Dartmouth, Princeton Cream of Ivy League Crop (Again)

The more things change the more they stay the same. Once again, for the third straight year, the quest for the Ancient Eight crown appears to be a two-team race.

Princeton and Dartmouth have too much talent for all the rest. Each has a high-powered offense with one dominant star who will battle for Player of the year honors. But a stronger defense gives Dartmouth the edge in the tight fight, likely to come down to their November 20 game at Memorial Field in Hanover, N.H.

Of course, in the highly unpredictable Ivy League, anything can happen. Cornell and Pennsylvania could make a surprise run for the title. Columbia may finally make a bid for a place in the top half of the division. And in this year, the 25th anniversary of the 29-29 Harvard win, who knows if Restic or Cozza can turn back the clock and capture another title.

Here's one sportswriter's look at the rest of the Ivy League.

A discussion of Dartmouth football begins and ends with one player: Senior quarterback Jay Fielder.

Last year, Fielder tore apart the Ancient Eight secondaries on his way to a record-setting season and Ivy league Player of the Year honors.

On the other side of the ball, the Big Green returns eight starters from the league's third-ranked defense. Linebacker George Neos and defensive tackle Gerry LaMontagne will lead the way.

Ultimately the season will come down to two tough contests: opening day at Penn and the final game against Princeton. But look for Dartmouth to capture its fourth straight championship.

For two straight years head coach Steve Tosches and Princeton have lost the big game: the season finale against Dartmouth.

This year, the Tiger's hopes fall squarely on the shoulders of the Ivy League's top running back, Keith Elias.

On defense the buzzword is inexperience. Despite a talented defensive line, Princeton returns only five starters. The Tigers will have three new linebackers and two new defensive backs in their opening day starting lineup.

If the defense can grow and come together, Princeton could walk away with the crown.

Pennsylvania doesn't have one dominant offensive force, but when you have the best defense in the league, sometimes it doesn't matter.

The defense, ranked number one in the league and fifth in the nation last year, returns six starters.

On offense the battle will be won or lost in the trenches. Penn lost four of its five starting offensive lineman to graduation.

Cornell has 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.

Harvard checks 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 for Brown is 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.