One of the strengths of the squad is its kicker Tyler Lavin, who has a booming leg. And quality kicking is important in close games. Which means it shouldn’t matter much against Harvard, Yale or Penn.

PREDICTION: This marks the first of two revenge games, and the Crimson will play like it. Dartmouth won by two TDs in 2003, but they’ll be lucky to lose by just that amount this season.

COLUMBIA

2003 record: 4-6 (3-4 Ivy)

ANALYSIS: The Columbia football renaissance is underway, and Harvard got a taste of it last season, as it fell 16-13 to the Lions. This year, the Crimson will not be vulnerable to a Columbia surprise, but instead will be looking for blood in Grudge Match II.

The Lions have a much improved offense which boasts an All-Ivy lock in tight end Wade Fletcher. Fletcher has the most receiving yards of any returning player this season, and is primed for a breakout season. Quarterback Jeff Otis will be able to get him the ball and the passing attack should flourish. The ground game on the other hand will be a work in progress. Otis is the team’s top returning rusher, so the Lions will need a back to step up in order to take the pressure off of Fletcher.

Columbia will keep registering the minor seismic shocks that befit a rising program. But the Lions are still at least a season away from making any serious noise in the Ivy League race.

PREDICTION: Fitzpatrick returns and the Crimson will refuse to take the Lions lightly. The combination should result in an easy victory for Harvard in Cambridge.

PENNSYLVANIA

2003 record: 10-0 (7-0 Ivy)

ANALYSIS: Ivy League POY Mike Mitchell is gone, top linebacker Steve Lhotak has graduated, as well. Yet, Penn still has the inside track for the Ivy title, choosing to shun rebuilding for the far more effective reloading.

Ric San Doval’s 86 tackles and 4.5 sacks will fill in nicely for the departed Lhotak. Quarterback Pat McDermott will likely fail to even approach Mike Mitchell’s MVP status, but he won’t have to, as Penn returns first-team All-Ivy wideout Dan Castles and first-team running back Sam Mathews.

That isn’t to say that McDermott won’t have to be good for the Quakers to have success. The conservative approach with McDermott nearly ended Penn’s bid for an undefeated season, as the Quakers escaped 14-13 over Bucknell with him at the helm in place of an injured Mitchell. Penn’s first test of the year—a matchup with Villanova comes just two games in, so McDermott better grow into the position quickly.