The latest Associated Press New England football poll ranks Dartmouth and Yale, who play each other Saturday in New Haven, as the top two teams in the area. Harvard which has lost two games in a row for the first time since 1962, dropped to a distant sixth place.

Dartmouth has reigned at the top of the AP poll for three weeks after Harvard and Boston College made it clear that they were not entitled to the honor. Yale originally was ranked eighth, but the Elis have moved up steadily with victory after surprising victory.

The Big Green earned a perfect 180 points, while Yale received 144 points and Boston University. 141. Following the Terriers were Boston College, Massachusetts, Harvard, Tufts, Connecticut, Vermont, and Wesleyan.

Blackman Picks Yale

Yale has done well, but most of the teams it has played have been relatively weak. Cornell might have given the Elis trouble, but Ed Marinaro was injured. On Saturday Yale finally meets a really tough team. "Dartmouth has a talented squad." Yale coach Carmen Cozza said earlier this week.

Dartmouth's coach Bob Blackman has also expressed his concern. "All we can think of this week is Yale. And I honestly believe that playing in the Yale Bowl gives them a two-touchdown advantage." he said.