Even if you don't believe that the home-field advantage is worth much if you don't draw huge numbers of fans to your games, you must admit that eight straight road games is a bit too much for any program at any level.

That's how many consecutive road trips the Great Danes have made over the last two seasons. Saturday, against Central Connecticut State University, they finally play their first home game of the year after starting off the 2008 campaign with five straight road games.

Albany won its league opener against Duquesne in Pittsburgh last week, and that makes the Great Danes 2-3 overall, which is not bad considering the road trips and the fact that four of the five teams they played were ranked among the top 25 in preseason. Two of those three losses were competitive. Only one game -- against powerful Delaware -- got away from the Danes when the Blue Hens pulled away from a 14-7 halftime advantage.

This Albany team could once again win the Northeast Conference title. The Great Danes seldom turn the ball over -- they lost a fumble for the first time against Duquesne -- and they play solid defense. Plus, with LaSalle's David McCarty leading a terrific ground game, Albany can keep the other team's offense off the field. McCarty, who ran for 230 yards against the Dukes, is averaging 142 yards per game.

UAlbany veteran coach Bob Ford told me this week that he's starting to feel his age on these road trips. Getting home at 1:30 a.m. and then returning to the office at 8 or 9 is tough for anyone, let a lone someone in his 70s. He also said that he doesn't put much stock into big home-field advantages, unless you draw 10,000 to 15,000, like a Delaware or Montana do.

But he admitted that finally being back home will be a comfortable feeling. He just hopes his team won't let up. They like the underdog role.