2004 was a "break-out" year for the PL. Not only did Colgate advance inthe post-season ... they made it to the final. So what is the next goal? How about two teams being selected to the play-off? Or was this just a fluke? Do the members of the Patriot need to increase their OOC strength? Have they done so in 2004? Let's take a look:

Games of Interest: 11-Sep Colgate at Massachusetts; 9-Oct Pennsylvania at Bucknell; 16-Oct Lafayette at Bucknell; 18-Sep Holy Cross at Harvard; 20-Nov Colgate at Fordham; 11-Sep Villanova at Lehigh; 9-Oct VMI at Georgetown

1. Colgate : It is not very often that a team that many consider the top conference member, has the most difficult schedule. This is the case for defending PL champion and I-AA finalist ... Colgate. The Raiders will look to repeat the success of their 2003 campaign & have a schedule we feel could give the coach Biddle's club an at-large bid, if they fail to capture the conference crown. OOC bouts include A-10 power UMass, as well as 4 Ivy schools. So, is this enough?
   
   4-Sep OPEN
   11-Sep at Massachusetts
   18-Sep DARTMOUTH
   25-Sep GEORGETOWN*
   2-Oct at Yale
   9-Oct PRINCETON
   16-Oct at Cornell
   23-Oct HOLY CROSS*
   30-Oct at Lehigh*
   6-Nov LAFAYETTE*
   13-Nov at Bucknell*
   20-Nov at Fordham*
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Bucknell : The Bison may well turn out to be the "sleeper" of the PL in 2004. At .500 last season, coach Landis' Bison managed to easily handle the bottom end of the conference. Now with an experienced squad (really only lost 5 starters) and a good "crop" of young players, the Bison look to take the next step in '04. An opening road trip to Philly will be a very difficult task. Then, a very well timed open week will preceed what will hopefully be a 5-game run in the "W" column. This includes a home game with Penn. The Bison also welcome Fordham and Colgate to Lewisburg this year. A road game to Lehigh looks tough, and another final-week trip to Pittsburgh will be no easy task.
   
   2-Sep at Villanova
   11-Sep OPEN
   18-Sep Cornell
   25-Sep Columbia
   2-Oct at Georgetown*
   9-Oct Pennsylvania
   16-Oct Lafayette*
   23-Oct at Lehigh*
   30-Oct at Holy Cross*
   6-Nov Fordham*
   13-Nov Colgate*
   20-Nov at Duquesne
   
   
   
   
   
3. Lafayette : The Leopards also return a great deal of experience in '04, but injuries have been a serious factor this summer for coach Tavani's club. The Leopards have Marist and Georgetown in the first 2 weeks, which will hopefully give them a chance to heal ... as tough OOC games with Princeton and Harvard follow. Road games with Bucknell, Colgate and Fordham will be most difficult. Then a final week match with Lehigh to close the regular season.
   
   4-Sep Marist
   11-Sep at Georgetown*
   18-Sep at Princeton
   25-Sep at Richmond
   2-Oct Harvard
   9-Oct at Columbia
   16-Oct at Bucknell*
   23-Oct at Fordham*
   30-Oct OPEN
   6-Nov at Colgate*
   13-Nov Holy Cross*
   20-Nov Lehigh*
   
   
   
   
4. Holy Cross: There is a new feeling, of old, for the Crusaders in 2004. That is, new head-coach Tom Gilmore looks to return HC to the national spotlight of years past. I might be showing my age, but I certainly remember those days. Coach Gilmore brings solid experience from long stints at Dartmouth and Lehigh, should make an imediate impact. The 2004 schedule is tough, but favorable ... with 6 home games. However, road trips to Harvard and Colgate are quite a task for any first-year coach.
   
   4-Sep DUQUESNE
   11-Sep SAN DIEGO
   18-Sep at Harvard
   25-Sep OPEN
   2-Oct FORDHAM *
   9-Oct LEHIGH*
   16-Oct at Dartmouth
   23-Oct at Colgate *
   30-Oct BUCKNELL*
   6-Nov MARIST
   13-Nov at Lafayette *
   20-Nov at Georgetown *
   
   
5. Fordham : Remember the Rams? Well, if you are Lehigh or Colgate, you better not forget coach Foley and company. The First-year Foley was an excellent choice and takes over a Rams program that he helped build. So ... do not expect anything new ... just the same quality ball we have come to expect over the years, and probably a 12th game as well. With a very favorable early schedule, the Rams will close out the regular season with 3 "monster" games including Bucknell, Lehigh and Colgate. The one concern I have is that the OOC mid-major tilts with Albany and Duquesne do not leave a lot of room for errors ... especially in a conference that is not known to see multiple seeds to the post-season. However, with a solid over-all and conference record (that will need to include at least one win over the Engineers and/or Raiders) and wins over Duquesne, Rhode Island and Brown ... a post-season berth should be there for the Rams.
   
   4-Sep Rhode Island
   11-Sep at Albany
   18-Sep at Columbia
   25-Sep Duquesne
   2-Oct Holy Cross*
   9-Oct Brown University
   16-Oct OPEN
   23-Oct Lafayette*
   30-Oct Georgetown*
   6-Nov at Bucknell*
   13-Nov at Lehigh*
   20-Nov Colgate*
   
   
   
6. Lehigh: With all the talk of Cogate, the Mountain-Hawks are another team that people tend to forget. With an average winning percentage of almost 85% since he took over the program ... that is just what coach Lembo, and a young group of Engineers, are hoping for. This years' schedule is very favorable for Lehigh ... as Villanova, Colgate and Forham are on friendly ground. Interesting OOC games at Liberty and Yale are also "on tap" for '04.
   
   4-Sep Stony Brook
   11-Sep Villanova
   18-Sep at Liberty
   25-Sep OPEN
   2-Oct Albany
   9-Oct at HOLY CROSS*
   16-Oct at Yale
   23-Oct BUCKNELL*
   30-Oct COLGATE*
   6-Nov at GEORGETOWN*
   13-Nov FORDHAM*
   20-Nov at LAFAYETTE*
   
   
   
7. Georgetown: This is a crucial year for the proud Hoyas, with a lot of talent and very favorable schedule ... there seems to be a few smiles on the Hilltop this fall. A couple of key tranfers, especially one at QB, could make all of the difference. The schedule is very well-balanced ... but does include 4 matches in St. Francis, Duquesne, Monmouth, and Davidson that are mid-major. This is probably "just what the doctor ordered" for 2004.
   
   4-Sep St. Francis
   11-Sep Lafayette*
   18-Sep at Duquesne
   25-Sep at Colgate*
   2-Oct Bucknell*
   9-Oct VMI
   16-Oct OPEN
   23-Oct at Monmouth
   30-Oct at Fordham*
   6-Nov Lehigh*
   13-Nov at Davidson
   20-Nov Holy Cross*