MERIDEN — Because New Hampshire has nearly twice as many high schools that offer varsity football as Vermont and currently owns an 11-game winning streak, it may seem logical to assume that the pressure will be on the Granite State entering Saturday's 59th annual Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl.

Nevertheless, many would argue that the opposite is true. They would tell you that the game isn't as healthy as it once was, and the only cure may be a Vermont victory.

“A win by Vermont would help the game in its entirety,” Vermont coach Mike Norman (Rutland) said. “There's certainly pressure for us, but there's also a little pressure on New Hampshire because the expectation is they're gonna win. We're just taking the approach that we're going to control the things that we can control, play hard, represent Vermont and see what happens.”

This year's game will return to Dartmouth College after a three-year absence, when the contests were played at Windsor (Vt.) High School. Saturday's opening kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m .

New Hampshire, which draws players from 57 schools, leads the series 43-13-2, and has outscored Vermont 371-121 during its 11-game winning streak. Vermont has 34 schools that have varsity football.

“I haven't sensed that there's that pressure on our kids,” said New Hampshire coach Mike Beliveau (Souhegan of Amherst). “I haven't sensed that they're nervous.”

New Hampshire has won 28 of the last 31 games.

“I think both sides have a little bit of pressure,” New Hampshire receiver Chris Chininis (Souhegan) said. “We're kind of expected to win, and I can see where they feel like they need a win. I just know we want to win as much as they do.”

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In past years there has been a limit put on the number of offensive formations each Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl team could use in the game, and coaches declared those formations before practice began. Each head coach also had to declare what defensive front they would be using in the game.

Those restrictions are not in place this year.

“Coach Norman and I were like-minded in terms of getting rid of those rules,” Beliveau said. “We're playing football.”

Also removed was the rule that allowed a team that trailed by at least 10 points after it scored to receive the ensuing kickoff.

“Really the only restriction is on defense, where you can't blitz from the second level either as a linebacker or as a deep secondary person,” Norman said. “I watched the game last year and I don't know what was going on but there was some concern that New Hampshire was supposedly doing something that it wasn't supposed to be doing or what have you, and that just takes away what you're trying to do as coaches.

“The last thing I want to do ... and Mike (Beliveau) said the same thing — he doesn't want to be getting in an angst about what we're doing and what we're not doing. Once the gun goes off I have enough to worry about, and I'm sure it's the same thing with the New Hampshire coaches.”

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Beliveau said Monday he has settled on most of his starters, but hadn't decided on a starting quarterback. Timberlane of Plaistow's Evan Bidgood and Souhegan's Rob McCormick have taken most of the snaps in practice.

Manchester Memorial's Codey Dalton has been used primarily in the defensive backfield, but is also seeing time at QB.

“It's no secret, we just haven't worked it out yet,” Beliveau said. “We started with two, but we're getting a third one ready now. I'd still like to play only two in the game, but we'll do what it takes to win.”

Salem running back Jerickson Fedrick took snaps from the Wildcat formation in practice Monday.

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There are five players on the New Hampshire roster who will be playing Division I college football this fall. Lebanon's Alexander Morrill and Trinity of Manchester's Andrew Lauderdale will be scholarship players at the University of New Hampshire. Bedford's Jordan Garron will attempt to walk on at UNH, Trinity's Josh Hughes will be a walk on at Maine, and Hanover's Dan Gorman will play at Dartmouth.

Morrill said he has to report to UNH on Sunday morning. “I was supposed to report (this Thursday), but coach (UNH coach Sean McDonnell) said because of this game I could spend those days up here,” Morrill said. “I'm being red-shirted so right now it's not that important.”

In addition, Vermont's Sam Kelly (Oxbow High School) will attempt to walk on at UNH.

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New Hampshire's 36-player roster features six players from Division I, six from Division II, eight from Division III, 10 from Division IV, three from Division V and three from Division VI. ... There are no Nashua representatives (Nashua North, Nashua South or Bishop Guertin) on this year's team. ... Saturday's game will use 15-minute quarters. Quarters have been 12 minutes in each of the past two years. If needed, overtime will be played for the first time in the game's history. ... There are nine players from Hartford on the Vermont roster. Hartford has won Vermont's last two Division I championships. ... New Hampshire linebacker Tom Cifrino is the only player in the game who does not reside in either New Hampshire or Vermont. Cifrino lives in York, Maine, and played for St. Thomas Aquinas in Dover.

rbrown@unionleader.com