ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell football team, under first-year head coach Kent Austin, will have plenty of opportunities to prover the critics wrong once it hits camp next week. The Big Red was picked to finish eighth in the 2010 Ivy League preseason media poll announced this morning as part of a conference call with the Ancient Eight's head coaches. Overall, there were 17 voters in the poll (two media representatives per school and one national media representative).

Harvard was the top choice in the poll with 10 first place votes and 128 points, with Penn just behind with six first-place ballots and 124 points. Yale, who was picked fourth, received the only other first-place vote.

The 2010 Big Red returns 38 letter winners and 16 total starters (5 offense, 8 defense, 3 special teams) from last year's 2-8 squad. Included are two returning All-Ivy selections: senior punter Drew Alston and junior defensive back Rashad Campbell.

The Big Red begins the 2010 season on Saturday, Sept. 18 at Wagner.

2010 IVY LEAGUE FOOTBALL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH (First-Place Votes in Parentheses)

   School        Points
1. Harvard (10)  128   
2. Penn (6)      124
3. Brown         95   
4. Yale (1)      83   
5. Columbia      61
6. Princeton     55
7. Dartmouth     39
8. Cornell       27