, Two-time game MVP, and former NFL quarterback.
"Well, it's impressive, but not so exciting as the Lehigh-Lafayette game." – Nancy Barrett-Kreider ’79, wife of former Cincinnati Bengal Steve Kreider ’79, when asked about the excitement surrounding the 1982 Super Bowl.
“For those 60 minutes, we’re on the same size field as those other guys, in front of 20,000 people, and it’s every bit as meaningful to those players as it is those playing in the Alabama-Auburn or Michigan-Ohio State games. It’s all that matters.” -- Mark Yeager ’81, former Lehigh Football co-captain, current Lehigh Trustee, as told to Michael Bradley in Big Games, College Football’s Greatest Rivalries, 2006.
| Year | Winner | Score | Location |
| 1884 | Lafayette | 50-0 | Lafayette |
| 1884 | Lafayette | 34-4 | Lehigh |
| 1885 | Lafayette | 6-0 | Lafayette |
| 1885 | Tie | 6-6 | Lafayette |
| 1886 | Lafayette | 12-0 | Lafayette |
| 1886 | Lafayette | 4-0 | Lehigh |
| 1887 | Lehigh | 10-4 | Lehigh |
| 1887 | Lafayette | 6-0 | Lafayette |
| 1888 | Lehigh | 6-4 | Lafayette |
| 1888 | Lehigh | 16-0 | Lehigh |
| 1889 | Lehigh | 16-10 | Lehigh |
| 1889 | Tie | 6-6 | Lafayette |
| 1890 | Lehigh | 30-0 | Lafayette |
| 1890 | Lehigh | 66-6 | Lehigh |
| 1891 | Lehigh | 22-4 | Lehigh |
| 1891 | Lehigh | 6-2 | Wilkes-Barre |
| 1891 | Lehigh | 16-2 | Lafayette |
| 1892 | Lafayette | 4-0 | Lafayette |
| 1892 | Lehigh | 15-6 | Lehigh |
| 1893 | Lehigh | 22-6 | Lehigh |
| 1893 | Lehigh | 10-0 | Lafayette |
| 1894 | Lafayette | 24-0 | Lafayette |
| 1894 | Lehigh | 11-8 | Lehigh |
| 1895 | Lafayette | 22-12 | Lehigh |
| 1895 | Lafayette | 14-6 | Lafayette |
| 1896 | No Game | ||
| 1897 | Lafayette | 34-0 | Lafayette |
| 1897 | Lafayette | 22-0 | Lehigh |
| 1898 | Lehigh | 22-0 | Lehigh |
| 1898 | Lafayette | 11-5 | Lafayette |
| 1899 | Lafayette | 17-0 | Lafayette |
| 1899 | Lafayette | 35-0 | Lehigh |
| 1900 | Lafayette | 34-0 | Lehigh |
| 1900 | Lafayette | 18-0 | Lafayette |
| 1901 | Lafayette | 29-0 | Lafayette |
| 1901 | Lafayette | 41-0 | Lehigh |
| 1902 | Lehigh | 6-0 | Lafayette |
| 1903 | Lehigh | 12-6 | Lehigh |
| 1904 | Lafayette | 40-6 | Lafayette |
| 1905 | Lafayette | 53-0 | Lehigh |
| 1906 | Lafayette | 33-0 | Lafayette |
| 1907 | Lafayette | 22-5 | Lehigh |
| 1908 | Lehigh | 11-5 | Lafayette |
| 1909 | Lafayette | 21-0 | Lehigh |
| 1910 | Lafayette | 14-0 | Lafayette |
| 1911 | Lafayette | 11-0 | Lehigh |
| 1912 | Lehigh | 10-0 | Lafayette |
| 1913 | Lehigh | 7-0 | Lehigh |
| 1914 | Lehigh | 17-7 | Lafayette |
| 1915 | Lafayette | 35-6 | Lehigh |
| 1916 | Lehigh | 16-0 | Lafayette |
| 1917 | Lehigh | 78-0 | Lehigh |
| 1918 | Lehigh | 17-0 | Lafayette |
| 1919 | Lafayette | 10-6 | Lehigh |
| 1920 | Lafayette | 27-7 | Lafayette |
| 1921 | Lafayette | 28-6 | Lehigh |
| 1922 | Lafayette | 3-0 | Lafayette |
| 1923 | Lafayette | 13-3 | Lehigh |
