BGA Overtime had a notes column last night that led off with New Hampshire coach Ricky Santos' thoughts on Dartmouth and the FCS playoffs after the Big Green's impressive season-opening win. Tonight the Overtime will have its weekly Six Pack of thoughts after one game, and tomorrow be prepared for The Optimist and The Pessimist. The it all on BGA Overtime here.
Green Alert Take: I like the idea of a weekly video recap but call me old-fashioned, I prefer the look from above showing entire plays with just a few cut-ins from field level. Bang, bang, bang clips make me dizzy. ;-)
If you are a regular visitor to this electronic precinct you know I'm not a fan of the How It Happened school of sports information. If you are, check out the UNH posting HERE.
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Hopefully you clicked through and read the BGA Ivy League football wrap yesterday. The Ivy League does its own minimal wrap-up HERE.
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It's always interesting to see how the first action of the year changes computer rankings, in this case those compiled by Jeff Sagarin. What follows is the current ranking of Ivy League teams followed in parentheses by what their ranking were Sept. 1. A total of 265 Division I programs are ranked.
119 Harvard (146)
126 Yale (155)
142 Dartmouth (169)
179 Penn (188)
187 Brown (245)
219 Princeton (185)
229 Columbia (200)
234 Cornell (230)
Green Alert Take: I get Ivy League teams that won moved up. What I don't get is how just far Brown moved up with a solid win over what was at best a so-so Georgetown team.
In case you are curious, here's where Dartmouth's non-league opponents sit right now:
156 New Hampshire
222 Central Connecticut
254 Fordham
Sagarin has Dartmouth as a eight-point favorite this week at Central Connecticut.
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EXTRA POINT
It's yet another blue-sky morning here in the Upper Valley but depending on which service you believe, we could have rain (or at least a few showers) tomorrow through Sunday. I love sunny days as much as anyone and it helps us bank credit with the power company thanks to our solar tracker, but I do hope the forecasts have it right this time. We are in desperate need to rain.
BGA Overtime had a lengthy story about Dartmouth's dramatic win over New Hampshire last night and will have a notes-and-quotes story this evening. Tomorrow the site will feature the weekly Six Pack of thoughts coming out of the New Hampshire game, and Tuesday The Optimist and The Pessimist will be stopping by.
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Here's your Week One Ivy League wrap with a look at how Dartmouth's nonconference opponents fared as well:
Brown 46, Georgetown 0
That's a lot of points, but more notable for the Bears, who have struggled on defense, was the shutout courtesy of two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and eight sacks of Georgtown (2-2) quarterbacks. A crowd of 3,349 in Providence looked on as Brown QB James Murphy complete 20-of-28 throws for 219 yards and two touchdowns.
Albany 13, Cornell 10
A defensive battle saw the Big Red play two quarterbacks, with each completing eight passes. Cornell's lone touchdown against the Great Danes (1-3) was a six-yard reception by tight end Ryder Kurtz in the fourth quarter. Attendance in Albany was 4,819.
Harvard 59, Stetson 7
The Crimson powered out to a 45-0 halftime lead before cruising to the easy win over the Hatters (1-3). Jaden Craig was 10-for-13 for 208 yard and two touchdowns. Harvard has outscored the Hatters, 94-7, in the last two years. The game drew 1,400 in DeLand, Fla.
Penn 24, Stonehill 21
Freshman Mason Walters hit a 45-yard field goal with 15 seconds left to lift the Quakers, who got a 69-yard touchdown catch by Jared Richardson and a 63-yard punt return by Julien Stokes w.hile taking a 14- first-quarter lead. The game at Stonehill (1-3) in Easton, Mass., drew 3,800.
San Diego 42, Princeton 35
Princeton ran out to a 21-0 lead and was ahead, 35-21 entering the fourth quarter. The Toreros (2-2) scored 21 unanswered points in the final 9:50 to stun a crowd of 3,656 in Princeton. The winning points came with 1:04 left.
Yale 28, Holy Cross 10
Not surprisingly, South Carolina transfer Dante Reno, son of the Yale coach, got the start. He completed 13-of-18 throws for 166 yards and one touchdown against the Crusaders (0-4) Josh Pitsenberger ran for 127 yards and three touchdowns in front of 4,469 in New Haven.
