Holy Cross Crusaders:

AREA OF STRENGTH Running Back

AREA OF WEAKNESS Defensive Line

PLAYERS TO WATCH QB John O’Neil (Sr.), RB Steve Silva (Sr.), RB Gideon Akande (Sr.), WR Sean Gruber (Sr.), WR Bob Turkovich (Sr.), TE Luke Dugan (Sr.), C David Cannon (Sr.), LB Matt Dugan (Sr.), CB Casey Gough (Jr.), K Mike DeSantis (Jr.)

KEY GAMES at Delaware (Sept. 24), at Lehigh (Oct. 8), vs. Lafayette (Nov. 12)

2005 OUTLOOK The Crusaders have already equaled their Patriot League win total from 2004 with last week’s 48-6 romp over Georgetown. A rough road lies ahead in the next few weeks with a visit from Harvard preceding a treacherous road trip that includes games against Delaware, Yale, and Lehigh. Aside from the Mountain Hawks, Holy Cross gets the two of the three best Patriot schools—Lafayette and Colgate—at home. With Bucknell and Fordham struggling early on, the Crusaders should put together a 3-3 league record and a 5-6 mark overall.

Brown Bears:

AREA OF STRENGTH Skill Positions

AREA OF WEAKNESS Offensive Line

PLAYERS TO WATCH QB Joe DiGiacomo (Jr.), QB Anthony Vita (Jr.), RB Nick Hartigan (Sr.), WR Jarrett Schreck (Sr.), WR Lonnie Hill (Jr.), TE David Turner (Sr.), LB Zak DeOssie (Jr.), CB Jamie Gasparella (Sr.), K/P Steve Morgan (Soph.)

KEY GAMES at Harvard (Sept. 24), at Cornell (Oct. 22), vs. Penn (Oct. 29)

2005 OUTLOOK This season will provide the Bears with the best chance to win the Ivy title since they last did so in 1999. Brown should win its three non-league games, including the Governor’s Cup against Rhode Island. The Bears’ toughest test will come at Harvard on Sept. 24. If Brown can survive that, it would have the inside track to the title with a home date against Penn and a visit to Cornell as the only possible land mines. Most likely, however, the Bears will split the Harvard-Penn games and drop another along the way to a 5-2 Ivy finish.

Lehigh Mountain Hawks:

AREA OF STRENGTH Quarterback

AREA OF WEAKNESS Kicker