The last two Ivy League seasons can be summed up in one word: Penn. The Quakers have mowed down everyone in their path en route to consecutive Ivy League titles and the respect of the college football cognoscenti--and not just the ones in Division I-AA.

A few teams appear to be emerging in the league that has looked like Penn and everyone else since 1993. Brown and Columbia, doormats not long ago, have picked themselves off the ground and are now knocking on the Quakers' door. Throw in defensive-minded Princeton, and the Ivy League has the makings of a battle roysle.

Don't count the Crimson out, either. If Vin Ferrara stays healthy, the offensive and defensive lines jell (and not Jello) quickly, and Tim Murphy's young team really has as much fire (read: defensive intensity) as he claims, Harvard could be right in the hunt against Brown and Penn in the two games before Harvard-Yale.

I. Penn

Penn looks more vulnerable than it has in the last two years, but that's still not very vulnerable. The Quakers lost seven of eight first-team All-Ivy players, with wide receiver Miles Macik the only first-teamer returning. Stand-out linebacker Pat Goodwillie, the Ivy League Most Valuable Player in 1994, is a graduation causality.

However, Penn's ECAC-record 21-consecutive game winning-streak should not be taken lightly. Mark DeRosa is back at quarterback for the Quakers. He led Penn to and 25.7 points and 387.8 yards per game in 1994.

Defense is the Quakers' big question mark for the 1995 season. Last season, Penn led Division I-AA in total defense, surrendering a paltry 218.9 yards per game and allowing only 7.6 points per game. The Quakers also tacked up two shutouts: 33-0 and 24-0 against Harvard and Brown, respectively.

Only four starters return from that highlight-making defensive unit Experienced seniors filled four linemen's positions and the entire corps last season. And now they're gone. Last year's secondary is still intact and should help teach the younger players Penn's "50" defense.

Defensive concerns notwithstanding, coach Al Bagnoli's squad has compiled back-to-back 9-0 seasons. Another one may be just around the corner.

2. Brown

If anyone can challenge Penn's two-year dominance of the Ivy League, it's Brown. No longer an Ivy League also-ran, coach Mark Whipple has needed just one season to turn the Bears into a legitimate contender.

Whipple's more wide-open style finally clicked with the Bears in the final four contests of the season. Brown won all four of those games, including a 59-24 season-ending exclamation point over Columbia. Other than excusable (albeit home) losses to Penn and Princeton, the Bears (7-3, 4-3 Ivy) can point only to the season opening loss to Yale as the game that "shoulds been."

Junior quarterback Jason McCullough was at the helm for all seven of Brown's wins last season. In nine starts and 10 games, McCullough completed 126 passes for 1724 yards. Junior running back Marquis Jessie, a two-time All-Ivy selection, and three of five linemen also return to the offense.

Brown returns seven starters on defense, although the loss of All-Ivy safety Eugene Smith (a team-leading 104 tackles) hurts. Defense has been the Achilles' heel of Brown teams of recent memory (last season's version allowed 19.7 points per game), but linemen Tony Quarnaccio (seven sacks) and Brendan Pinneran should provide needed improvement.

3. Columbia

Colmbia put many naysayers in their rightful place last season, breaking out of 23-consecutive losing to compile a 5-4-1 record (9-4 Ivy) in 1994, Harvard encaped Morningside Heights with a 39-32 from-behind win last season, but the Crimson's 16-year winning streak may be in jeopardy in 1995.

Although quarterback Jamie Schwalbe (2199 yards, 10 touch-downs) is gone, the team's 10 other offensive starters return to the league leader in scoring and passing yardage. Senior Mike Cavanaugh is looking to fill Schwalbe's shoes.