ONE TO 108 BEGINNING WITH THE BEST (SOUTHERN CAL) AND ENDING WITH THE WORST (OHIO), WE RANK EVERY DIVISION I-A TEAM AND INDICATE ITS CONFERENCE AFFILIATION BY COLORED SYMBOL
Team/'94 Record/'95 Projection/The Skinny
1. Southern Cal 8-3-1 11-0
Will win first national championship since 1978
2. Auburn 9-1-1 10-1
Entire O-line is back to help Stephen Davis's Heisman bid
3. Texas A&M 10-0-1 10-1
Leeland McElroy's kickoff-return average is 42.4 yards
4. Nebraska 13-0 10-1
Eight top prospects committed without visiting the campus
5. Florida State 10-1-1 10-1
Sunshine Slate: Plays Central Florida, Miami and Florida
6. Florida 10-2-1 10-1
Since 1992 the Gators are 0-5-1 vs. father and son Bowden
7. Penn State 12-0 10-1
Seventeen-game winning streak is the division's longest
8. Colorado 11-1 9-2
Rick Neuheisel, 34, is the second-youngest Division I-A coach
9. Tennessee 8-4 9-2
The Volunteers are 37-1 in November over the last decade
10. Notre Dame 6-5-1 9-2
Uncle Sam says, "I want Lou." Irish play Army, Navy, Air Force
11. Oklahoma 6-6 9-2
Howard Schnellenberger inherits 17 returning starters
12. Alabama 12-1 9-2
The Tide is on probation for the first time in its history
13. Miami 10-2 8-3
Jammi German and Yatil Green: the nation's best wideouts?
14. Michigan 8-4 9-3
Easy home slate: Memphis, Miami of Ohio and Minnesota
15. North Carolina State 9-3 8-3
Quarterback-pitcher Terry Harvey has school strikeout record
16. Washington 7-4 8-3
Back in the hunt after serving two-year NCAA probation
17. Colorado State 10-2 9-2
The Rams have the WAC's best defense
18. Boston College 6-5-1 8-4
Plays Big Ten teams Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State
19. Arizona 8-4 8-3
Tedy Bruschi anchors the nation's best defensive line
20. Texas 8-4 8-4
Defensive end Tony Brackens is a real-life cowboy
21. Kansas State 9-3 8-3
Wildcats may be 6-0 when they visit Nebraska on Oct. 21
22. Ohio State 9-4 7-5
Buckeyes had three players leave early for the NFL draft
23. South Carolina 7-5 7-4
Steve Taneyhill had top completion percentage (.629) in SEC
24. Brigham Young 10-3 8-3
J.C. transfer Steve Sarkisian is preseason All-WAC
25. Illinois 7-5 6-5
Simeon Rice has 33 sacks in 35 games as an Illini
26. West Virginia 7-6 9-2
Aaron Beasley had a nation-high 10 interceptions last fall
27. UCLA 5-6 8-3
Kevin Jordan needs 19 receptions to break school record
28. Virginia 9-3 8-4
Seven starters back for the nation's best rush defense in '94
29. Wisconsin 7-4-1 7-4
Flat-topped quarterback Darrell Bevell resembles Johnny U.
30. Mississippi State 8-4 7-4
Brutal slate: Bulldogs play at Tennessee, Auburn and Alabama
31. California 4-7 9-2
Wideout Iheanyi Uwaezuoke is a typographical terror
32. Virginia Tech 8-3 7-4
The Hokies have gone 25-8-1 at home since 1989
33. Texas Christian 7-5 8-3
Four Frog opponents won a total of three games in '94
34. Syracuse 7-4 7-4
Nine offensive linemen weigh more than 300 pounds apiece
35. North Carolina 8-4 7-4
Quarterback Mike Thomas was All-ACC in 1992--as a punter
36. Oregon 9-4 6-5
Don't expect the Ducks to return to the Rose Bowl in '95
37. Louisiana State 4-7 6-5
NCAA gave Tigers O.K. to wear white home jerseys again
38. Indiana 6-5 6-5
John Mellencamp built Hoosiers an indoor practice facility
39. Baylor 7-5 6-5
BMOC: 6'6", 400-pound freshman guard Patrick Dukes
40. Clemson 5-6 5-6
Former Tiger quarterback Patrick Sapp starts at linebacker
41. Purdue 4-5-2 5-6
Mike Alstott is school's first 1,000-yard rusher since '76
42. Georgia 6-4-1 5-6
Home schedule includes Auburn, Alabama and Florida
43. Louisville 6-5 7-4
Best player, tackle Roman Oben, is from Cameroon
44. Fresno State 5-7-1 8-4
Coach Jim Sweeney signed 20 J.C. transfers last winter
45. Kansas 6-5 7-4
Quarterback Ben Rutz, center Jim Stiebel Nebraska transfers
46. Duke 8-4 5-6
No 7-0 start this year: Blue Devils open at Florida State
47. Texas Tech 6-6 5-6
Quarterback Zebbie Lethridge: SWC Newcomer of Year in '94
48. Oklahoma State 3-7-1 6-6
The Cowboys haven't won a Big Eight game in three years
49. Iowa 5-5-1 6-5
Sedrick Shaw: school's second 1,000-yard sophomore rusher
50. Southern Mississippi 6-5 7-4
Defense was No. 1 in takeaways in '94
51. Air Force 8-4 6-6
Falcons were second in the nation in rushing last season
52. Maryland 4-7 5-6
Quarterback Scott Milanovich is also the ACC's top punter
53. Washington State 8-4 5-6
Only three first-stringers back from nation's second-rated D
54. Memphis 6-5 6-5
The Tigers had the No. 3 defense in the country in '94
