Yale is not used to being in this position, at least not its current roster.
A surprise co-champion last year, the Bulldogs find themselves as this year's favorite. In the preseason media poll Yale took a resounding 14 of 16 first-place votes, the first time the team has been picked to win since 2000.
As much as anything, the challenge for the Elis this year will be dealing with the heightened expectations.
"If it is viewed as a burden by our team, we are taking the wrong approach," coach Jack Siedlecki said. "It has to be looked at as a validation of our annual goal of putting a team on the field in September that has the ability to win the title."
But the theme in the Ivy League over the past few years has been unpredictably, as no team that was picked to win the title has come through with the crown since Penn did it in 2003.
Clearly, the preseason poll means little, with Yale coming out of nowhere last year after being picked to finish fifth. However, the Elis were selected No. 1 for good reason, namely their defense. They return nine of 11 starters on that side of the ball, including first-team All-Ivy linebacker Bobby Abare and defensive lineman Brandt Hollander.
"This is the strongest defense I have ever been a part of," Hollander, the team captain, said. "We return starters at almost every position and are a very deep unit."
Hollander also has reason to be excited about his counterparts on the other side of the ball, mainly because of the return of running back Mike McLeod.
The junior led the league in rushing yards last year with 1,364 and also scored 20 touchdowns. He enters this season as the only Ivy League player on the Payton Award watch list, which names the nation's top FCS player.
This is not to say the offense does not have its weak spots. With the top four graduating, the receiving corps must be completely replaced.
There are also concerns with the offensive line, which saw All-American tackle Ed McCarthy graduate and guard Tom Woznicki suffer a season-ending ligament injury.
As a result, much of the pressure will fall on the shoulders of senior quarterback Matt Polhemus. With defenses expected to bring extra men towards the line to slow down McLeod, Polhemus and the rest of the passing attack will have to improve on their last place finish in passing (143 yards per game) last season.
Still, if its defense plays up to expectations, Yale can make a push to join Penn as the only school to repeat as champions this century.
