The University of Pennsylvania has been tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the 1997 Ivy League Football title, according to a media poll of Ivy League writers. Dartmouth, who is rebuilding after last year's perfect season, came in third behind the Quakers and the Crimson of Harvard. The poll reflected the wide-open race as six of the eight teams received first-place votes.
Dartmouth topped the poll last year in the preseason and went on to the school's first-ever 10-0 campaign. The media was not so kind to the Big Green this year, putting them in third place with 80.5 points. One voter had Dartmouth first in the poll.
The voters gave the Big Green a vote of confidence by placing them third due to the strong defense that returns for Dartmouth. The defense, led by linebacker Zack Walz '98 and safety Lloyd Lee '98, was the league's best last year. However, the third-place prediction also reflects the job ahead of Head Coach John Lyons in replacing most of the offensive line and backfield if the Big Green is to capture their second straight crown.
Penn received 116.5 points, along with 9.5 first place votes. Although they struggled to a 5-5 record last season, Penn has new life in 1997 thanks to the addition of quarterback Tom Rader, a junior transfer from Duke. On the defensive side of the ball, All-Ivy first-teamer and potential NFL prospect Mitch Marrow returns to anchor the defensive line. Dartmouth opens up the season on the road against the Quakers on September 20.
Harvard, which came the closest to knocking off Dartmouth last year, finished second in the balloting with a total of 87 points and nabbed three first-place tallies. The Crimson returns all 11 starters, including Ivy League Rookie of the Year Isiah Kacyvenski at linebacker. The offense also remains intact for the most part, but standout tailback Eion Hu must be replaced for Harvard to be able to move the ball. The Crimson travel to Hanover on November 1 for a Homecoming clash with the Big Green.
Rounding out the first division is Columbia, last year's upstart team. The Lions grabbed 72 points and, like Dartmouth, earned one first-place vote. Columbia must prove that their 8-2 record last season, their first winning year since 1945, was no fluke.
Cornell, which many magazines predict in one of the top two spots, was not thought of so highly by the voters, who dropped the Big Red to fifth place, although they did get a half of a first-place vote. Cornell must replace running back Chad Levitt, perhaps the best running back ever to play in the Ivy League.
Brown and Princeton tied for sixth place in the voting. Princeton may have a strong year, but due to renovations the Tigers must play all 10 games away from campus while their new stadium is built. Brown lost everybody from last year's team that saw their title hopes die at Dartmouth's 11-yard line on the final play of the game, giving the Big Green the championship.
Yale coach Jack Siedlecki has a task ahead of him as the Bulldogs only managed 20 points in the poll, 45 points behind the Tigers and Bears. Brown and Yale were the only two teams not to receive any first-place votes.