Merrimack 16, Central Connecticut 14
Trailing, 13-0, the Blue Devils scored two touchdowns in the final 9:23 to take a 14-13 lead only to see Merrimack drive 66 yards for a 19-yard field goal with one second left to win the game. Attendance at Merrimack was 4,129.
Colgate 44, Fordham 21
The Rams (0-4) gave up a 78-yard touchdown pass on their first defensive play and surrendered 547 yards of total offense in a home loss to Colgate (1-3) in front of 2,581.
And in case you missed it, from Friday night:
Lafayette 38, Columbia 14
Trailing 17-14 at the half, the Lions had a chance to pull within striking distance late in the third quarter but were stonewalled after getting a first down at the Leopards' one-yard line. They never threatened again as Lafayette improved to 3-1 in front of 4,206.
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EXTRA POINT
It didn't get down to freezing here at our Vermont hillside home last night. The temperature bottomed out at 32.1 degrees. What's that? Yeah, I guess people with digital thermometers can get pretty annoying. ;-)
The Ivy League season began last night with defending conference champion Columbia falling to Lafayette in Easton, Pa.
Lafayette 38, Columbia 14
Trailing 17-14 at the half, the Lions had a chance to pull within striking distance late in the third quarter but were stonewalled after getting a first down at the Leopards' one-yard line. They never threatened again as Lafayette improved to 3-1 in front of 4,206.
Chase Goodwin was just 15-of-34 for 194 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Columbia, which got 63 yards on just 12 carries from Michael Waters, an impressive 6-foot-2, 225-pound freshman running back. Lafayette QB Dean DeNobile was a super-efficient 14-of-17 for 166 yards. The Leopard ran for 232 yards and five touchdowns.
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EXTRA POINT
When I'm hiking by myself, I listen to podcasts, and a program I listened to earlier this week blew me away. The podcast is called Criminal, and the episode was This is Phoebe Judge from the IRS.
Trust me, you can think you have a grasp of what AI can do, but give this podcast a listen and I think you'll be amazed. I can pretty much guarantee you'll be both informed and wildly entertained. Listen to the podcast HERE.
The tongue-in-cheek Fearful Forecast went up on BGA Overtime last night, picking the winners and scores of each game this week featuring a Dartmouth opponent. Look for the Dartmouth season preview on the site tonight, as well as a preview of the opener against New Hampshire. Two more reasons to visit BGA Overtime tonight. ;-)
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WMUR, the TV station out of Manchester, N.H., takes a look at Dartmouth's side of tomorrow's "Granite Bowl:"
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The Dartmouth has a preview of sorts HERE, and a story about the Big Green's new assistant coaches HERE.
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The Ivy League produced this video with the coaches talking about the Ivy champion finally being allowed to participate in the playoffs.
Green Alert Take: Once more with feeling. If everyone felt this way, why did it take so long for the Ivy presidents to see the light?
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New Hampshire has posted its game notes with depth charts for both teams HERE.
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In his Week One picks podcast, Jake Novak of the Roar Lions site, says Dartmouth-UNH . . .
. . . "may be the most exciting and interesting week one opener in all of the Ivy League this year.
And . . .
"Dartmouth is a 2½-point underdog at home against the University of New Hampshire. This, I feel like, is a gift. . . . I think Dartmouth is going to win this game, so again I think they're going to cover the 2½ that they're being given, so take Dartmouth there."
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A reminder that in addition to being streamed on ESPN+, tomorrow's game will be broadcast on NESN (New England Sports Network).
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Do me a favor. Check out the Ivy League release on the start of the season HERE.
Now check out the Patriot League weekly release on their season HERE.
Green Alert Take: As they said in school, compare and contrast.
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I'll admit I didn't spend much time watching it last night, but the national broadcast of a 28-17 Rice win over Charlotte featured Dartmouth graduates on both teams. Ejike Adele had three tackles and a quarterback hurry for Rice, while former teammate Braden Mullen had one stop for Charlotte.
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EXTRA POINT
We all know about robins migrating and how their arrival back north each year is a sign of spring (even if they don't all migrate). What I had not realized – but should have – is that hummingbirds also migrate. We have a feeder on a window in our kitchen and there hasn't been a hummer stop by for several weeks. A little Googling informed me that they generally head south in late summer/early fall, and can fly 20 hours a day, covering as much as 500 miles. It can take them 2-3 weeks to make it to their winter home and some who spent their summer feeding at our kitchen window will be right back here next year.
