Harvard vs Columbia Prediction, Picks, Odds & How to Watch

• Unbeaten Harvard tries to close in on the Ivy League title when it faces Columbia at Kraft Field on Friday night at 7 p.m.
• The Crimson are 7-0 for the first time since 2015 and are four-touchdown favorites.
• Get smart with my Harvard vs Columbia prediction, picks, odds breakdown and how to watch Friday night’s Ivy League showdown.

Harvard (7-0; 5-2 ATS) and star quarterback Jaden Craig battle Ivy League rival Columbia (1-6, 1-6 ATS) Friday night at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

After throwing for four touchdowns in last week’s win over Dartmouth, Craig became the all-time leader in Harvard history in TD passes.

Harvard is good, but are they 28 points better than Columbia? I’ve studied the teams and the odds and am ready with my Harvard vs Columbia prediction for Friday night.

Harvard vs Columbia Predictions

• Pick: Harvard -28.5 (-120 at FanDuel)
• Pick: Over 47.5 (-113 at FanDuel)

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You just have to go with Harvard to cover here, and the over is a natural fit. Harvard is averaging 41.4 points and 468 yards per game, both in the top 10 of the FCS.

Harvard is a run-and-gun offense. Craig has 16 touchdown passes this season, with his top target being Jordan Blackburn, who averages 21.9 yards per catch.

Xaviah Bascon has run for 376 yards for the Crimson. It’s a backfield-by-committee approach.

The big thing is that Dartmouth beat Columbia 49-3. Harvard just beat Dartmouth 31-10. That’s a 67-point difference. That’s just too big to ignore.

Harvard’s defense has been dominant all season, allowing just 11.5 points per game—the best mark in the FCS. Led by captain Ty Bartrum, the Crimson defense has held opponents to three scores or fewer in every game this season.

Columbia’s offense has struggled to find consistency. The Lions are averaging just 16.1 points per game and rank last in the Ivy League in passing offense. Without a strong aerial attack to keep Harvard honest, the Crimson defense can focus on stopping the run.

Last year was a dream season at Columbia for new coach Jon Poppe. He guided the Lions to seven wins and a 5-2 Ivy League record, which earned them a share of the Ivy title for the first time since 1961.

This year has been a nightmare. Starting QB Chase Goodwin got hurt and missed two games. He came back in last week’s loss against Yale and threw for 208 yards.

The Lions have allowed nearly 200 rushing yards per game this season, ranking last in the Ivy League in run defense. That’s a major concern facing a Harvard team that averages 184 rushing yards per game with a three-headed backfield attack.

The bright spot for the Lions is DE Justin Townsend, who leads the Ivy League with 9.5 tackles for loss.

Harvard vs Columbia Preview

This is the 83rd meeting in the series. Harvard leads the series 65-16 with one tie.

Teams play seven Ivy League games. A win here by Harvard gives them five Ivy League wins, and typically—typically—that’s enough to win at least a share of the conference title.

FCS No. 13 Harvard is 5-2 against the spread this season. Columbia is 1-6 against the spread this season. Columbia’s only win this season came against Georgetown.

Columbia is 6-66 against FCS-ranked teams all-time and 9-22 all-time in night games. Both teams are 2-5 on the over/under this season. The last four Harvard games have all hit the over.

Harvard is currently ranked ninth in the FCS playoff committee’s preview rankings, just outside the top eight seeds that receive a first-round bye. With three games remaining, the Crimson are playing for playoff positioning while Columbia is simply trying to avoid finishing last in the Ivy League.

The talent disparity is clear. Harvard ranks sixth nationally in scoring offense at 41.4 points per game, while Columbia sits at just 16.1 points per game. That 25-point gap in scoring makes this spread look very reasonable for this Harvard vs Columbia prediction.

Harvard vs Columbia Odds

Odds as of Thursday afternoon on FanDuel. Get running at FanDuel with our special FanDuel promo code.

Harvard is laying 28.5 points to the Lions on the road. The total is 47.5 at FanDuel.

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The Harvard moneyline at FanDuel is -50000. If you bet $100 on Harvard to win, you would profit 20 cents.

How to Watch Harvard vs Columbia

As of Thursday afternoon, YouTube TV and Disney/ESPN are still not playing nice. Harvard vs Columbia is scheduled to air on ESPN2, and YouTube TV customers will not be able to watch.

Options are to sign up for ESPN+ and get full access to every game on the ESPN family of networks, or you can buy a Sling day pass, or ask a friend who still gets old-fashioned cable TV for their email and password.

I would never do that. Yes, I would.