A sports tradition dating back to 1878, the annual Phillips Exeter Academy-Phillips Andover Academy football game is one of the great sports rivalries at any level of play. The Exeter Red vs. Andover Blue football game is rich in history and tradition, not unlike the Harvard-Yale rivalry at the college level, and generates displays of school spirit rarely witnessed at the secondary school level. This year marks the 121 st meeting of Exeter and Andover, and anticipation is running high. If the weather is good, we can get upwards of 8000 people in the stadium, as opposed to 500 to 1000 for other games.
Emotions run very high.
We still keep in close contact and have a good natured rivalry. I always say, I hope Andover has a 7-1 season, with the one loss being to Exeter. I think he feels the same way. For a number of seasons, the game was not played. Phillips Exeter Academy is a coeducational, independent preparatory school that was founded in 1781 and originated the system of instruction known as Harkness teaching in 1931.