Historic Ithaca College–SUNY Cortland rivalry airing YES for second time; Game can also be streamed free of charge on DAZN app
October 29, 2026 – The YES Network, the most-watched regional sports network in the United States, will televise the 2026 Cortaca Jug football game between longtime rivals Ithaca College and SUNY Cortland live from Yankee Stadium on Saturday, November 14, at 1 p.m. ET.
The 67th edition of the storied NCAA Division III rivalry, presented by Visions Federal Credit Union, will be available to all YES Network subscribers nationwide. The YES telecast will also be available free of charge nationally on DAZN app, YES’ exclusive direct-to-consumer streaming home.
The YES Network’s Chris Shearn will handle play-by-play duties for the telecast, joined in the booth by Cortland student Nevan Kearney and Ithaca student Brad Romano. Sierra Gabriel of Ithaca and Brad Erceg of Cortland will be sideline reporters, while Liam Sample of Cortland will be the halftime host.
The 2026 game marks the second time that YES will televise the Cortaca Jug from Yankee Stadium. The network previously carried the 2022 matchup, when Ithaca defeated Cortland, 34-17, before 40,232 fans, the second-largest crowd in NCAA Division III football history. The all-time Division III attendance record of 45,161 was established when the two schools met at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 2019.
The Cortaca Jug has established itself as one of college football’s most celebrated rivalries, earning the description “the biggest little game in the nation” from Sports Illustrated. Its popularity extends well beyond the two campuses, attracting generations of alumni, students and fans from across the country.
Both teams enter the final weeks of the regular season enjoying outstanding campaigns. Cortland, ranked No. 11 nationally by both the American Football Coaches Association and D3football.com, is 7-0 overall and leads the Empire 8 Conference with a 5-0 league record. Ithaca has won six consecutive games since dropping its season opener and leads the Liberty League with a 5-0 conference mark. The two programs boast a combined 13-1 record through October 29.
The Cortaca Jug tradition began in 1959, when Cortland football captain Tom Decker purchased a jug for $2 at a local yard sale and, together with Ithaca captain Dick Carmean, painted it in the schools’ colors to create a traveling trophy for the annual rivalry. The trophy has since become one of the most recognizable symbols in Division III college football.