Even after a loss, the Wildcats moved up a spot in the latest AFCA Coaches Poll this week.

UNH is No. 23 in the country despite a tough 34-29 road loss to FBS opponent Ball State this last weekend.

The Wildcats’ had a chance to steal the program’s seventh win over an FBS team all-time, but instead dropped to 2-1 on the year. In defeat, head coach Rick Santos learned a lot about his team ahead of a tough in-state matchup with Dartmouth this weekend up in Hanover.

“We played hard. We played extremely hard,” Santos said during his weekly CAA Coaches Zoom appearance. “We flew around…any time you get into a game like that (against an FBS opponent) you’re outmatched physically at almost every single position. So, I thought they stayed with it. I thought we made really good in-game adjustments at halftime and ultimately, played pretty well in the second half.

“But, too many self-inflicted wounds. We had two dropped touchdowns. Two missed field goals. Defensively in the first half, we didn’t tackle well enough…the great thing is, we showed a bunch of resilience. Got down 14 points at one point there in the second half and then we came all the way back. So, gave us a chance to win it at the end. Definitely, some guys stepped up in big manners…We started fast, had some momentum, lost it and then ultimately couldn’t close them out there at the end.”

UNH”s run defense was the biggest issue against the Cardinals, giving up well over 200 yards on the ground and rushing touchdowns of 40, 43 and 72-yards in the first half. Santos knows it’ll have to be a point of emphasis, especially in the later months when the ground game and defending it become imperative in the elements.

“I think we gave up 150 yards on three runs that were all explosives for touchdowns,” Santos added.

UNH is in a bit of a tough spot this weekend as the Big Green will be playing the first game of its season. Meanwhile, Ivy League opponents have two, sometimes three weeks of film for their matchups.

“After three games, a lot of self scout,” said Santos on how the team prepares this week. “Trying to reflect on who we are, what we do well, what we don’t do well, things for us to continue to improve as the season goes along. Those are some things we’re taking a hard look at. And then yeah, just trying to figure out who they’re (Dartmouth) going to be.

“Defensive minded head coach in Coach (Sammy) McCorkle. Their defensive coordinator has been there for a long time and called plays for I think the last decade. So, we have a decent beat on what they’re going to be defensively. Offensively, we’re trying to figure them out a little bit. New offensive coordinator, a guy that’s well traveled that’s done a phenomenal job in every single stop that he’s been. So, we’re trying to figure out who they’re going to be.

“Obviously, you don’t know their personnel this year. That’s one thing you wish you had one or two games under your belt. But, they’re an elite football team. They’ve won outright or at least a share of I think six of the last eight Ivy League championships. It’s a culture built on toughness. They tackle extremely well defensively. They’ve always had elite offensive and defensive lines and obviously, there’s no love lost between the two schools. We have to have our guys ready to go.”

The Battle for the Granite State is one of the more underrated rivalry games on the calendar every year in New England and this one should be another fantastic, physical battle.

“We left (Ball State) feeling like we’re a really good football team,” Santos added. “As anything, it’s all about one week at time in this great sport. We’ve got to strap it up and be ready to go for a physical contest. We know how good these guys are…I just think (what makes the rivalry so good) is it’s our conference vs. theirs. The instate rivalry, state school kids vs. the Ivy League guys.

“I just think being a part of it as a player, student athlete, assistant coach and now the third time as the head coach, it’s just a fun rivalry. I have the utmost respect for them and how they play from when Buddy Teevens was there and how he ran his program. They do it with class. They do it with integrity. They play extremely hard. They do it the right way.

“We know we have to play our A game to beat these guys.”