Tonight's BGA Overtime posting will be the weekly Fearful Forecast prediction for this week's games featuring Dartmouth opponents. Come back tomorrow for an overview of the 2025 Dartmouth team, as well as the Dartmouth-UNH game preview.
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This was put up by the Ivy League, which as of 9:30 a.m. on the day before the season opens with a Columbia Friday night game, has no notes posted that I could find.
THE BIG GREEN’S BUILDING BLOCKS.
“When we bring a player in, our goal is to develop. By developing an individual, we help us develop as a program.”@DartmouthFTBL begins its 2025 season with an in-state clash against No. 23 New Hampshire on Saturday. 🌿🏈 pic.twitter.com/smtVX9K41T
Craig Haley of Stats Perform and Zach McKinnell of FCS Football Central on SI did a 50-minute podcast titled, FCS Stock Report. Lucky for you, I transcribed the main Ivy League section, which deals with Dartmouth-New Hampshire, what the commentators consider the Ivy game of the week. Here's what they had to say:
Craig Haley of Stats Perform
The Ivy League kicks off this week. You know, they play 10 straight weeks, a smaller schedule. This year, the champion's going to the FCS playoffs for the first time. They've allowed an automatic bid. The big game there, I would say, is Dartmouth at home hosting number 25, New Hampshire. It's the Granite Bowl. They've had a wacky series through the years as well. I'm going to go New Hampshire on the road. I think (New Hampshire quarterback) Matt Vezza has been terrific. But Dartmouth, they have a lot of offensive talent. They're really a sleeper here as far as getting to the FCS playoffs.
Zach McKinnell of FCS Football Central on SI
I'm going to go, I guess, upset. ... I'm going to go Dartmouth here. I think Dartmouth has been the most overlooked Ivy League team. I mean, Craig, everyone talks about Harvard and Yale and even some Princeton. People forget Sammy McCorkle was thrust into this role unexpectedly due to the tragedy that happened. He's won a share of the Ivy League in back-to-back years, Craig, and they got so much better. They finished 8-2 last year, went undefeated in out of conference play, if I remember right. So 14-6. I think they get it done. I love Grayson (Saunier) who they have coming back at quarterback. The offensive line is going to be anchored by both returning starting offensive tackles, one of which is Delby (Lemieux), who is an FCS All-American coming into the year. Their secondary is going to be so good, man. They have five guys coming back that played over about 150 snaps last year. Sean Williams at safety is one of my favorite safeties to watch. I think Dartmouth gets it done at home.
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The odds are up for Ivy League openers although FanDuel doesn't have all the games. First, the odds from something called SportsBook Review:
Columbia is a 3.5-point underdog at home against Lafayette
Dartmouth is a 1.5-point underdog at home against New Hampshire
Brown is a 4.5-point home underdog against Georgetown
Cornell is a 1.5-point underdog at Albany
Harvard is a 35.5-point favorite at Stetson
Penn is a 13.5-point favorite at Stonehill
Princeton is an 11.5-point home favorite over San Diego
Yale is a 4.5-point favorite at home over Holy Cross
Here's what FanDuel has:
Dartmouth is a 2.5-point underdog against New Hampshire
Brown is a 2.5-point underdog against Georgetown
Harvard is a 39.5-point favorite at Stetson
Penn is a 13.5 point favorite at Stonehill
Princeton is an 11.5 point favorite over San Diego
Yale is aa 3.5-point faovirte over Holy Cross
Green Alert Take: Odds posted on BGA are for perspective on the games only.
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EXTRA POINT
I came across something interesting on my hike the other day. This is what I saw:
If you are wondering what a baseball was doing on top of a mountain at least three or four miles from the nearest baseball field, so was I.
Then I looked closer. It was actually a relatively round, white-ish rock with shadows from a fern looking like stitching on a baseball. I came through at just the right time of day for the shadows to momentarily fool me.
Not at all surprisingly, things are getting busy around BGA land. We start today with news of a new commitment. Thanks to a loyal reader and friend for this tip.
