Cornellhas the most imposing defensive force in the Ivy League: linebacker Chris Zingo. Over his career, he has registered 338 tackles, 11 shy of the school record.
The offense has some firepower as well. Starting quarterback Bill Lazor returns after a surprise year in which he received honorable mention All-Ivy honors. But the big question remains the back field.
Last year Cornell ranked fifth in rushing offense and returns no starters to improve the ground attack.
Cornell looks suited for the role of the spoiler. It has enough talent to beat anyone, but probably not enough to sustain a run at the title.
Harvardchecks in about here.
Columbia,a perennial Ivy League cellar dweller, finally could have a team worth watching.
Leading the way is quarterback Chad Andrzejewski. Last year Andrzejewski led the league in completions with 186, and threw for 1,897 yards.
His numbers should improve even more this year with a strong offensive line in front of him.
The defense returns All-Ivy first team selection Sean Nichols to anchor the defensive line. If the defense can hold up, Columbia could at last make a push for the upper half of the division.
YaleCoach Carm Cozza faces an uphill battle for the title. The Elis posted a disappointing 2-5 record last year in the Ivy league, and things look equally bleak this fall.
With only four starters returning on offense, running back Keith Price will be forced to carry more than a bulldog's share of the load.
But with the starting quarterback job still undecided, Yale may not have enough of a passing game to complement Price.
Looks like a rebuilding year in New Haven.
The good news forBrownis eight returning starters on each side of the ball. The bad news is this same unit went 0-10 last year. Brown will be long on experience but short on talent.
Another big concern is the quarterback position. Any of five players could land the job, and none has any game-day experience.
The one bright spot for the Bears is their massive offensive line. With four starters returning and a combined weight of over 1,400 pounds, the line should be able to move some people.
The defense has a new coordinator, but it does not look very strong. Head coach Mickey Kwiatkowski has taken over the offensive coordinator position himself. He appears to be headed for another long season--or a very short one.