Here's how Lindy's sees the Ivy League race:
1. Princeton
2. Harvard
3. Penn
4. Dartmouth
5. Yale
6. Brown
7. Cornell
8. Columbia
Here's what Lindy's says about the Big Green in its Ivy League capsule:
"Dartmouth (6-4, 5-2) has established itself as a first-division unit in the league . . ."Where it lists each team's anticipated finish, Lindy's writes:
Big Green's four losses came by combined 14 points, and many defensive pieces return.
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Lindy's has Week 2 opponent New Hampshire slotted at fifth in the nation, with Princeton at No. 25.
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While Lindy's looks kindly on the Wildcats, the magazine doesn't think much of Dartmouth's other nonconference foes.The magazine picks Holy Cross to finish sixth of seven teams in the Patriot League, although it leaves itself an out in case of a better finish, writing:
"Crusaders (3-8) lost five games by seven points or fewer, could be 'X' factor in PL.Lindy's projects Central Connecticut to finish seventh and last in the Northeast Conference. Interestingly, past-and-future opponent Sacred Heart is picked to win the NEC.
Of New Hampshire, Lindy's writes:
"Wildcats use two-QB system of Sean Goldrich and Andy Vailas to great effect."
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Here's an eye-opener.An emailer has informed me that Sporting News has picked Dartmouth No. 6 in the Ivy League.
Now, don't take this the wrong way. I believe the emailer got it right. I just find the projection curious for a team that went 5-2 in the Ivies last year and has so much talent returning.
Could Dartmouth finish sixth? Sure. So could Princeton or Harvard. But for someone to look at the returning starters and their statistics and predict a sixth-place finish? Unfathomable.
Sporting News has UNH pegged at No. 7 in the nation.
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For what it's worth, I checked our local Books A Million, the Dartmouth Bookstore, CVS and several supermarkets yesterday and while I was able to find dozens upon dozens of magazines about quilting, antiques, motorcycles, kittens, hunting, video games, rappers and more, only the Dartmouth Bookstore had a single copy of Lindy's, and none had a copy of Sporting News.Editor's Note: If anyone in a more metropolitan area would like to send along Sporting News' projection 1-8 for the Ivy League I'll post it here.