Intending to join the Big Green next year is Roman Sosnovyy, a 6-foot-3, 245-pound lineman from Lyons Township High School and La Grange, Ill. Also a weight man on the track team, the Lyons captain chose Dartmouth over offers from avy, Toledo, Kent State, Cornell and Colgate.
BGA now has come across at least 17 high school seniors who have announced for Dartmouth, some as far back as spring.
What's going on with such early commitments? A reader asked about that for the Questions For Coach column on BGA Overtime. Here's the question and coach Sammy McCorkle's response:
Q: Dartmouth appears to be getting a larger number of commitments from recruits before their senior season in high school. I assume you and your staff encourage this. Does NIL and the increased churning due to the transfer portal play a role in this development? And how do NIL and the portal impact the overall recruiting process in the Ivy League?
A: I wouldn't say NIL has made a difference in that, but definitely the transfer portal has. It has really nerved up high school recruits. The fact is, high school recruiting has been cut in half because a lot of colleges, especially your power fours, are not taking nearly as many high school kids anymore. It's not about development at a lot of schools. Instead, they're taking transfers. So I think a lot of high school kids know they need to be ready to go early somewhere, because those offers aren't going to be there at the end. Everybody's going sooner, and the Ivy League is no different than the rest of the country. We've done a really good job here of getting in front of that.
Find that question and answer in the BGA Overtime posting HERE.
Editor's Note: BGA Overtime will have its preseason look at the Dartmouth team, a preview of Saturday's opener against New Hampshire, and picks for games featuring Big Green opponents later this week. Added to the site in the past few days have been previews of Ivy League teams, a look at Dartmouth's nonconference opponents, the Questions for Coach column, and a detailed review of the final scrimmage of the camp. If you appreciate the work that goes into the Overtime site – which removed the paywall last year to help spread the word about Dartmouth football – or just enjoy visiting this page each day, please consider helping me keep the work coming by clicking on Griff the Wonder Dog over there on the right. Huge thanks to those who have already helped out. If PayPal isn't your cup of tea, the BGA Overtime page has an address where you can send something along the old-fashioned way if you would like. Thank you, and now back to your regular programming . . .
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Craig Haley, a former Ivy League beat writer who knows the conference better than any national writer, has his Ivy preview up on The Analyst site. Here's how he sees the league finishing:
Harvard
Dartmouth
Yale
Columbia
Penn
Princeton
Cornell
Brown
In his Dartmouth capsule, Haley writes:
Dartmouth (8-2, 5-2) – Make it two years, two Ivy titles for coach Sammy McCorkle. The Big Green (along with Yale) are one of six programs to have a pair of first-team selections on the Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team: OL Delby Lemieux and TE Chris Corbo. Quarterback Grayson Saunier impressed in a midseason stretch, accounting for five TDs in a rally past Yale, and he also will target WR Daniel Haughton. The defense loses four All-Ivy first-teamers, but cornerback Sean Williams (129 tackles, seven interceptions) will be a fourth-year starter. Owen Zalc has delivered clutch kicks while making 30 of 38 field goal attempts.
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In another piece headlined FCS Football Week 4 Preview & Predictions: Villanova Seeks to Slow Monmouth, Robertson; Ivy League Joins the Fun, Haley has this to say (LINK):
The late-starting Ivy League kicks off its 10-game schedule with intrigue, from having an automatic FCS playoff bid for the first time to a 2026 NFL Draft quarterback prospect leading the preseason favorite (Harvard’s Jaden Craig) to having two straight three-way shares of the title determined on the final day of the regular season. Their teams are at home for perhaps the biggest openers: Dartmouth against No. 25 New Hampshire in the Granite (State) Bowl, Princeton against Pioneer Football League preseason favorite San Diego, and Yale versus a snake-bitten Holy Cross team (0-3) that’s has won a share of six consecutive Patriot League titles.
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Speaking of the FCS playoffs, the Ivy League has added a Football AQ Tiebreaker link to its football webpage. Here's the process for the two more likely scenarios (LINK):
Two-Team Tie
In the case of a two-team tie, the following procedure will be used:
The AQ will be determined based on head-to-head competition.
Three-Team Tie
In the case of a three-team tie, the following procedure will be used:
The AQ will be determined based on cumulative record against all other teams tied at that spot.