| 1924 | Lafayette | 7-0 | Lafayette |
| 1925 | Lafayette | 14-0 | Lehigh |
| 1926 | Lafayette | 35-0 | Lafayette |
| 1927 | Lafayette | 43-0 | Lehigh |
| 1928 | Lafayette | 38-14 | Lafayette |
| 1929 | Lehigh | 13-12 | Lehigh |
| 1930 | Lafayette | 16-6 | Lafayette |
| 1931 | Lafayette | 13-7 | Lehigh |
| 1932 | Lafayette | 25-6 | Lafayette |
| 1933 | Lafayette | 54-12 | Lehigh |
| 1934 | Lehigh | 13-7 | Lafayette |
| 1935 | Lehigh | 48-0 | Lehigh |
| 1936 | Lehigh | 18-0 | Lafayette |
| 1937 | Lafayette | 6-0 | Lehigh |
| 1938 | Lafayette | 6-0 | Lafayette |
| 1939 | Lafayette | 29-13 | Lehigh |
| 1940 | Lafayette | 46-0 | Lafayette |
| 1941 | Lafayette | 47-7 | Lehigh |
| 1942 | Tie | 7-7 | Lafayette |
| 1943 | Lafayette | 39-7 | Lafayette |
| 1943 | Lafayette | 58-0 | Lehigh |
| 1944 | Lafayette | 44-0 | Lafayette |
| 1944 | Lafayette | 64-0 | Lafayette |
| 1945 | Lafayette | 7-0 | Lehigh |
| 1946 | Lafayette | 13-0 | Lafayette |
| 1947 | Lafayette | 7-0 | Lehigh |
| 1948 | Lafayette | 23-13 | Lafayette |
| 1949 | Lafayette | 21-12 | Lehigh |
| 1950 | Lehigh | 38-0 | Lafayette |
| 1951 | Lehigh | 32-0 | Lehigh |
| 1952 | Lehigh | 14-7 | Lafayette |
| 1953 | Lafayette | 33-13 | Lehigh |
| 1954 | Lafayette | 46-0 | Lafayette |
| 1955 | Lafayette | 35-6 | Lehigh |
| 1956 | Lehigh | 27-10 | Lafayette |
| 1957 | Lehigh | 26-13 | Lehigh |
| 1958 | Tie | 14-14 | Lafayette |
| 1959 | Lafayette | 28-6 | Lehigh |
| 1960 | Lehigh | 26-3 | Lafayette |
| 1961 | Lehigh | 17-14 | Lehigh |
| 1962 | Lehigh | 13-6 | Lafayette |
| 1963 | Lehigh | 15-8 | Lehigh |
| 1964 | Tie | 6-6 | Lafayette |
| 1965 | Lehigh | 20-14 | Lehigh |
| 1966 | Lafayette | 16-0 | Lafayette |
| 1967 | Lafayette | 6-0 | Lehigh |
| 1968 | Lehigh | 21-6 | Lafayette |
| 1969 | Lehigh | 36-19 | Lehigh |
| 1970 | Lafayette | 31-28 | Lafayette |
| 1971 | Lehigh | 48-19 | Lehigh |
| 1972 | Lehigh | 14-6 | Lafayette |
| 1973 | Lehigh | 45-13 | Lehigh |
| 1974 | Lehigh | 57-7 | Lafayette |
| 1975 | Lehigh | 40-14 | Lehigh |
| 1976 | Lafayette | 21-17 | Lafayette |
| 1977 | Lehigh | 35-17 | Lehigh |
| 1978 | Lehigh | 23-15 | Lafayette |
| 1979 | Lehigh | 24-3 | Lehigh |
| 1980 | Lehigh | 32-0 | Lafayette |
| 1981 | Lafayette | 10-3 | Lehigh |
| 1982 | Lafayette | 34-6 | Lafayette |
| 1983 | Lehigh | 22-14 | Lehigh |
| 1984 | Lafayette | 28-7 | Lafayette |
| 1985 | Lehigh | 24-19 | Lehigh |
| 1986 | Lafayette | 28-23 | Lafayette |
| 1987 | Lehigh | 17-10 | Lehigh |
| 1988 | Lafayette | 52-45 | Lafayette |
| 1989 | Lafayette | 36-21 | Lehigh |
| 1990 | Lehigh | 35-14 | Lafayette |
| 1991 | Lehigh | 36-18 | Lehigh |
| 1992 | Lafayette | 32-29 | Lafayette |
| 1993 | Lehigh | 39-14 | Lehigh |
| 1994 | Lafayette | 54-20 | Lafayette |
| 1995 | Lehigh | 37-30 (2OT) | Lehigh |
| 1996 | Lehigh | 23-19 | Lafayette |
| 1997 | Lehigh | 43-31 | Lehigh |
