Lower Division Rankings
DIVISION I-AA
2001 2001
RANK TEAM RECORD RANK
THE SKINNY
1 MONTANA 15-1 1
The defending champs bring back 16 starters, including
unflappable senior QB John Edwards (13 TDs passing, five rushing)
2 NORTHERN IOWA 11-3 4
With four senior O line starters, running backs Adam Benge
(1,383 yards) and Richard Carter (957 yards) should see lots of
daylight
3 EASTERN ILLINOIS 9-2 9
Senior QB Tony Romo, who threw for 2,068 yards, led I-AA with a
178.3 QB rating last season
4 LEHIGH 11-1 5
The Mountain Hawks have won 23 consecutive regular-season games,
longest streak in Division I or I-AA
5 FURMAN 12-3 2
Fifth-year quarterback Billy Napier must shake off his
disappointing showing in the title-game loss to Montana
6 GEORGIA SOUTHERN 12-2 3
All-America tackle Freddy Pesqueira, who had 15.5 tackles for
loss last season, leads a defense that has seven starters back
7 HOFSTRA 9-3 7
Junior RB Trevor Dimmie, who's 237 yards short of the school's
alltime mark, and the Pride await Montana's Aug. 29 visit
8 APPALACHIAN STATE 9-4 6
Strong-armed senior QB Joe Burchette needs 2,073 more yards to
become the school's alltime passing leader
9 WILLIAM & MARY 8-4 17
Wideout Rich Musinski, one of 19 returning starters, had a
school-record 1,393 receiving yards last season
10 SAM HOUSTON STATE 10-3 8
Two 300-pounders, tackle Chase Denton and guard Billy Williams,
will pave the way for junior RB Willie Thomas
DIVISION II
1 GRAND VALLEY STATE (MICH.) 13-1 2
Senior QB Curt Anes, who threw 49 TDs and only three INTs, leads
an offense that has nine starters back
2 CATAWBA (N.C.) 11-2 3
Senior LB Todd McComb (105 tackles) is one of seven returning
starters from a D that gave up only 14.8 points per game
3 PITTSBURG STATE (KANS.) 11-2 11
QB Neal Philpot (6'4", 245) was D-II's Eric Crouch, leading the
Gorillas in passing (1,219 yards) and rushing (1,044)
4 UC DAVIS 10-3 5
The Aggies will contend again behind the play of receiver
Michael Oliva (74 catches, 1,365 yards, 13 TDs)
5 VALDOSTA STATE (GA.) 12-1 4
Sophomore QB Buster Faulkner (38 of 52 for 307 yards as reserve
in '01) replaces two-time Division II player of the year Dusty
Bonner
6 NORTH DAKOTA 14-1 1
The defending national champs bring back just three starters on
offense, but one is quarterback Kelby Klosterman (34 TDs)
7 TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE 9-2 13
QB Abel Gonzalez, a 5'10'' senior, averaged 211.3 yards passing
and 60.3 yards rushing per game last season
8 NEBRASKA-OMAHA 8-3 16
Senior DE Buck Rasmussen, an NFL prospect, returns after missing
most of 2001 with a knee injury
9 C.W. POST (N.Y.) 11-1 19
Senior Ian Smart (2,536 rushing yards in 2001; 4,624 career)
could break R.J. Bowers's all-division rushing mark of 7,353 yards
10 CHADRON STATE (NEB.) 10-1 7
Junior TB Austin Forster, who led the Rocky Mountain Athletic
Conference in total yards in 2000, with 1,721, returns from a
broken collarbone
DIVISION III
1 ST. JOHN'S (MINN.) 11-3 5
In his 50th year with the Johnnies, coach John Gagliardi looks
for another big year from linebacker Cameron McCambridge (137
tackles)
2 MOUNT UNION (OHIO) 14-0 1
The defending champs, winners of 82 of last 83, have seven
starters back from a defense that gave up just 11.1 points per
game
3 AUGUSTANA (ILL.) 10-2 14
Senior offensive tackle J.D. Sheldon helped the Vikings set
school marks for rushing yards (4,445) and total offense (5,284)
in '01
4 WIDENER (PA.) 12-1 4
If senior QB Mike Warker can duplicate his '01 performance (41
TDs), the Pioneers have a shot at their third national title
5 ROWAN (N.J.) 11-2 3
Strong-armed senior Tony Racioppi threw 47 touchdown passes last
year, including seven against Montclair State
6 BRIDGEWATER (VA.) 12-1 2
The Eagles, 0-10 in 1998, had Mount Union on ropes in last
year's national championship game before falling 30-27
7 TRINITY (TEXAS) 9-2 8
Quarterback Roy Hampton, one of eight returning starters on
offense, was second in D-III in passing efficiency (187.2)
8 WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON (PA.) 11-1 7
Senior quarterback Brian Dawson holds 18 school records,
including most career passing yards (8,700)
9 WISCONSIN-STEVENS POINT 8-3 13
Led by 6'9", 333-pound tackle Luke Hilgeman, the Pointers boast
one of the biggest offensive lines in D-III
10 LYCOMING (PA.) 8-1 17
The Warriors are still irked that they didn't get a playoff
invitation after losing just one game last season
COLOR PHOTO: TODD GOODRICH/UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA GRIZZLY PICTURE Edwards leads Montana's I-AA title defense.
COLOR PHOTO: ROBERT ROGERS GRAND TIME Ryan Brady and Grand Valley State take a run at the D-II title.
COLOR PHOTO: TOM DAHLIN GOLDEN ERA Blake Elliott and St. John's will make their coach's 50th season a memorable one.