If all three teams have the same cumulative record, move to 2b
The AQ will be determined based on the average ranking of metrics (KPI, ESPN SOR, ESPN FPI, Massey).
If two teams have the same average rankings of metrics, revert to step 1 (two team tie procedure)
If all three teams have the same average rankings of metrics, move to 2c.
The AQ will be determined by a draw conducted by the Executive Director with the AQ awarded to the first team drawn.
Green Alert Take: Granted, it's important to consider every possibility, but it does bring a smile that the Ivy League has even worked up tiebreakers in case six or seven teams tie for the title.
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For what it's worth, the Ivy League football record book has been updated for 2025. Find it HERE.
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The latest from Dartmouth athletic communications:
As usual, BGA is providing a lightly edited transcript for those of us who prefer the written word:
Coach Kevin Bracken
I think the guys are taking this and they're treating it like a pro. That's a lot of things that we talk about in the room – being able to stack days but treat everything like a pro. Not just practice, not just pre-practice, not just in the meeting room, but how intentional are you off the field?
Safety Sean Williams
Day by day we're taking steps to be the best that we can be, raising the standard. I think we're really taking it process driven. We make sure we're focusing on the process day in and day out.
Bracken
I think it all starts with Sean Williams, our captain. It's great to have such a great football player who's an even better human being. Aa guy that exemplifies the core values of this program. So all goes through him. The next guy is Tyson Grimm. He’s a throwback kind of player. He loves being in the trenches. He loves being physical on the perimeter. So he's definitely tenacious out there. Jamal Cooper is a guy that's really the soul of our room. He brings a ton of wisdom and fuels the fire that way. We are excited about Coop.
We have some underclassmen that stepped up in a really big way. Harrison Keith is extremely bright. He's very cerebral in how he plays. Cameron Best-Alston and No’Koi Maddox are two great athletes that are getting better each and every day they take the field. And then finally, Sam Washington and Lou Lamar exemplify what effort means from a defensive perspective.
I’m really excited about those core guys when it comes to Saturdays. And then we have some younger guys that are getting better each and every day in Colter (Vela) and Ethan (Couvertiere ). Overall, very pleased with where the group is headed.
Williams
Supreme confidence, brotherhood, and just attention to detail in everything we do. We make sure we want to be technical assassins and make sure we have everything straight.
Bracken
You know, the corner safeties and nickels, myself and (corners coach Mike) Johnson, they really set that identity, and it starts with the brotherhood. This is an extremely tight-knit group. They play very well together. They're very close on and off the field, and it's really one mind back there.
The next thing that we talk about is having supreme confidence. First and foremost in ourselves when we take the field, but then in each other. Building that trust is super important. And then the final thing is dominate. We want to dominate every rep. And every rep is a new rep, you know? So, every time we take that snap, it's a new rep and it's a new opportunity to dominate.
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EXTRA POINT
I got home from my hike at about 6:15 last evening and was astonished by the number of contrails crisscrossing the sky over our Vermont hillside home. We are definitely under a flight path that sees a lot of air traffic but this was ridiculous. It was so unusual I took a bunch of photos and, of course, none quite tell the story. It was so unusual, actually, that I went inside and did a news search on my laptop to see if there was something happening that would have sent that many planes overhead in such a short amount of time.
Here's my mildly successful effort at capturing some of what I saw over the BGA World Headquarters. And yes the contrails were crisscrossing each other.
BGA Overtime took a look at Dartmouth's out-of-league competition last night. Find that story HERE.
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Today's entry from Dartmouth athletic communications is a look at the tight ends with coach Kevin Daft, who moved over from quarterback coach this year, and with All-America tight end Chris Corbo. As per usual, a gently edited transcript prepared by BGA follows the video for those who prefer reading to watching. ;-)
Tight Ends Coach Kevin Daft
I love what I see so far. We have a veteran group, a couple guys that have played in a lot of games. They come out with a great attitude. They're great leaders on and off the field. They're great role models, and I love the way they work and practice, the way they approach the game and approach every single day. It's been a great group so far.
Tight End Chris Corbo
From my group, I've seen a lot of growth. We lost a couple guys from last year, and younger guys are having to step up. Tay (Taysire Williams), Kristian (Strong), and Kyle (Meier) have come a long way, and they're really putting in the extra time to make sure they know what they're doing. It's definitely translating to the field.