55. Bowling Green 9-2 10-1 Under Gary Blackney the Falcons are
28-2-2 in conference
56. Minnesota 3-8 4-7
Agoraphobe's dream: Gophers don't play outside until Oct. 21
57. Rice 5-6 5-6
These Owls can't fly: Rice was 105th in passing last season
58. Wyoming 6-6 5-6
Marcus Harris led the country in receiving yardage in '94
59. Rutgers 5-5-1 5-6
Terrell Willis is 595 yards shy of school's alltime rushing mark
60. Michigan State 5-6 4-7
Tough debut for new coach Nick Saban: Sept. 9 vs. Nebraska
61. Mississippi 4-7 5-6
Young Miss: Assistant coaches' average age is 35
62. Arizona State 3-8 4-7
The Sun Devils suffered 700 injuries last year
63. Nevada 9-2 7-4
Quarterback Mike Maxwell led nation in total offense in '94
64. Utah 10-2 5-6
Linemen Jeff and Henry Kaufusi coached by brother Steve
65. Arkansas 4-7 4-7
New coordinator Joe Lee Dunn had best D in '93 at Ole Miss
66. Oregon State 4-7 4-7
The Beavers haven't had a winning season since 1970
67. Missouri 3-8-1 5-6
The Tigers were 0-6 at Faurot Field last season
68. Vanderbilt 5-6 3-8
The Commodores have 19 starters coming back
69. Toledo 6-4-1 8-3
Must win at Bowling Green or Western Michigan for MAC title
70. Stanford 3-7-1 3-8
Cardinal's best hitter, unfortunately, is on the golf team
71. East Carolina 7-5 5-6
Blanked by Illinois in Liberty Bowl, but 18 starters return
72. Southern Methodist 1-9-1 3-8
Mustangs had the worst pass defense in the country in '94
73. Northern Illinois 4-7 7-4
Four starters on the offensive line are Canadian
74. Pittsburgh 3-8 2-9
Tony Dorsett's son, Anthony, is a starting cornerback
75. Georgia Tech 1-10 3-8
Forty players started at least one game last fall
76. Western Michigan 7-4 7-4
Jay McDonagh's bootlegs dubbed Kalamazookeepers
77. Southwestern Louisiana 6-5 7-4
Kicker Mike Shafer was 14 for 14 on field goals in '94
78. San Diego State 4-7 4-8
Former coach Claude Gilbert (1973-80) returns to lead the D
79. Northwestern 3-7-1 3-8
Ominous sign: Wildcats' best player is punter Paul Burton
80. Wake Forest 3-8 2-9
Last year opponents scored first in every game
81. Kentucky 1-10 2-9
Run-down: The Wildcats were 106th against the rush in '94
82. Nevada-Las Vegas 7-4 6-5
Top receiver Demond Thompkins is back from suspension
83. Tulsa 3-8 4-7
The only independent among WAC's six new teams for '96
84. Cincinnati 2-8-1 3-8
Phillip Curry set school record for tackles by freshman (112)
85. Tulane 1-10 3-8
Jeff Liggon gained 1,038 yards in '94 on 44 kickoff returns
86. Ball State 5-5-1 6-5
Identical twins Raphael and Raphaol Ball start at cornerback
87. Temple 2-9 1-10
First three foes: Kansas State, West Virginia and Penn State
88. New Mexico 5-7 4-7
Lobos play first four games-and seven all told-at home
89. Miami of Ohio 5-5-1 4-7
Deland McCullough has led team in rushing for three years
90. Northeast Louisiana 3-8 4-7
Despite record, Indians were impressive in I-A debut last fall
91. Hawaii 3-8-1 3-9
WAC opponents were 5-0 in Aloha Stadium in '94
92. Iowa State 0-10-1 2-9
Tailback Troy Davis: Florida's '93 high school Player of Year
93. Pacific 6-5 3-8
Trip to Nebraska guarantees a loss and a $400,000 payday
94. Central Michigan 9-3 4-7
MAC champ has only nine first-stringers coming back
95. Army 4-7 3-8
Cadet defense recovered only one fumble in '94
96. UTEP 3-7-1 3-9
No quarterback on Miner roster played a down last season
97. Navy 3-8 3-8
Wideout Shaun Stephenson was a marine in Desert Storm
98. Eastern Michigan 5-6 4-7
Steve Clay led division in punt-return average (19.9) in '94
99. New Mexico State 3-8 3-8
Aggie defense yielded 38.4 points per game last fall
100. Utah State 3-8 3-8
New coach John Smith was a big winner (.716) at Idaho
101. Houston 1-10 1-10
"We'll be happy to be in your Top 100," says a Cougar official
102. Louisiana Tech 3-8 1-10
Bulldogs play only three home games this season
103. North Texas 7-4-1 1-10
The '94 Southland Conference champ moves up to I-A
104. San Jose State 3-8 1-10
Upset! Spartans were admitted to the WAC over Nevada
105. Kent 2-9 3-8
Offense that was 105th nationally a year ago returns intact
106. Arkansas State 1-10 2-9
Indians have only three wins vs. I-A foes this decade
107. Akron 1-10 2-9
Looking forward to its game against Ohio on Oct. 21
108. Ohio 0-11 1-10
Looking forward to its game against Akron on Oct. 21
COLOR PHOTO: RICK STEWART[Football player centerfold with rankings of Division I-A teams superimposed over him]
COLOR PHOTO: DAMIAN STROHMEYER Michigan and Notre Dame both stack up as Top 25 teams. [Michigan playing Notre Dame in football]