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The Biggest Little Game in America

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The Biggest Little Game in America
Amherst Mammoths
Williams Ephs
SportFootball
First meeting1884
Williams, 15–2
Latest meetingNovember 9, 2024
Williams, 21–0
Next meetingNovember 8, 2025
Statistics
Meetings total138
All-time seriesWilliams leads, 76–57–5[1]
Largest victoryAmherst, 60–0 (1892)
Longest win streakWilliams, 8 (1987–1994)
Longest unbeaten streakWilliams, 13 (1987–1999)
Current win streakWilliams, 1 (2024–present)
The Biggest Little Game in America is located in Massachusetts
Amherst
Amherst
Williams
Williams
Locations in Massachusetts

The Biggest Little Game in America is an American college football rivalry featuring the Amherst Mammoths and the Williams Ephs. Both programs play in the Division III New England Small College Athletic Conference. Except for a few hiatuses, the series has been played annually since 1884, making it the most-played Division III rivalry game, and the fourth-most played NCAA game at any level. Williams leads the all-time series 76–57–5.[2]

History

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The 2014 game at Amherst's Pratt Field.

The rivalry between Amherst College and Williams College predates the advent of American football, having its roots in the early 19th century with the establishment of Amherst College in 1821. The rivalry was started by the actions of Zephaniah Swift Moore, who served as the president of Williams College at the time. Moore's persistent belief that Williamstown, the location of Williams College, was too remote led to the inception of this competition. Failing to orchestrate the relocation of Williams College, President Moore opted to embark on the formation of a new educational institution in Amherst, MA. In doing so, a faction of professors and students from Williams College joined him in this endeavor, subsequently leading to the establishment of Amherst College. This turn of events created a long-standing rivalry between the two institutions, which has persisted to this day.[3]

This rivalry extends beyond football, and tensions between Amherst College and Williams College have consistently remained high over the years. To further emphasize the significance of this competition, both institutions, in conjunction with Wesleyan University, partake in the "Little Three" series. This series serves as a deliberate nod to the more renowned "Big Three" grouping that traditionally comprises Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.

Notably, the November 10, 2007, contest between Amherst College and Williams College, hosted in Williamstown, achieved recognition as the selected location for ESPN's College GameDay.[4] This particular event holds historical significance as the first instance in which the program visited and highlighted a Division III school. Moreover, in 2003, the Amherst-Williams rivalry earned its place of distinction when it was included in ESPN's Page 2 bracket, celebrating the best college football rivalries.[5]

On November 11, 2017, another memorable chapter was added to the rivalry's annals, as Williams College defeated Amherst in a game held in Williamstown. The victory was secured in overtime culminating in a score of 31–24. This overtime outcome marked only the second occurrence of overtime play in the rivalry.

The first intercollegiate baseball game was played between Amherst and Williams in 1859. In that game, which lasted nearly four hours, Amherst defeated Williams by the score of 73–32.[6]

