Closing In On Columbia

Dartmouth "Bowling Pin" awards for their play in last week's game against Holy Cross (and in preparation for it):

• Offensive Line: Austen Fletcher
• Quarterback/tight end: Conner Kempe
• Running Back: Nick Schwieger
• Wide Receiver: Bo Patterson
• Defensive Line: Eddie Smith
• Linebacker: Luke Hussey
• Defensive Back: Joey Casey
• Special Teams: Shawn Abuhoff
• Scout Offense: Clay Robbins
• Scout Defense: Chad Hollis

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From a Columbia Spectator preview of Saturday's game. The lede (italics added):

After falling 27-20 to the Penn Quakers last weekend, the Lions will hope to tip the scales and beat a declining Dartmouth (1-4, 0-2 Ivy) team in the Big Green’s own Homecoming matchup.

Ouch.

Columbia coach Norries Wilson on Dartmouth tailback Nick Schwieger:

“He’s a good player. He sees cuts, he sets up blocks, he can throttle with speed and get to full speed very rapidly, he’s got toughness, he runs his feet on contact, there’s not many times you see him get knocked backwards, he’s always getting extra yards.”

And Wilson on one not-unheard-of strategy to deal with the Ivy League's leading rusher:

"We may have to load the box up with a few extra players and make them challenge us in the pass game.”

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Another story in the Spec quotes Wilson on dealing with Abuhoff on returns:

“You’ve got to be able to cover kicks if you’re going to kick him the football. If we kick the ball, we’re going to try to do a good job game planning where we kick the ball.”

Green Alert Take: Does it sound to you as if they are going to kick him the ball?

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From a Daily Dartmouth preview:

(Quarterback Conner) Kempe ... stressed the importance of leaving recent difficulties behind, moving on this week and showing confidence that his team can live up to its pre-season potential.

“We need to forget the past few weeks and just do what we’re capable of doing,” he said.

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Defensive back Chad Hollis writes in the Daily D about how students and returnees can make the most of Homecoming.
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There's another Homecoming blurb on the Daily Dartmouth blog The Beat.

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The Harvard Crimson has a short look at the game and offers this pick: Dartmouth 24, Columbia 17.

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The Sports Network's Ivy League capsule this week is about the Penn-Yale showdown. The pick: Yale 24, Penn 21.

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Saw this on the Penn blog The Buzz. Travel + Leisure Magazine named America's Best College Football Stadiums and Penn's Franklin Field came in at No. 5. Find a link to the T + L feature here.

Green Alert Take: Franklin Field is a great place to watch a game – particularly from the overhanging second deck – but if I had to nominate one Ivy League stadium for the honor it would be Harvard Stadium. It has held up better than Franklin Field, it has its own place in football history, and the proximity to the action is much better without a track.

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Check in later today on Green Alert premium for the Fearful Forecast predictions on this week's games featuring Dartmouth opponents as well as a preview of the Columbia-Dartmouth game.