Valley News – Big Green faces Princeton on Friday night after losing its first game last weekend

Immediately following Dartmouth's 31-27 home loss to Harvard on Saturday, senior quarterback Jackson Proctor used one of his coach's favorite sayings in his first game back from a three-game injury layoff.

“Obviously it wasn't the result we wanted, but we just have to get it done and move on,” said Proctor, who threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns on his return.

For the first time this season, the Big Green had lost a game. After six straight wins, including five straight wins by a margin of four points or less, Dartmouth posted its first losing record in front of a crowd of over 7,000 in Hanover.

The 24-hour rule, which had previously allowed a day of postgame celebration earlier this season before the team's practice late Sunday afternoon, now required the Big Green to be satisfied with that result before moving on. No doubt it will be painful that the team blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, especially given the implications for the conference title.

But that's not to say there's nothing positive to take from the performance, as McCorkle expressed after the game. Proctor looked good in his first appearance since the Penn game, the wide receiving corps took the place of fifth-year senior Paxton Scott and the team wasn't whistled for a single penalty.

The most important takeaway for senior linebacker Micah Green?

“The goal is simply to get a lead and keep it,” he said.

Now in a three-way battle for the Ancient Eight crown, Dartmouth travels south to New Jersey to face Princeton on Friday night. The nationally televised game pits a mediocre Tigers team that has given up 94 points to opponents in its last two games against a Big Green team looking to tie with the winner of Saturday's Harvard-Columbia game to remain at the top of the conference – even if he wins the title According to McCorkle, the image is not the main focus.

“And like I said, we'll look at it tomorrow, get it out of our system, but our complete focus will be on Princeton,” McCorkle said. “I’m not interested in anything other than Princeton.”

Here are some storylines to keep an eye on before kickoff:

Can Dartmouth's defense capitalize on Princeton's turnovers?

Just two weeks ago, the Big Green defense outscored Columbia three times in its 24-21 win in Manhattan. The performance effectively ended the unit's turnover drought, which had only suffered two forced turnovers in the first five games of the season.

Dartmouth, which forced a fumble against Harvard, now faces a Princeton team that has had a tendency to overplay the football this fall.

Tigers quarterback Blaine Hipa had attempted one pass in his college career before taking over the starting role this season. Hipa struggled in six appearances this season, throwing 12 interceptions and completing just 54% of his passes – he also threw seven touchdown passes. Princeton has also lost four fumbles this season.

Who will take over the receiving corps for Dartmouth?

With Scott, the team's leading pass-catcher, potentially sidelined again, offensive coordinator Kevin Daft has a number of weapons to rely on in the receiving corps.

The emergence of Chris Corbo this season has been a particular boon for the unit, particularly as a red zone threat. Corbo has found the end zone five times in seven games this season.

Daniel Haughton rushed for a 72-yard touchdown score against the Crimson, the second 70-yard touchdown connection between Proctor and a wide receiver this season, joining Painter Richards-Baker's 75-yard Touchdown catch against Merrimack. Jackson Namian had a career-best five catches against the Crimson after catching just one pass in the previous five games.

Even though Dartmouth is without Scott, who has recorded 34 catches for 411 yards and two touchdowns this season, Proctor has a number of options in the passing game to offset the team's ground game with Q Jones, DJ Crowther and Desmin Jackson.

The broader cover image of the Ivy League

As much as McCorkle may try to go 1-0 every week or focus solely on the next opponent, it's hard not to get carried away by all the possible outcomes in the final three weeks of the season.

Sure, Dartmouth's hopes of an undefeated season were dashed after the loss to Harvard, but McCorkle's squad still controls its own destiny.

Road wins against Princeton and Cornell would move the Big Green to 5-1 in the conference heading into the regular season finale against Brown at Buddy Teevens Stadium at Memorial Field. All three of the Big Green's remaining opponents are under .500 this season and feature the three worst-scoring defenses in the conference. Of course, rattling off three wins in a row is easier said than done, especially when facing teams looking to gain some semblance of positivity in an otherwise bleak season outlook.

However, if Dartmouth defeats the Tigers on Friday, the loser of this weekend's matchup between Harvard and Columbia will lose its spot in the three-way tie and, in that scenario, lose one game less to the winner and the Big Green.