The Rivalry is an American college football rivalry game played by the Lafayette Leopards football team of Lafayette College and the Lehigh Mountain Hawks football team of Lehigh University. It is the most-played football rivalry in the nation and is the longest uninterrupted rivalry game. As of 2023, "The Rivalry" has been played 159 times since 1884 with only one interruption in 1896. No game was played in 2020 due to COVID-19 issues, but the teams played in April 2021 after the Patriot League, home to both schools, moved its originally planned fall 2020 season to spring 2021. The colleges' football teams met twice annually until 1901. The two institutions are located seventeen miles apart in the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania.
The Lehigh Mountain Hawks football program represents Lehigh University in college football. Lehigh competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level as members of the Patriot League. The Mountain Hawks play their home games at Goodman Stadium in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Tom Gilmore was the team's head coach from 2019 to 2022; he resigned following the 2022 season with a cumulative Lehigh coaching record of 9–27.
The 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of college football in the United States, was organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level.
The 2020 Lafayette Leopards football team represented Lafayette College in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Leopards were led by fourth-year head coach John Garrett and played their home games at Fisher Field. They competed as a member of the Patriot League.
The 2020 Drake Bulldogs football team represented Drake University as a member of the Pioneer Football League (PFL) during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The season was suspended in the fall of 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and played in the spring of 2021. Led by second-year head coach Todd Stepsis, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 2–3 with an identical mark in conference play, placing fifth in the PFL. The team played its home games at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.
The 2020 Holy Cross Crusaders football team represented the College of the Holy Cross in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Crusaders, led by third-year head coach Bob Chesney, played their home games at Fitton Field as a member of the Patriot League.
The 2020 Monmouth Hawks football team represented Monmouth University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Big South Conference. They will be led by 28th-year head coach Kevin Callahan and play their home games at Kessler Field in West Long Branch, New Jersey.
The 2020 Colgate Raiders football team represented Colgate University in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by seventh-year head coach Dan Hunt and played their home games at Crown Field at Andy Kerr Stadium. They are a member of the Patriot League.
The 2020 Bucknell Bison football team represented Bucknell University in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by second-year head coach Dave Cecchini and played their home games at Christy Mathewson–Memorial Stadium. They played as a member of the Patriot League.
The 2020 Fordham Rams football team represented Fordham University as member of the North Division of Patriot League during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by third-year head coach Joe Conlin, the Rams compiled an overall record of 2–1 with an identical mark in conference play, placing second the Patriot League's North Division. Fordham played home games at Coffey Field in The Bronx.
The 2020 Merrimack Warriors football team represented Merrimack College in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by eighth-year head coach Dan Curran and played their home games at Duane Stadium. They competed as members of the Northeast Conference.
The 2020 Wagner Seahawks football team represented Wagner College in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Northeast Conference (NEC). They were led by first-year head coach Tom Masella and played their home games at Wagner College Stadium.
The 2020 LIU Sharks football team represented both the LIU Post and LIU Brooklyn campuses of Long Island University in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by 23rd year head coach Bryan Collins and played their home games at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium. They played as a second–year member of the Northeast Conference. This was the final season as head coach for Collins as he stepped down in June.
The 2020 Robert Morris Colonials football team represented Robert Morris University during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by third-year head coach Bernard Clark and played their home games at Joe Walton Stadium.
The 2020 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Tribe, led by second-year head coach Mike London, play their home games at Zable Stadium.
The 2020 Villanova Wildcats football team represented Villanova University in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by fourth-year head coach Mark Ferrante and played their home games at Villanova Stadium. They competed as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association.
The 2020 Richmond Spiders football team represented the University of Richmond in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by fourth-year head coach Russ Huesman and played their home games at E. Claiborne Robins Stadium. The Spiders competed as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association.
The 2020 Rhode Island Rams football team represented the University of Rhode Island in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by seventh-year head coach Jim Fleming and played their home games at Meade Stadium. They competed as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association.
The 2020 San Diego Toreros football team represented the University of San Diego during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by eighth-year head coach Dale Lindsey and played their home games at Torero Stadium. They competed as a member of the Pioneer Football League (PFL).
The 2021 Lehigh Mountain Hawks football team represented Lehigh University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Mountain Hawks, led by third-year head coach Tom Gilmore, played their home games at Goodman Stadium as a member of the Patriot League.
