Before Heading to the Garden State ...

The first order of business this morning is a note of appreciation.

Once again after practice yesterday, with the temperature dipping, the wind picking up and a warm office no doubt beckoning, a chilly Dartmouth coach Buddy Teevens took the time to meet with me on the side of the practice field and answer every last question I had so I could wrap up a look at the members of the senior class. As mentioned in this space yesterday, this is the sixth year of BGA and not once in all that time, and after literally hundreds of practices, has the Dartmouth head coach been anything but helpful and supportive. I'm sure there were more than a few times he spotted me with recorder and pen in hand heading his way and would have preferred not to be asked about this loss or that issue. But he has never ducked me, and never been anything less than cordial. Not once. The same goes for his assistants as well as the Dartmouth players themselves. As the 2010 season draws to a close, I want to publicly thank them all.

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There was nothing I could find in The Dartmouth about Saturday's game but the Daily Princetonian has a couple of pieces. First, there's a story putting the game in perspective for the Tigers:

Now the team finds itself on the cusp of making history, a distinction the Tigers hope to avoid. A loss to Dartmouth on Saturday would wrap up Princeton’s first winless Ivy League season since 1973 and its second in team history. Keep in mind, Princeton’s football program dates back to 1869. For the oldest football program in the country, a loss would also signify Princeton’s worst overall record and the first time the Tigers have lost nine games in one year.

There's also a preview that includes this from coach Bob Surace on the Dartmouth return game:

“As the year’s worn down and our depth has worn down, we haven’t covered and blocked ... as well as I would’ve liked ... That’s going to be huge this week because their return game is as good as I’ve seen from (the years I was) playing, all the way through (to today). They do a great job blocking also.”

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According to whatever source Jake Novak uses, Dartmouth is an 8½ point favorite Saturday and that sounds about right to the Roar Lions Roar blogger. He writes:

Last week’s loss must have the Big Green hungrier to finish the season on a high note. Memories of last year’s loss to the Tigers will also be a big motivation. This will be a close game until the fourth quarter when the Green pulls away and covers the spread.

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Today's trivia: When Vlad (our "old Expo") rolls up the "S" curves and back home to Moose Mountain Sunday evening, it will have tacked on 3,408 miles (give or take) this fall going to Dartmouth's five away games. This year, of course, features the five longest road trips on the Big Green schedule, while last year featured the five shortest road trips on the slate.

The 2009 road-trip total to Dartmouth away games was 1,484 miles. The difference between last year and this: 1,924 miles.

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Later today on BGA Premium, the Fearful Forecast and a preview of the Princeton game. As usual, there will be a full game story and sidebar tomorrow night, a follow Sunday and the final Optimist-Pessimist on Monday.