NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- In a preseason poll rarity, the Harvard Crimson and Yale Bulldogs have been voted by the media as co-favorites to capture the 2008 Ivy League football title, announced today at the 2008 Ivy League Football Media Day at the Yale Golf Course in New Haven, Conn.

Harvard (8-2, 7-0 Ivy in 2007) and Yale (9-1, 6-1) each tallied 124 points and eight first-place votes among the 17 ballots, while Penn (4-6, 3-4) garnered the remaining first-place vote to finish fourth in the balloting with 85 points. This voting oddity last occurred in 2000 when Yale and Cornell (5-5, 2-5), picked to finish sixth in 2008, were selected as preseason favorites. That year, Al Bagnoli coached the Quakers to the Ivy title with a 6-1 League record.

The Crimson is poised to grab back-to-back Ivy titles for the first time since tying for first in both 1982 and 1983. Tim Murphy’s 2008 squad returns 22 starters, led by senior quarterback Chris Pizzotti and senior captain and defensive tackle Matt Curtis.

The Bulldogs counter with 2007 Asa S. Bushnell Cup Winner Mike McLeod (pictured), who enters the 2008 season ranked sixth in League history with 3,672 career rushing yards, and an offense that returns seven starters. Jack Siedlecki's team also boasts eight starters returning on defense, captained by senior linebacker Bobby Abare.

Brown (5-5, 4-3), looking to earn its first Ivy League crown since 2005, rounded out the top half of the poll in third with 99 points.

2008 IVY LEAGUE FOOTBALL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
First-Place Votes in Parentheses

Rank	School	Points
1.	Harvard (8)	124
1.	Yale (8)	124
3.	Brown	99
4.	Penn (1)	85
5.	Princeton	58
6.	Cornell	54
7.	Dartmouth	47
8.	Columbia	21