On Saturday, the Ivy League will kick off its 67th football season as an official conference, with eight of the nation’s oldest programs vying for championship glory. Let’s take a look at the conference’s prime contenders for the season ahead, including a look at where Penn football could slot in.
1. Yale — 7-3, 5-2 Ivy, Ivy League champions in 2023
Few programs in the Ancient Eight could lose as much talent as Yale did in the offseason and still top the preseason rankings. The Bulldogs graduated quarterback Nolan Grooms and wide receiver Mason Tipton, both unanimous All-Ivy first team selections in 2023, as well as Kiran Amegadjie, who was selected in the third round of the NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. Despite those losses, the Bulldogs are the two-time reigning champs for a reason. They were the only team to finish in the top four in both scoring offense and scoring defense last season, and it is that well-rounded approach that has Tony Reno’s team poised for another run at a conference crown.
2. Penn — 6-4, 3-4 Ivy
The Quakers were one of the favorites to win the Ancient Eight a season ago following an 8-2 campaign in 2022, but struggles with turnovers and inconsistent play resulted in a disappointing 3-4 conference clip for the Red and Blue. Penn graduated a number of defensive stars, including lineman Joey Slackman, but the three pillars of the offense – senior quarterback Aidan Sayin, junior wide receiver Jared Richardson, and sophomore running back Malachi Hosley, are all back. The Quakers undoubtedly have the talent to be the conference’s best team, it is just a matter of demonstrating that talent week in and week out.
3. Harvard — 8-2, 5-2 Ivy, Ivy League champions
After a title-winning season in 2023, the Crimson return breakout quarterback Jaden Craig as well as All-Ivy First Team running back Shane McLaughlin to this year’s roster. But the team has a new face at the most important position: head coach Tim Murphy retired in the offseason after 30 years and 10 Ivy titles, clearing the way for first-time head coach Andrew Aurich to helm the program. If Aurich can match Murphy’s might, Harvard could have another title on its hands– but only time will tell.
4. Dartmouth — 6-4, 5-2 Ivy, Ivy League champions
The Big Green’s success last season was a testament to the human spirit — after the tragic loss of longtime coach Buddy Teevens in September, the Big Green banded together to win their first Ivy League title since 2021 under new coach Sammy McCorkle, who brought home Ivy Coach of the Year honors. During the offseason, the team lost a number of key contributors to graduation and the transfer portal, with former All-Ivy first team quarterback Nick Howard among them. As Dartmouth enters its second season under McCorkle, its 2023 success cannot be ignored, but it will be important to see how the Big Green’s dominant rushing attack holds up after the departure of their dual-threat QB.
5. Brown — 5-5, 3-4 Ivy
Throw, throw, and throw some more. That was the game plan for Brown last season, when the Bears led the Ivy League with 300 passing yards per game while sacrificing the ground attack where they finished last with 96 yards per game. The main engine behind that high-powered offense, quarterback Jake Wilcox, is back in Providence, but his favorite target, wide receiver Wes Rockett, is gone. Offensive coordinator Ryan Mattison has shown no signs of switching his style heading into the new season, and if the Bears can improve on their conference-worst scoring defense from a season ago, they will be a dark horse threat for the title.
6. Princeton — 5-5, 4-3 Ivy
2023 was something of a down year for the Tigers program, which had averaged 8.75 wins over the previous four seasons. A middling 5-5 finish was tied for the Tigers’ worst since 2011, with the conference’s worst 3rd-worst scoring offense weighing down its top scoring defense. Notably, Princeton was the conference’s worst team on third down, converting just 33.1% of its attempts. Now, with veteran quarterback Blake Stenstrom graduated, the Tigers will have to rely on an unproven signal-caller to revitalize their offense.
7. Cornell — 3-7, 2-5 Ivy
The Big Red is historically a subpar squad, with only one .500 record since 2012 and no more than five wins in a season. After being outscored by an average of six points per game, Cornell will look to bounce back under new head coach Dan Swanstrom, who led Penn to an average of 26.4 points per game during his two years as offensive coordinator.
8. Columbia — 3-7, 1-6 Ivy
Columbia seems to be destined to finish in the basement of the Ancient Eight. With the graduation of quarterback Caden Bell, the Lions' last place offense from 2023 will face additional challenges in its attempt to improve. That said, Columbia's scoring defense ranked second in the conference, so an improvement from their own scoring troops could go a long way.
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