Game results

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Amherst victoriesWilliams victoriesTie games
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 1884 Amherst, MA Williams 15–2
2 November 15, 1884 Amherst, MA Williams 11–0
3 October 31, 1885 Williamstown, MA Williams 57–0
4 November 18, 1885 Amherst, MA Williams 18–15
5 October 30, 1886 Williamstown, MA Amherst 6–4
6 November 13, 1886 Williamstown, MA Williams 11–0
7 October 8, 1887 Amherst, MA Williams 54–0
8 November 7, 1888 Amherst, MA Williams 53–0
9 October 5, 1889 Amherst, MA Tie10–10
10 November 15, 1890 Williamstown, MA Williams 6–0
11 November 20, 1891 Amherst, MA Tie0–0
12 November 18, 1892 Williamstown, MA Amherst 60–0
13 November 18, 1893 Amherst, MA Williams 30–12
14 November 17, 1894 Williamstown, MA Williams 34–10
15 November 2, 1895 Amherst, MA Amherst 16–4
16 November 7, 1896 Williamstown, MA Amherst 6–4
17 November 6, 1897 Amherst, MA Tie6–6
18 November 12, 1898 Williamstown, MA Amherst 16–5
19 November 11, 1899 Amherst, MA Williams 38–0
20 November 10, 1900 Amherst, MA Williams 16–5
21 November 16, 1901 Williamstown, MA Williams 21–5
22 October 26, 1904 Williamstown, MA Amherst 22–6
23 November 18, 1905 Williamstown, MA Amherst 17–0
24 November 17, 1906 Amherst, MA Tie0–0
25 November 16, 1907 Williamstown, MA Williams 26–6
26 November 21, 1908 Amherst, MA[7] Amherst 4–0
27 November 13, 1909 Williamstown, MA Williams 17–0
28 November 12, 1910 Amherst, MA Amherst 9–0
29 November 18, 1911 Williamstown, MA Williams 8–0
30 November 16, 1912 Amherst, MA Williams 12–0
31 November 15, 1913 Williamstown, MA Amherst 12–0
32 November 14, 1914 Amherst, MA Williams 14–6
33 November 13, 1915 Williamstown, MA Amherst 31–0
34 November 18, 1916 Amherst, MA Williams 26–0
35 November 17, 1917 Williamstown, MA Williams 20–0
36 November 16, 1918 Amherst, MA Amherst 20–0
37 November 15, 1919 Williamstown, MA Williams 30–0
38 November 20, 1920 Amherst, MA Amherst 14–7
39 November 12, 1921 Williamstown, MA Williams 20–0
40 November 18, 1922 Amherst, MA Williams 27–0
41 November 17, 1923 Williamstown, MA Williams 23–7
42 November 15, 1924 Amherst, MA Williams 27–6
43 November 14, 1925 Williamstown, MA Amherst 13–7
44 November 13, 1926 Amherst, MA Amherst 20–6
45 November 12, 1927 Williamstown, MA Amherst 7–6
46 November 17, 1928 Amherst, MA Williams 40–15
47 November 16, 1929 Williamstown, MA Williams 19–0
48 November 15, 1930 Amherst, MA Williams 16–13
49 November 14, 1931 Williamstown, MA Williams 33–7
50 November 12, 1932 Amherst, MA Amherst 31–7
51 November 18, 1933 Williamstown, MA Williams 14–0
52 November 17, 1934 Amherst, MA Amherst 19–7
53 November 16, 1935 Williamstown, MA Williams 13–0
54 November 14, 1936 Amherst, MA Amherst 14–13
55 November 13, 1937 Williamstown, MA Amherst 13–6
56 November 12, 1938 Amherst, MA Amherst 41–0
57 November 18, 1939 Williamstown, MA Williams 16–8
58 November 16, 1940 Amherst, MA Williams 19–6
59 November 15, 1941 Williamstown, MA Williams 28–6
60 November 14, 1942 Amherst, MA Amherst 12–6
61 November 16, 1946 Amherst, MA Williams 21–13
62 November 15, 1947 Williamstown, MA Amherst 14–6
63 November 13, 1948 Amherst, MA Amherst 13–7
64 November 12, 1949 Williamstown, MA Williams 19–13
65 November 18, 1950 Amherst, MA Williams 27–13
66 November 17, 1951 Williamstown, MA Williams 40–7
67 November 15, 1952 Amherst, MA Amherst 21–19
68 November 14, 1953 Williamstown, MA Amherst 28–14
69 November 13, 1954 Amherst, MA Amherst 21–14
70 November 12, 1955 Williamstown, MA Amherst 13–6
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
71 November 17, 1956 Amherst, MA Williams 27–12
72 November 16, 1957 Williamstown, MA Williams 39–14
73 November 15, 1958 Amherst, MA Williams 12–7
74 November 14, 1959 Williamstown, MA Amherst 13–0
75 November 12, 1960 Amherst, MA Amherst 21–6
76 November 18, 1961 Williamstown, MA Williams 12–0
77 November 17, 1962 Amherst, MA Amherst 7–0
78 November 16, 1963 Williamstown, MA Amherst 19–13
79 November 14, 1964 Amherst, MA Amherst 20–7
80 November 13, 1965 Williamstown, MA Amherst 42–8
81 November 12, 1966 Amherst, MA Amherst 54–21
82 November 18, 1967 Williamstown, MA Williams 14–10
