Yankee Stadium, SUNY Cortland and Ithaca College announced that next fall’s Cortaca Jug college football matchup between the schools will be played on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 at Yankee Stadium.
Tickets for the 2026 game will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 10 a.m., at ticketmaster.com.
The 2026 game — the 67th edition in the Cortaca Jug series — will mark the second appearance for both teams at either the current or original Yankee Stadium. The rivalry was contested at the Stadium in 2022 with Ithaca prevailing, 34-17, in front of 40,232 fans, which is the second-highest single-game attendance in Division III history. That 2022 meeting remains the only all-New York State college football game played at the home of the Yankees since Syracuse defeated Army, 27-15, on Nov. 7, 1964.
Prices in the general seating bowl will range from $27.50 to $89. Fans may purchase up to 19 individual seats, and fans can choose to sit on the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons side of the stadium (first base / right field) or on the Ithaca College Bombers side (third base / left field). All tickets will be delivered digitally, and mobile presentation will be the sole method of entry.
“We couldn’t be more excited to host the Cortaca Jug matchup for a second time at Yankee Stadium,” said Mark Holtzman, Yankees Vice President of Non-Baseball Sports Events. “The 2022 game was a perfect college football afternoon filled with tremendous warmth and energy from the students, alumni and fans of both schools. As soon as the game concluded, we wanted to do it again, and we deeply appreciate that the administrations of SUNY Cortland and Ithaca felt the same way.”
“Cortland and Ithaca both help set the standard in Division III athletics, and our Cortaca Jug rivalry demonstrates that shared excellence,” said Mike Urtz, SUNY Cortland Director of Athletics. “It’s been called ‘the biggest little game in the nation’ for a reason, and it’s fitting to be played in one of the most iconic sports venues in the entire world.”
“This rivalry represents the best of Division III athletics: tradition, sportsmanship and pride,’ said Aaron Bouyea, Ithaca College’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. “Our partnership with Cortland and with Yankee Stadium allows us to create an unforgettable experience for everyone who loves this game.”
The Cortaca Jug trophy was first introduced to the rivalry in 1959, when Cortland football captain Tom Decker stopped at a yard sale and purchased a $2 jug from a local farmer, thinking the item could be used as a trophy for the annual game between the two teams. After meeting up with friend and Ithaca football captain Dick Carmean, the two painted the jug blue, gold, red and white in honor of both schools’ colors.
Once referred to by Sports Illustrated as "the biggest little game in the nation," the Cortaca Jug was played in 2019 before a Division III-record crowd of 45,161 fans at MetLife Stadium. The Bombers currently lead the Cortaca Jug series, 38–27, with this year’s game to be played this weekend Saturday, Nov. 15, in Ithaca.
