Among the tens of thousands of college athletes who compete for an NCAA championship, a specific group has historically been excluded: Ivy League football players. Since the conference's inception in 1956, Ivy League football seasons have consistently concluded on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, without the opportunity for bowl games or playoffs.
This longstanding policy is set to change next year, as Ivy League presidents announced on Wednesday that their football teams will be allowed to participate in the Football Championship Subdivision's 24-team playoff, which includes schools previously classified as Division I-AA by the NCAA.
The absence of playoff participation has been a common disappointment for Ivy League coaches and players. The announcement was met with enthusiasm among the eight programs in the league. Bob Surace, the longest-tenured football coach in the league, emphasized the importance of competition, stating, “There’s a score and somebody is going to win and somebody is going to lose, and you find out on that day who is the better team.”
Previous requests to amend the policy were often met with silence regarding the reasons, with Ivy League presidents citing the need for compelling evidence to change their stance. Concerns over football-related brain injuries strengthened the argument against extending the season.
The Ivy League has led initiatives to reduce dangerous play. In 2016, the league adopted a ban on tackling during practice, inspired by a former Dartmouth coach, a move that has since been emulated by other colleges and the NFL. Additionally, the league moved kickoffs to the 40-yard line to decrease high-speed collisions and enhance player safety.
The decision to reassess postseason participation was influenced by input from student-athletes. Mason Shipp, a Yale receiver, collaborated with Leah Carey from Brown and Chloe Maister from Cornell to present a proposal to the presidents this year. They worked alongside Robin Harris, the Ivy League's executive director, and the Ivy League Student-Athlete Advisory Committee to highlight the needs of student-athletes.
Shipp noted the significance of the proposal coming from the student-athletes themselves, stating, “The reason it was unique was it came from us. They value our voice. This was our words, our writing, and the beauty of it was, yes, a football player was involved, but so was a Brown softball player and a Cornell lacrosse player.”