Overview
It doesn't seem too long ago that this was a league plagued by an imbalance of Harvard and Penn being perennial powers, three other teams having occasional championship runs, and the remaining three teams never really having a chance.
But for the past six years, the Ivies have become a much more wide open conference. And the better news is that the change is because of an increase in talent overall, not just a bit of a downshift in gears for the Crimson and the Quakers.
As we head into the 2019 season, it's hard to remember a time when so many teams in the league had a legitimate shot to win the title or at least contend for it.
Predicted Order of Finish
1. Dartmouth Big Green
The preseason poll has me scratching my head most years, and how Dartmouth wasn't picked by more of the writers to win the championship this season is another big mystery.
The Big Green had the league's best defense last year, and came as close to winning it all as you possibly can by only losing by five points to 10-0 Princeton at Princeton Stadium. Now, that defense is almost entirely back led by Defensive Bushnell Cup winner Isiah Swann at DB, Jack Traynor at LB, and Jackson Perry at DT.
The offense returns both the deadly accurate throwing QB Derek Kyler, and the super tough running threat QB Jared Gerbino. A host of super talented WR's are also back led by Hunter Hagdorn and Drew Estrada. There is also considerable buzz about the incoming freshmen class.
The schedule is mostly favorable, with key games against Columbia and Yale at home. The Princeton game is at the neutral site of none other than Yankee Stadium.
The one drawback is the offensive line, which only brings back one real starter. But that's simply not a good enough reason to do anything but pencil in Dartmouth as the preseason favorite.
2. Columbia Lions
I'll have a more complete preview of the Lions in the coming days. But Columbia brings back too many talented stars and has been under Head Coach
Al Bagnoli's tutelage for too long now to do anything but continue improving.
The big difference this year is that last year's big unknown, the QB position, is no longer an unknown. We know junior QB
Josh Bean is good, we just know he needs to stay healthy all season for Columbia to have a legitimate shot to win a title. He has a very deep stable of some of the best RB's and WR's that the Lions have ever had at one time to work with. WR
Josh Wainwright is back from missing almost all of 2018 to injury, and is poised to break more team records in his senior year.
The defense has had some graduation losses, but also gets some key returnees from injury. The defensive line play appears to have improved greatly when it comes to fundamentals.
Columbia's schedule is rough, with road contests at Dartmouth, Yale, and Princeton. But the Lions have won at all of those opposing stadiums in the Bagnoli era.
3. Yale Bulldogs
Yale isn't a crazy choice to win it all, considering gutty QB Kurt Rawlings returns from missing the second half of the season and RB Zane Dudek should be healthier this year too. WR Reed Klubnik, who was amazing last season, is also back as is a mostly veteran offensive line.
The defense did not have a good 2018, and injuries aren't really the reason. The defensive line is an especially big question mark.
And here's something maybe I'm the only one talking about: Yale's switch from natural grass to field turf takes away one of the greatest home field advantages in the Ivies. The Eli offense will love the faster surface, but the defense will find it more challenging to defend.
4. Princeton Tigers
Princeton was as good an Ivy champion that I've seen in my 33 years of covering this league last year. But the key cogs of that championship team are gone: QB John Lovett, WR Jesper Horstead, RB Charlie Volcker, WR Tiger Bech, OL Reily Radosevich, and more.
Princeton's strong defense is a bit more intact led by DL Jake Strain. A very talented veteran secondary is also back. But the linebacker crew is going to be a group of new starters.
I don't think the Tigers will be a bad team, but I also don't see how anyone can seriously pick them to win the title with all the graduation and other mystery losses on the roster.
5. Harvard Crimson
The Crimson had another down year last season, and now only 10 starters return for 2019.
Senior Jake Smith appears likely to start the year at QB, even though he's been so erratic in all his years in Cambridge. The best news on offense is RB Aaron Shampklin is back after a rare, (for the Ivies), 1000-yard season. The WR's are untested and unknown.
The defense is also bringing back few established starters. But DB Wesley Ogsbury is the best among them.
Here's the thing about the Crimson: they brought in what every smart coach in the Ivies I know called a "scary good" freshmen class. I do expect many new faces to get on the field at Harvard Stadium this year and some will be very good. But that's not enough to pick the Crimson to be a title winner this season.
6. Penn Quakers
Penn has some serious questions at QB, when neither Ryan Glover nor Georgia transfer Nick Robinson was consistent last season. The good news on offense is running Karekin Brooks is back. The O-line is also mostly intact from last season. The receiving corps is unproven.
Penn's front seven has lost some of its best players to graduation, including Nick Miller. But the secondary is top notch, led by Muhammed Diakite who sealed the Penn win over Columbia last year with a late interception.
Penn has been below par for two years running and there isn't a compelling reason to think they'll break out of that in 2019.
7. Brown Bears
Brown has lost 15 straight Ivy League games and 18 of their last 21 games overall. But hiring new coach James Perry and the arrival of Perry's nephew E.J. Perry at QB from Boston College should be enough to get the Bears out of the cellar.
On offense, the Perrys have a great QB/WR weapon in Livingstone Harriott to work with. Harriott will likely be more of a full time WR now. Also, most of the offensive line from 2018 returns.
Brown doesn't have much to feature on defense, but the best player back is DL Michael Hoecht.
The Bears will mostly be riding the emotions of a new coaching staff this year, and that's something Columbia fans know a lot about.
8. Cornell Big Red
I was always a big fan of Cornell QB Dalton Banks, who never seemed to have a good enough WR corps to really show what he could do. Now, Banks has graduated... and so has just about the entire offensive line. The Big Red does have a great RB in Harold Coles, who almost beat Columbia on his own last year before Cornell finally fell at Kraft Field.
DB Jelani Taylor is the best returning defensive player on a defense that hasn't been very good the last two years.
This is a rebuilding year in Ithaca.
