Ivy Power Rankings
Mike McLeod has a lot to jump about (CREDIT: Yale Athletics)
Another weekend's worth of games is giving us an even better idea of who's good and who's weaker in the league:
1. Yale 3-0
Still looking like the best team. McLeod is getting all the press, but the improved defense is what's catching my eye.
2. Princeton 2-1
The Tigers seem to be far behind the Elis right now, but they get the nod at a distant second. Princeton's offense is clicking, if still mistake prone, while the defense is creating some key turnovers.
3. Dartmouth 1-2
The Big Green showed no ill effects from tough losses in the first two weeks, and finally beat Penn for the first time since 1997. Dartmouth now has a huge test as they head to Yale Bowl for a date with the #1 Elis.
4. Harvard 1-2
Starting QB Liam O'Hagan was pulled during Saturday's loss at Lehigh. Backup Chris Pizzotti provided a spark, but Harvard seems a little lost without a consistent running game.
5. Cornell 2-1
The Big Red finally won on the road with a rout of Georgetown and that puts them in a much better mental state to face #4 Harvard this Saturday.
6. Columbia 1-2
The offense looks strong, while the defense is still giving up huge yardage. But if Columbia plays the rest of the season the way it did against Princeton, another 5-5 season is very possible.
7. Brown 1-2
The passing game is coming around with new QB Michael Daugherty, but the defense and the running game are AWOL right now. Holy Cross will seek to exploit both.
8. Penn 0-3
Coach Al Bagnoli gave backup QB Bryan Walker the start against Dartmouth, and he cut down on the offensive mistakes, but provided little more. Penn's defense suddenly doesn't look that strong either. The Quakers can still be cotenders in this league, but they need to turn it around in a hurry.
posted by Jake @ 9:02:00 PM
8 comments
8 Comments:
I would flip us and Cornell-- Cornell was absolutely destroyed by Yale. Although Yale is a good team, 51 to 10 is a real butt kicking. We are better than Cornell and will prove it over the next few weeks. I am encouraged by the Princeton game insofar as we play hard and have some really great talent. Now if we could only finish teams off and learn how to tackle.........
I agree. Columbia came very close to upsetting Princeton and was actually leading the Tigers in the third quarter and on the verge of scoring the go ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter. We have some tremendous players and great coaches. Our quarterback is the best passer in the Ivy League. We just need another two or three big play guys on offense to help Austin Knowlin and a defensive lineman who is really big and nasty.
On the D line I am hoping that Brian England can make an impact. Is Egley ready to play yet? On the offensive side I think Nico may be a big play guy. too bad Stoll fumbled; I think he has a lot of upside. Does anybody know if Ivery is still feeling the after effects of his HS injury?
Jake, it is not too soon to think about strategies for stopping MacLeod. I think that the coaches should think about having Masorti or Shalbrack tailing him on every play wherever he goes. Yale is a run first and pass second team. Slow down MacLeod and you slow down Yale. We did that we good success last year.
Jake, do you think that Penn may be entering into the cycle that Yale went through during the last five or so years of the Cozza era?
We may be better than Cornell... but right now they seem to be a tad better as long as they don't play Yale.
Is Penn falling apart? I think that could be true, but it's not in the same way Yale faded in the later years of Cozza's tenure. I think Penn is in trouble because other schools are recruiting better, especially Princeton. Princeton's New Jersey contingent is much bigger than I remember and Penn has relied on Jersey boys for a long time. Columbia has picked their pocket once or twice too.
See ya, Penn!
Jake, I was at the Harvard game and O'Hagan was knocked out of the game after a hard hit by Lehigh, not pulled. Not sure if he's out for next week. Pizzotti did a very good job in relief.
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