4-Down Friday

Here is a look at four things to keep an eye on when Yale takes on Dartmouth in Hanover, N.H., on Saturday.

How will they respond?: On one hand there is Yale, who is 3-0 following a 2-8 season, and is coming off a huge win over previously ranked No. 19 Cal Poly. Will the Bulldogs have enough motivation to keep the momentum going after one of the biggest non-conference wins in school history?

On the other hand, there is Dartmouth who could easily be 3-0 and lost in four overtimes to Penn last week. It marked the longest game in Ivy League history. The Big Green will be playing with a chip on their shoulder and a sense of urgency after a sluggish start.

One of the Ivy’s best: The Yale defense held Cal Poly to its lowest scoring total of the season last week. Well, the Bulldogs will face an even tougher challenge this week. His name is Dalyn Williams. The Dartmouth quarterback was the Ivy League’s Freshman of the Year last season. He leads the league in total offense (353.5 ypg) and his streak of 216 passing attempts without an interception came to an end last week.

Can they keep up?: Dartmouth’s defense has good size up front and talented linebackers in Bronson Green and Michael Runger. The Big Green do a good job of disguising its defensive looks.

But will Dartmouth be able to keep up?

Yale’s high-paced offense has had opposing defenses winded and gasping for air by the time the second half rolls around. The Bulldogs run 80-plus plays per game. Penn ran a total of 81 plays against Dartmouth over the course of regulation and four overtimes last week.

Motivation: RB Tyler Varga watched as Dartmouth handed Yale a 34-14 loss last season. The NCAA received a complaint regarding the eligibility of Varga, a transfer from Canada, prior to the game. Many speculated it came from Dartmouth. Varga had to sit out while the NCAA looked into the situation and was eventually cleared.

Varga will be on the field Saturday, perhaps with some added motivation. He’s averaging 151.7 ypg on the ground.