RV Yale vs. RV Dartmouth
Saturday, Oct. 10 – 12 p.m.
Yale Bowl, Class of 1954 Field (New Haven, Conn.)
ESPNU | Live Stats | Yale Game Notes | Dartmouth Game Notes

Team 153 worked its way back into the win column this past week, taking down Merrimack 41-24 after overcoming an early 14-point deficit. The team will continue its three-game home stand this week with a matchup against the Dartmouth Big Green at the Yale Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for noon on the Class of 1954 Field. The game will be one of three Yale contests broadcast nationally on ESPNU.

Bulldog Notes

• Following the team's 41-24 win over Merrimack, Yale stayed out of the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 and AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, receiving votes in both. 
• Quarterback Dante Reno earned his second Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week award for his 298-yard, four-touchdown performance against Merrimack. 
• Reno also earned his second New England Football Writers Association Gold Helmet Award of the season. 
• Yale currently boasts the Ivy League's top scoring offense, scoring 31.5 points per game, two games into the season.
• The win over Merrimack was Yale's 10th-straight at the Yale Bowl going back to the 2024 season. 
• Graham Smith has scored a touchdown in four of his last five appearances going back to the end of the 2025 season, including three-straight to start the 2026 season. 
• Yale has now won eight-straight games against teams from Massachusetts going back to 2023. 
• The 36:09 of possession the Bulldogs had against Merrimack was the most since holding onto the ball for 37:36 against Harvard in 2024. 
• Hugo Djeumeni Kemeni, Phoenix Grant and Brandon Webster were all named to the Ivy League Week Three Honor Roll. 

The Series

• Dartmouth has been Yale's toughest opponent over the last 10 matchups, with the Bulldogs going 3-7 against the Big Green dating back to 2015. 
• The Bulldogs are 56-46-6 against the Big Green going back to their first matchup in 1884 and Yale is 38-31-5 all-time against Dartmouth at the Yale Bowl.
• In 2025, the Big Green led a furious fourth-quarter rally against the Bulldogs in Hanover, scoring all 17 of their points in the final frame to take Yale down 17-16, capped off by a 51-yard Owen Zalc field goal at the buzzer. 

Scouting Dartmouth

• Dartmouth was picked to finish third in the 2026 Ivy League Preseason Poll, with 94 points. In 2025, the Big Green went 7-3 overall and 4-3 in the Ivy League, finishing tied with Penn for third place in the conference due to a 35-28 loss to Brown on the final day of the regular season.  
• The Big Green started the 2026 season with two close losses, 24-20 to Lehigh and 31-28 to Monmouth, their first 0-2 start since 2009. However, the team bounced back this past weekend with a hard-fought 14-10 win against Penn to kick off conference play.  
• Dartmouth is currently No. 6 in the Ivy League in both scoring offense (20.7 ppg) and defense (21.7 ppg).  
• The Big Green offense is led by veteran quarterback Grayson Saunier, who leads the team with 583 passing yards and four touchdowns to go along with 120 rushing yards and a score with his legs. Running back Myles Craddock is No. 3 in the Ivy League in rushing currently, with 258 yards and three touchdowns.  
• Dartmouth's best player on defense has been defensive back Harrison Keith, leading the team in total tackles (27), tackles for loss (3.0), pass breakups (3) and quarterback hits (1). 
• Former Ivy League Special Teams Player of the Year Owen Zalc is having a rocky start to his season, going 2-6 on field goals three games in, but 8-8 on PATs.  

Cahill's Corner
"We are looking forward to being home and playing in league again," said Kevin Cahill, Joel E. Smilow '54 Head Coach of Football. "Dartmouth is an extremely talented team that has improved every week. They are a dangerous team that has been in every game down to the last play. We have to look to build on our growth and play clean fundamental football."

Up Next
The Bulldogs will wrap up non-conference play with a game against the Rhode Island Rams on Saturday, Oct. 17 at noon.