The Biggest Little Game in America

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 75–57–5.

History


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.

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. 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.

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.