83 November 16, 1968 Amherst, MA Amherst 24–17
84 November 15, 1969 Williamstown, MA Amherst 56–25
85 November 14, 1970 Amherst, MA Amherst 35–7
86 November 13, 1971 Williamstown, MA Williams 31–14
87 November 18, 1972 Amherst, MA Williams 21–12
88 November 17, 1973 Williamstown, MA Williams 30–14
89 November 16, 1974 Amherst, MA Williams 17–14
90 November 15, 1975 Williamstown, MA Williams 25–6
91 November 13, 1976 Amherst, MA Amherst 16–0
92 November 12, 1977 Williamstown, MA Williams 21–13
93 November 11, 1978 Amherst, MA Williams 7–2
94 November 10, 1979 Williamstown, MA Williams 19–13
95 November 8, 1980 Amherst, MA Williams 10–3
96 November 14, 1981 Williamstown, MA Amherst 21–17
97 November 13, 1982 Amherst, MA Amherst 52–26
98 November 12, 1983 Williamstown, MA Amherst 14–13
99 November 10, 1984 Amherst, MA Amherst 23–6
100 November 9, 1985 Williamstown, MA Amherst 35–20
101 November 8, 1986 Amherst, MA Amherst 10–7
102 November 14, 1987 Williamstown, MA Williams 25–7
103 November 12, 1988 Amherst, MA Williams 21–0
104 November 11, 1989 Williamstown, MA Williams 17–14
105 November 10, 1990 Amherst, MA Williams 46–18
106 November 9, 1991 Williamstown, MA Williams 37–0
107 November 14, 1992 Amherst, MA Williams 41–6
108 November 13, 1993 Williamstown, MA Williams 31–2
109 November 12, 1994 Amherst, MA Williams 48–14
110 November 11, 1995 Williamstown, MA Tie0–0
111 November 9, 1996 Amherst, MA Williams 19–13
112 November 8, 1997 Williamstown, MA Williams 48–46
113 November 14, 1998 Amherst, MA Williams 35–16
114 November 13, 1999 Williamstown, MA Williams 10–7
115 November 11, 2000 Amherst, MA Amherst 20–12
116 November 10, 2001 Williamstown, MA Williams 23–20
117 November 9, 2002 Amherst, MA Amherst 45–35
118 November 8, 2003 Williamstown, MA Williams 14–10
119 November 13, 2004 Amherst, MA Amherst 13–10
120 November 12, 2005 Williamstown, MA Williams 34–23
121 November 11, 2006 Amherst, MA Williams 37–7
122 November 10, 2007 Williamstown, MA Williams 20–0
123 November 8, 2008 Amherst, MA Williams 24–23
124 November 14, 2009 Williamstown, MA Amherst 26–21
125 November 13, 2010 Amherst, MA Williams 31–16
126 November 12, 2011 Williamstown, MA Amherst 31–18
127 November 10, 2012 Amherst, MA Amherst 23–20
128 November 9, 2013 Williamstown, MA Amherst 20–7
129 November 8, 2014 Amherst, MA Amherst 17–9
130 November 14, 2015 Williamstown, MA Amherst 17–7
131 November 12, 2016 Amherst, MA Amherst 28–3
132 November 11, 2017 Williamstown, MA Williams 31–24OT
133 November 10, 2018 Amherst, MA Amherst 45–14
134 November 9, 2019 Williamstown, MA Williams 31–9
135 November 13, 2021 Amherst, MA Williams 24–19
136 November 12, 2022 Williamstown, MA Williams 20–10
137 November 11, 2023 Amherst, MA Amherst 21–14
138 November 9, 2024 Williamstown, MA Williams 21–0
Series: Williams leads 76–57–5
Source:[8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "NESCAC Champs! Amherst Finishes 8-0, Defeats Williams, 17-7". November 14, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  2. ^ "127th Meeting in 'The Biggest Little Game in America' Williams at Amherst 11/10". D3football.com. November 9, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  3. ^ Reynolds, Lauren (July 23, 2007). "Sibling rivalry: Williams-Amherst remains heated". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  4. ^ Fowler, Chris (November 8, 2007). "'GameDay' goes off the beaten path to find the biggest little rivalry". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  5. ^ "Page2 - Sworn enemies: Vote for best rivalry". www.espn.com. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  6. ^ Timanus, Eddie (April 30, 2009). "Amherst, Williams continue baseball series of 150 years". USAToday. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  7. ^ "AMHERST BEATS RIVAL; Williams College Loses Battle Through Madden's Field Goal". The New York Times. November 22, 1908. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  8. ^ "Amherst vs Williams (MA)". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on February 25, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
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