| 1998 | Lehigh | 31-6 | Lafayette |
| 1999 | Lehigh | 14-12 | Lehigh |
| 2000 | Lehigh | 31-17 | Lafayette |
| 2001 | Lehigh | 41-6 | Lehigh |
| 2002 | Lafayette | 14-7 | Lafayette |
| 2003 | Lehigh | 30-10 | Lehigh |
| 2004 | Lafayette | 24-10 | Lafayette |
| 2005 | Lafayette | 23-19 | Lehigh |
| 2006 | Lafayette | 49-27 | Lafayette |
| 2007 | Lafayette | 21-17 | Lehigh |
| 2008 | Lehigh | 31-15 | Lafayette |
| 2009 | Lehigh | 27-21 (OT) | Lehigh |
| 2010 | Lehigh | 20-13 | Lafayette |
| 2011 | Lehigh | 37-13 | Lehigh |
| 2012 | Lehigh | 38-21 | Lafayette |
| 2013 | Lafayette | 50-28 | Lehigh |
LEHIGH-LAFAYETTE MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS
| Year | Player | Position | Team |
| 1960 | Al Richmond | RB | Lehigh |
| 1961 | Boyd Taylor | RB | Lehigh |
| 1962 | Walt King | QB | Lehigh |
| 1963 | Les Kish | QB | Lehigh |
| 1964 | George Hossenlopp | QB | Lafayette |
| 1965 | Hal Yeich | RB | Lehigh |
| 1966 | Rick Craw | RB | Lehigh |
| 1967 | Art Renfro | LB | Lehigh |
| 1968 | Jim Petrillo | RB | Lehigh |
| 1969 | Don Diorio | RB | Lehigh |
| 1970 | Rick Nowell | WR/PK | Lafayette |
| 1971 | Jack Rizzo | RB | Lehigh |
| 1972 | Kim McQuilken | QB | Lehigh |
| 1973 | Kim McQuilken | QB | Lehigh |
| 1974 | Joe Alleva | QB | Lehigh |
| 1975 | Joe Sterrett | QB | Lehigh |
| 1976 | Rod Gardner | RB | Lehigh |
| Mark Jones | QB | Lafayette | |
| 1977 | Mike Rieker | QB | Lehigh |
| 1978 | Steve Kreider | WR | Lehigh |
| 1979 | Joe Rabuck | RB | Lehigh |
| 1980 | Mike Crowe | DE | Lehigh |
| 1981 | Frank Novak | QB | Lehigh |
| 1982 | Jack Gatehouse | WR | Lafayette |
| 1983 | Marty Horn | QB | Lehigh |
| 1984 | Jim Johnson | QB | Lafayette |
| 1985 | Marty Horn | QB | Lehigh |
| 1986 | Bruce McIntyre | RB | Lafayette |
| 1987 | Mark McGowan | QB | Lehigh |
| 1988 | Tom Costello | RB | Lafayette |
| 1989 | Tom Costello | RB | Lafayette |
| 1990 | Erick Torain | RB | Lehigh |
| 1991 | Glenn Kempa | QB | Lehigh |
| 1992 | Erick Marsh | RB | Lafayette |
| 1993 | S. Semptimphelter | QB | Lehigh |
| 1994 | Erik Marsh | RB | Lafayette |
| 1995 | Brian Klingerman | WR | Lehigh |
| 1996 | Phil Stambaugh | QB | Lehigh |
| 1997 | Rabih Abdullah | RB | Lehigh |
| 1998 | Ronald Jean | RB | Lehigh |
| 1999 | Ronald Jean | RB | Lehigh |
| 2000 | Matt Salvaterra | DB | Lehigh |
| 2001 | Josh Snyder | WR | Lehigh |
| 2002 | Joe McCourt | RB | Lafayette |
| 2003 | Jermaine Pugh | RB | Lehigh |
| 2004 | Brad Maurer | QB | Lafayette |
| 2005 | Jonathan Hurt | RB | Lafayette |
| 2006 | Jonathan Hurt | RB | Lafayette |
| Brad Maurer | QB | Lafayette | |
| 2007 | Rob Curley | QB | Lafayette |
| 2008 | J.B. Clark | QB | Lehigh |
| 2009 | J.B. Clark | QB | Lehigh |
| 2010 | Al Pierce | LB | Lehigh |
| 2011 | Chris Lum | QB | Lehigh |
| 2012 | Mike Colvin | QB | Lehigh |
| 2013 | Drew Reed | QB | Lafayette |