To start with the team, I'm hoping to you build off of last year. We were 8-2 and could have been even better. We have a lot of guys on our team who have a lot of talent and can be big contributors this year, so we're just looking to take the next step. Obviously, there are much bigger stakes this year, being allowed to compete in the playoffs, so we want to be the first team to get in there.
And then personally, I want to just build off of last year. I was fortunate enough to have a career year. There's still a lot to be done. I want to take it to the next level, but as I said, more importantly as a team we want to get in the playoffs and make a run.
Kevin Daft
I mean, we have Chris Corbo. Obviously, he's got a lot of accolades from last year, had a very productive year, and we're excited about him and his progress. He continues to get better. Sean Ward is someone who's played in a lot of games, a lot of big games. He's a very physical player, very reliable, and a great person to be around.
And we have some of the up-and-coming guys. We have Taysire Williams and Kyle Meier, and they continue to progress. With all the work that they've put in since the start of spring and now, it's really exciting to see. They're gaining a lot of confidence and a lot of experience just owning the techniques and refining it. Polishing up some of the route running and some of the techniques we're talking about. They have taken to that. I like to see that start to show up.
I love the energy the guys bring. They have great attitude and are good people to be around. So I'm just excited about this group and excited to see them play in games.
Chris Corbo
What I would say to fans to expect from our room is it’s a group that is going to compete their butts off, whether it's in the pass game or the run game We're going to do everything we can to get the job done. We have a lot of hungry guys, myself, Sean Ward, Tay, and a bunch of young guys below. We're hungry. We're always looking to get better each and every day. I would just expect a group that's hardworking, and you'll see it on the field the way that we play, making that extra block, playing through the whistle, and making the big plays.
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A Bloomberg headline: Ivy League Tightens Rules by Policing Athlete Deals over $2,000. From the story (LINK):
Ivy League athletic departments are ramping up efforts to prove they played no part in compensating their athletes, drawing a sharp distinction from powerhouse college programs paying millions to players.
Athletic departments are signing attestations of independence for any name, image and likeness deals for players making $2,000 or more, according to Mike Harrity, who directs athletics and recreation at Dartmouth College and described the process for the eight schools.
And . . .
"We attest as athletic directors that we are not in any way, directly or indirectly, asking a donor or alum to give money to somebody as a recruit inducement, or if they want to go into the transfer portal as a retention inducement," said Harrity on Bloomberg Radio at Bloomberg Power Players New York.
And . . .
"Dartmouth has a long history of supporting unions, including student workers," Harrity said. "We view the athletics endeavor first and foremost at its core is educational in nature."
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Football Scoop headline: A single college football matchup took place at two different stadiums this weekend.
It's true. After several lengthy lightning delays, impending darkness was threatening the Wabash-Case Western Reserve Division III football game and Wabash's Little Giant Stadium has no lights. The solution? From the story (LINK):
What if they moved the game to nearby Crawfordsville HS (IN)? Located under two miles away, and just a five minute drive south.
Looking at the radar and weather patterns, both schools decided that while unconventional, that would be the right move. So the players, coaches and fans loaded up on team busses to take the game to a new location.
For the record, after the bus ride Wabash won the game, 38-28.
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EXTRA POINT
Mrs. BGA walked into the BGA World Headquarters yesterday and commented on how there are six old laptops on a shelf. I pointed to another shelf across the room. She had missed one.
Then I pointed to still another shelf and reminded her that there are also two old portable typewriters here in the home office.
A lot of writers keep old typewriters on display as decorations. The two I have are just collecting dust in their cases, but I can't bring myself to part with them. For what it's worth, I just can't imagine anyone leaving an old laptop open on a shelf as a decoration.
As for the laptops, one belonged to That Certain Dartmouth '14. One belonged to my mother. I don't have the password for either.
Three have my old writing and research sprinkled around their hard drives in such a random way that finding and moving all of that valuable background information onto my current hard drive would means hours and hours of work. A couple others won't boot up anymore and all probably have just enough personal information and passwords in them that I'd be nervous sending them off to recycling.
So they just sit there like the typewriters except on the rare occasions when I plug one in, hope I can get it going and then search for that perfect nugget I just have to find and rarely do.
