Colgate narrowly edges Lehigh as preseason favorite in Patriot League football

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/

FROM KEITH GROLLER

The preseason luncheon is coming up later this morning, but the Patriot League preseason football poll is out and Colgate is expected to repeat as league champion by a narrow margin over Lehigh, which is coming off a 10-1 season and has gone 31-6 over the last three seasons.

2013 Patriot League Football Preseason Poll
1. Colgate 58 points (8 first-place votes)
2. Lehigh 56 (6)
3. Holy Cross 35
4. Lafayette 32
5. Georgetown 26
6. Bucknell 15

The preseason offensive player of the year is Colgate senior quarterback Gavin McCarney. And the preseason defensive player of the year is Georgeetown senior linebacker Dustin Wharton.

Lehigh also didn't get a lot of attention on the preseason all-league team, placing only offensive lineman Ned Daryoush and linebacker Nigel Muhammad.

Lafaeytte was picked fourth, but placed five players on the preseason all-league team.

Here are the preseason all-league selections:

Offense

QB Gavin McCarney, Colgate (Sr.)

RB Carlton Koonce, Fordham (Sr.)

RB Ross Scheuerman, Lafayette (Sr.)

FB/HB Travis Friend, Bucknell (Sr.)

FB/HB Ed Pavalko, Colgate (Jr.)

WR Mike Fess, Holy Cross (Sr.)

WR Mark Ross, Lafayette (Sr.)

WR Brian Wetzel, Fordham (Jr.)

TE Dan Light, Fordham (Jr.)

OL Luke Chiarolanzio, Lafayette (Jr.)

OL Ned Daryoush, Lehigh (Jr.)

OL Kyle Pedretty, Holy Cross (Sr.)

OL Andrew Scarmado, Colgate (Sr.)

OL James Spaly, Georgetown (Sr.)

RS Kalif Raymond, Holy Cross (So.)

PK John Macomber, Holy Cross (Sr.)

Defense

DL Gary Acquah, Holy Cross (Sr.)

DL Sean Campbell, Georgetown (Sr.)

DL Sean Sellers, Bucknell (Sr.)

DL Tracey Smith, Bucknell (Sr.)

LB Mike Boles, Lafayette (Sr.)

LB Evan Byers, Bucknell (Jr.)

LB Nigel Muhammad, Lehigh (Sr.)

LB Dustin Wharton, Georgetown (Sr.)

DB Mike Armiento, Colgate (Jr.)

DB Jared Roberts, Lafayette (Jr.)

DB Matthew Steinbeck, Bucknell (Jr.)

DB Ian Williams, Fordham (Sr.)

P John Macomber, Holy Cross (Sr.)