Of Rugby And Rankings

Dartmouth rugby sevens finish ninth in pool play in the CRC nationals in Philadelphia with a 2-1 record and will play Air Force at 2:10 p.m. today in the "plate semifinal." With a win the Big Green would go on to face the UCLA/Virginia Tech winner at 4:59 in the "plate final." Both games will be televised with the earlier contest on the NBCSports Network and the second on full-fledged NBC.

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Lehigh Football Nation – who always does his homework – posts his preseason national top 25 and has Dartmouth at 24. He has Harvard at 19.

1. North Dakota
2. Coastal Carolina
3. Villanova
4. Illinois State
5. Sam Houston State
6. Chattanooga
7. Eastern Washington
8. James Madison
9. Jacksonville State
10. New Hampshire
11. Northern Iowa
12. Montana State
13. Liberty
14. Fordham
15. Stephen F. Austin
16. Indiana St.
17. Eastern Illinois
18. William & Mary
19. Harvard
20. Southern Illinois
21. Samford
22. Montana
23. Bryant
24. Dartmouth
25. North Carolina A&T

Of Dartmouth, LFN writes:

The Ivy runners-up graduate a fair amount, but the Big Green still should challenge Harvard with QB Dalyn Williams and a significant number of returning starters.

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Venerable Lindy's has Harvard at 25.
1. North Dakota State
2. Villanova
3. Sam Houston State
4. Illinois State
5. Chattanooga
6. Jacksonville State
7. Coastal Carolina
8. Eastern Washington
9. New Hampshire
10. South Dakota State
11. Montana State
12. Richmond
13. Liberty
14. Northern Iowa
15. Stephen F. Austin
16. Montana
17. James Madison
18. Eastern Kentucky
19. South Carolina State
20. Indiana St
21. William & Mary
22. Youngstown State
23. Fordham
24. McNeese State
25. Harvard

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Athlon has Harvard at 22.
1. North Dakota State
2. Illinois State
3. Sam Houston State
4. Jacksonville State
5. Villanova
6. Eastern Washington
7. Coastal Carolina
8. Chattanooga
9. New Hampshire
10. Youngstown State
11. Northern Iowa
12. Liberty
13. Montana State
14. James Madison
15. Eastern Illinois
16. McNeese St
17. Montana
18. Idaho State
19. South Dakota State
20. Richmond
21. Eastern Kentucky
22. Harvard
23. Western Carolina
24. California Polytechnic State
25. Indiana State

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The Sporting News Top 25 ignores the Ivies.
1. North Dakota State
2. Sam Houston State
3. Illinois State
4. Villanova
5. Eastern Washington
6. Coastal Carolina
7. Jacksonville State
8. Chattanooga
9. Montana State
10. Youngstown State
11. Northern Iowa
12. James Madison
13. Idaho State
14. Eastern Kentucky
15. Montana
16. Liberty
17. Stephen F. Austin
18. New Hampshire
19. Indiana State
20. Alcorn State
21. Southeastern Louisiana
22. Northern Arizona
23. South Dakota State
24. Charleston Southern
25. Eastern Illinois