Penn and Harvard in the same position once again

It's a case of deja vu all over again.

For the third consecutive season, Penn and Harvard are meeting on the next-to-last weekend of the season with both teams in the thick of the chase for the 2002 Ivy League football title.

For the second-straight year, the Crimson and the Quakers are 5-0 in the Ivy League, with the winner of Saturday's contest clinching at least a share of the Ancient Eight crown.

This year's Battle of the Unbeatens II promises to be just as competitive, if not more intense, than past matchups.

Adding to the excitement of the matchup is ESPN College Gameday's coverage from West Philadelphia -- the first time the show has ever broadcast from an Ivy League school.

But what will make this Penn-Harvard game so distinctive is the quality of players on the field. Both the Quakers and the Crimson can boast a laundry list of high-powered stars.

While the situation is much the same this year, different players will be acting out the scene. Without running back Kris Ryan and quarterback Gavin Hoffman, Penn is a completely altered squad. Although Harvard's offensive lineup is remarkably similar to last year's, the Crimson defense took a hit due to graduation last year, losing six All-Ivy players.

Here's a position-by-position breakdown of Penn and Harvard's top players.

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Coach

Edge: Penn

In his 11th season at Penn, Al Bagnoli has proven himself to his critics. Although the Quakers were ranked 4th in the Ivy League heading into the season, Bagnoli has led the Quakers to a 5-0 start in the Ancient Eight. In his career at Penn, Bagnoli has 74 wins and 32 losses, only 9 of which have come on Franklin Field.

Harvard's Tim Murphy, now in his ninth season, has an overall record of 48-39 and led the Crimson to their first undefeated, untied championship in 2001. However, this year with such talent, Murphy's team hasn't looked as good as expected.

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Quarterback

Edge: Penn

This seemed like a no-brainer at the start of the season. Harvard's Neil Rose led the Crimson to an Ivy title last year and has broken 15 school records. But Penn's Mike Mitchell has stepped into the position with ease -- he's currently second in the league in total offense -- and has been connecting extremely well with his wide receivers recently. The Quakers lead the league in scoring offense, with an average of 34.9 points per game. Rose, on the other hand, has missed multiple games due to a lingering back injury and backup QB Ryan Fitzpatrick currently has a better passsing efficiency.

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Running Back

Edge: Harvard

Penn's running game has struggled all season. Senior Stephen Faulk starts for the Quakers but splits time with rookie Mike Recchiuti. Combined, the two have yet to produce a serious threat on offense. Harvard's Nick Palazzo has 334 yards on 78 attempts and has run for eight touchdowns this season.

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Wide Receiver

Edge: Harvard

Carl Morris might be the best wide receiver in Division I-AA and is a bona fide NFL prospect. He has 82 receptions for 1,116 yards in eight games this year and is a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the top player in Division I-AA. He also has hauled in eight touchdowns on the season. Last year, he burned Penn for two touchdowns in the Crimson's 28-21 victory in Boston. Rob Milanese has 61 catches for 806 yards this season and six touchdowns, including an 82-yarder against Dartmouth. Milanese is Penn's all-time leading receiver in catches and receiving yards.

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Linebacker

Edge: Penn

In probably the toughest matchup of the day, Penn's Travis Belden edges out Harvard's Dante Balestracci. Belden leads Penn's solid defense with 10 tackles-for-loss, five sacks and two fumble recoveries. Penn only allows an average of 15.7 points per game -- the lowest in the Ivy League. Penn's total defense is at the top of the Ancient Eight, allowing only 289 yards a game. Balestracci is a Buchanan Award Candidate, given to the top defensive player in Division I-AA. He has 73 tackles on the season, as well as one interception, four sacks and two forced fumbles.

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Defensive Back

Edge: Penn

This season, Penn's Vince Alexander has stepped up as the Quakers' top defensive back. With four interceptions, he trails only Princeton's Jay McCareins. But Alexander has returned those picks for 102 yards and one touchdown, the highest in the Ivy League by far. Harvard's Xavier Goss has 53 tackles on the season and averages 7.6 per game. But Alexander's agility and ability to keep up with the league's top receivers exceeds Goss' capabilities.

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Edge: Penn

If this weekend's matchup comes down to a field goal, Penn will be at a serious advantage. The Quakers' Peter Veldman, in his first season as the starting kicker, has proven himself a worthy investment. He is 9-of-10 on field goal attempts and a perfect 34 of 34 on extra-point attempts for a total of 61 points on the season. Although he has a perfect PAT record, Anders Blewett has only made one field goal in four attempts and scored just 28 points for the Crimson.

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