Here We Go!

The BGA Overtime preview of the Fordham game begins with a look at the Big Green's scheduling philosophy (HERE) and there's a notes column that includes thoughts from both coaches HERE.

Be sure to come back to Overtime tomorrow for a game story and Monday for analysis and perhaps something special. ;-)

#

Back in the Dark Ages (before the internet) I did phone interviews every week with opposing coaches for my Dartmouth game preview. Invariably, if the game was in Hanover the opposing coach would ask, "What's the weather forecast?"

I seriously doubt any coach is asking that question these days.

In case you are wondering, the AccuWeather hourly forecast for Hanover is calling for 67 degrees, cloudy skies and a 4 percent chance of rain at kickoff, and virtually no change during the game. The wind will be out of the east at 6 mph.

#

The Massey Ratings site sees Dartmouth defeating Fordham, 31-20, with 78 percent confidence.

The service has the Big Green finishing 7-3 this fall. The scores:

Massey has Harvard winning the Ivy League with a 7-0 record. Projected standings per Massey:

Harvard  7-0

Yale 6-1

Princeton  5-2

Dartmouth 4-3

Penn 3-4

Brown 2-5

Columbia 1-6

Cornell 0-7

Green Alert Take: Good ol' Massey always has teams finishing with 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and 0 wins. That has happened just once in Ivy League history. It was back in 2014 when Harvard topped the standings at 7-0 and Dartmouth was next at 6-1.

#

Depending on where you look, the Wise Guys have Dartmouth as a 17.5-point favorite today over Fordham.

Sagarin sees Dartmouth as a 10-point favorite over the Rams. Elsewhere Sagarin has:

• Princeton favored by 5 points at Lehigh

• Harvard favored over Stetson by 27.5 points

• Lafayette favored by 10 points at Columbia 

• Penn a 9-point. underdog at Delaware

• Yale a 2-point favorite at Holy Cross

• Brown at Georgetown a pick-em

• Colgate a 2½ point favorite over Cornell

#

This was posted earlier this week on @OptaAnalystFCS and will be appreciated in Hanover:

#

EXTRA POINT

Well, we did end up going to the Great Vermont Corn Maze in North Danville, Vt., yesterday and it lived up to the billing that has it "Voted #2 Maze in America." It took four of us working as a team a little more than 3½ hours to find our way out. The sign in the parking area has it right – it's not a good experience for people who are easily frustrated.

The maze covers just 24 acres but we somehow ended up walking the better part of six or so miles to finally make our way to the exit and it was a relief when we realized we had finished.

Only when we got to the end and saw an aerial photograph were we able to see the art work carved into the field that made up the maze. (I won't give away the theme here ;-)

There is a display at the end that shows this year's maze from above and also a board with pictures from recent years. This shot shows how detailed (and diabolical) the design can be. I promise you that with rows of towering corn on either side, you would have had absolutely no clue in 2018 that you were being frustrated by The Thinker.