With less than six minutes left in the fourth quarter on Oct. 19, the Big Green seemed to be falling apart. Down 16-13 to Central Connecticut State University, quarterback Grayson Saunier ’27 lost his helmet and hurt his ankle on second and goal at the one-yard line, taking him out for the next snap. Freshman quarterback Kyle Meier ’28 replaced Saunier, but Meier — making his Dartmouth debut — fumbled the ball, which CCSU recovered. Distraught, Dartmouth head coach Sammy McCorkle looked to the sideline officials for a lifeline: a defensive penalty.
Offside, defense.
“I was hoping that it was going to be offside,” McCorkle said postgame. “We looked pretty clean, and our guys do a good job of making sure they’re properly lined up.”
Dartmouth capitalized on their second chance in the next play, as Saunier returned to the field and scored his second rushing touchdown of the game, putting the Big Green ahead with a 20-16 lead. After stopping CCSU on its final possession, Dartmouth escaped with a narrow victory, extending their undefeated season record to 5-0.
The coaching staff and players emphasized cleanliness when preparing for the game, McCorkle said. Heading into the matchup, Dartmouth had given up 34 penalties for 306 yards compared to CCSU’s 25 penalties for 241 yards. In this game, however, the Big Green had only two penalties compared to nine from CCSU. That deficit played a pivotal role in the win.
“We did a good job making sure our communication was cleaner,” McCorkle said. “That has been our biggest problem in the past, but the coaches did a great job in practice to clean it up.”
Following a thrilling 44-43 overtime victory against Yale in which he amassed 360 total yards and five touchdowns after coming in second, Saunier made his first start for the Big Green Saturday. His breakout performance was followed by another solid game, completing 15 of his 21 passes for 177 pass yards, and adding 42 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Saunier was able to trust his practice over the last year-and-a-half and tune out the pressure.
“We all prepare every single week as if we are the starter,” Saunier said. “I have to trust the guys on the field, and as long as I go out confidently and we have each other’s backs, we feel comfortable.”
A major contributing factor to Saunier’s composure in the pocket was the offensive line, which only allowed one sack on gameday for a total of five this season — the 13th best overall in the Football Championship Subdivision. The O-Line unit was also able to create holes for Saunier and the running backs, who carried the ball 44 times. Offensive tackle Delby Lemieux ’26, an All-Ivy Second Teamer last season and a leader of the group, highlighted the importance of cohesion on the line.
“If one guy’s not doing their job, it doesn’t matter what the other four are doing, even if it’s perfect,” Lemieux said. “We’re very confident in one another, and we’re lucky to have an experienced group of guys, so we understand that it takes everyone.”
Along with the O-Line, the win would not have been possible without the special teams unit — a source of countless plays for the Big Green this season. In the fourth quarter, a 26-yard punt return by defensive back Sean Williams ’26, accompanied by a 15-yard facemask penalty on CCSU, put Dartmouth in strong field position — which led to Saunier’s game-winning touchdown. Earlier on, defensive back Jordan Washington ’25 blocked a 50-yard field goal, keeping the score tied at 10-10 before halftime. The senior has had a knack for finding the football, as it was his second field goal block of the season.
“That tight formation — I just love it,” Washington joked postgame. “[CCSU has] a really good operation, so the first couple kicks I couldn’t get there. But they slowed down the operation, and I was able to get through the edge.”
McCorkle said he appreciated those plays, as well as the special teams as a whole, after the game.
“The blocked kick and punt return — those were huge,” McCorkle said. “When you play in a tight game, it’s usually going to be the special teams that give you the edge, and we take a lot of pride in that third part of the game.”
On CCSU’s sideline, one star performer was a familiar face for the Big Green — former Dartmouth wide receiver Isaac Boston ’24. The fifth-year receiver transferred to CCSU after completing his undergraduate degree at Dartmouth in June 2023 and made several major plays for the Blue Devils. He finished with two catches for 43 yards and a touchdown. While disappointed by the loss, Boston, who tore his ACL the last time he stepped on Memorial Field, called the game a huge milestone.
“It was a surreal feeling walking back on the field,” Boston said. “Ending my senior year with a torn ACL, it felt good to be back, and I felt like the job wasn’t done. It still feels halfway not done because we didn’t get the win, though.”
All three units had to click for the Big Green to earn yet another nail-biting win. With four straight games being decided by four points or less, the team has become accustomed to the pressure of late-game situations. That composure will remain pivotal as Dartmouth faces four Ivy League opponents in the next four weeks, starting with Columbia University next Saturday, Oct. 26. While close games certainly increase heart rates, the Big Green has found its team identity as one that gets the job done when it matters most.
“That’s who we are,” McCorkle said. “We battle and try to put ourselves in situations where we can win in the end, and being able to not panic and perform is the key.”
