The Advertiser published results of several core schools that eventually became the Ivy league. This was common nation wide.
The formation of the Southeastern Conference bumped Harvard results out of the local papers.
Here is some Harvard athletic history. https://www.gocrimson.com/informatio...ditiontimeline
Without athletics Dr. Stephens would have not grown UL to become the 2nd largest school in the State in just 39 years.
Harvard and it's like didn't need much help early on as being early has its advantages. That and the relatively small footprint of the early colonies.
As the country expanded west they certainly took advantage of the publicity athletics offered.