One of the more well-informed outlets in the FCS "space," HERO Sports has its Ivy League prediction and sees the race going this way (LINK):
1. Harvard
2. Dartmouth
3. Yale
4. Princeton
5. Columbia
6. Brown
7. Penn
8. Cornell
From the story:
Princeton is likely the strongest fourth-place team among expected No. 4 finishers in all conferences that I have profiled this preseason. The Tigers tie for the second-most all-Ivy returnees and have the benefit of hosting Dartmouth the week after the Big Green deal with Harvard.
Green Alert Take: They can't be liking Penn being picked only above Cornell down in West Philly.
HERO calls Dartmouth quarterback Nick Howard the Ivy League's top offensive player, writing:
Howard is the Big Green’s big weapon, especially on the ground: The Green Bay native was the Ivy’s third-leading rusher and ranked sixth nationally in rushing touchdowns with 15 in 2021. His efficiency is to be noted, too, as last fall’s 6.3 yards per carry is the third-highest average in Dartmouth history and was the conference’s best. Defenses will be charged with slowing Howard’s rushing rate to get Dartmouth off the field before the Big Green can consume time of possession weekly.
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From Craig Haley at The Analyst:
Entering the 2022 season, the FCS' longest active win streaks in season openers:
11 - Dartmouth
7 - Montana
6 - North Dakota State, Princeton
5 - Villanova
4 - Columbia
4 - Alabama A&M
4 - North Dakota
4 - Towson
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Here's one for Craig to research: What are the nation's longest nonconference winning streaks? Dartmouth's run is at 19 games. Here they are:
2014
Dartmouth 24, Holy Cross 212015
Dartmouth 31, Georgetown 10
Dartmouth 49, Sacred Heart 7
Dartmouth 34, Central Connecticut 72016
Dartmouth 22, New Hampshire 21
Dartmouth 35, Holy Cross 10
Dartmouth 20, Towson 172017
Dartmouth 38, Stetson 7
Dartmouth 27, Holy Cross 26 (ot)
Dartmouth 29, Sacred Heart 262018
Dartmouth 41, Georgetown 0
Dartmouth 34, Holy Cross 14
Dartmouth 42, Sacred Heart 02019
Dartmouth 35, Jacksonville 6
Dartmouth 38, Colgate 3
Dartmouth 49, Marist 72020
No seasons
2021
Dartmouth 28, Valparaiso 18
Dartmouth 41, Sacred Heart 3
Dartmouth 38, New Hampshire 21
On tap this fall:
Sept. 17 Valparaiso at Dartmouth
Sept. 24 Dartmouth at Sacred Heart
Oct. 15 New Hampshire at Dartmouth
The last Dartmouth nonconference loss was on Sept. 27, 2014 in Durham when New Hampshire defeated the Big Green, 52-19.
When Dartmouth takes the field against Valparaiso on Sept. 17 it will have gone 2,913 days (seven years, 11 months and 23 days) since its last nonconference loss. (And yes, I did use a website to pull up those numbers.)
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UMass opens its season Saturday night at Tulane and former Dartmouth defensive coordinator Don Brown's first depth chart as the Minuteman head coach this fall lists Dartmouth grad transfer Jalen Mackie on the first line at middle linebacker (although to be fair it does so OR Myles Turner OR Jalen Stewart).
That said, a story in The Berkshire Eagle notes, "The middle linebacker will be manned by Dartmouth transfer Jalen Mackie."
Find the UMass game notes with the depth chart HERE.
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EXTRA POINT
It's a little under two miles from our house to the trailhead where I start my hike early each morning. I was about halfway there when I noticed something. Make that felt something.
The driver's seat in my car was heating up.
Before I turned off the automatic seat warmer I looked at the car's outside thermometer. It read 39 degrees, the first time it has been in the 30s here since spring.
Two things. First, I'm gonna have to dig out the manual and figure out how to turn off the automatic seat warmer. I like that the seat can warm up, but I'd rather make the decision on when it's needed rather than have the car make that choice. And second, it's too early for temps in the 30s!
