The Rest 26-117
 
RANK | TEAM (FINAL 2003 AP RANK) | 2003 RECORD | RETURNING STARTERS | Skinny (2003 stats unless otherwise indicated) |
26 | WISCONSIN | 7--6 | 17 | Senior TB Anthony Davis (3,021 total rushing yards in his first two seasons) is 100% after missing five games to ankle injuries |
27 | N.C. STATE | 8--5 | 17 | Freshman Marcus Stone is the leader to succeed Philip Rivers at QB; junior TB T.A. McLendon (11 TDs in nine games) is healthy |
28 | PURDUE (18) | 9--4 | 11 | Senior Kyle Orton completed 60% of his passes over last two seasons; adding a 6'9" receiver, sophomore Kyle Ingraham, is a plus |
29 | BOSTON COLLEGE | 8--5 | 11 | Winner of four straight bowls, Eagles must settle QB position and replace alltime rushing leader Derrick Knight to make a run at five |
30 | OREGON STATE | 8--5 | 12 | Senior Derek Anderson was second Pac-10 passer to throw for 4,000 yards in a season (4,058); he must cut down on INTs (24) |
31 | VIRGINIA | 8--5 | 16 | Speedy junior Marques Hagans takes over at QB and can look to All-America tight end Heath Miller (70 catches, 835 yards) |
32 | MEMPHIS | 9--4 | 16 | Explosive junior TB DeAngelo Williams rushed for 1,430 yards and led nation with 192.1 all-purpose yards per game |
33 | ALABAMA | 4--9 | 15 | Junior LB DeMeco Ryans set school record with 25 tackles against Arkansas, one of his five games with double-figure tackles |
34 | LOUISVILLE | 9--4 | 16 | Senior WR J.R. Russell was second in C-USA with 75 catches and 1,213 yards, becoming fifth Cardinals 1,000-yard receiver in six years |
35 | GEORGIA TECH | 7--6 | 14 | ACC Rookie of the Year QB Reggie Ball threw for 1,996 yards, fourth best alltime among conference freshmen |
36 | SOUTHERN MISS | 9--4 | 13 | Ball hawking junior CB John Eubanks scored on a fumble return, an interception return and a kickoff return |
37 | SOUTH CAROLINA | 5--7 | 15 | Gave up just 11 sacks thanks to hefty trio of LT Jabari Levey (320), C John Strickland (305) and RG Jonathan Alston (305) |
38 | VIRGINIA TECH | 8--5 | 9 | Senior Bryan Randall (1,996 passing yards, 15 TDs) won't have to split time at QB, because Marcus Vick was suspended for the year |
39 | TEXAS TECH | 8--5 | 15 | Senior QB Sonny Cumbie succeeds B.J. Symons at the helm of nation's most potent offense (582.8 yards per game) |
40 | FRESNO STATE | 9--5 | 17 | Former walk-on Garrett McIntyre, a junior DE, had 39 tackles, including 12 1/2 tackles for loss and eight sacks |
41 | NOTRE DAME | 5--7 | 14 | Opener at BYU offers sophomore QB Brady Quinn (nine TDs, 15 INTs) chance to convince alums he's their man |
42 | MARSHALL | 8--4 | 13 | Senior QB Stan Hill (1,767 yards, 15 TDs despite knee injury) and senior WR Josh Davis (2,975 career yards) are a dangerous combo |
43 | WASHINGTON STATE (9) | 10--3 | 6 | Junior LB Will Derting (86 tackles, 7 1/2 sacks) will carry Cougars defense that has just two returning starters |
44 | BOISE STATE (16) | 13--1 | 9 | Broncos' 11-game winning streak is nation's second longest; sophomore Jared Zabranski is leader to replace Ryan Dinwiddie at QB |
45 | COLORADO | 5--7 | 11 | Gary Barnett survived tumultuous off-season; will Buffs' last four games (Texas, at Kansas, Kansas State, at Nebraska) do him in? |
46 | MICHIGAN STATE | 8--5 | 14 | Who will replace QB Jeff Smoker? Senior Damon Dowdell, freshman Stephen Reaves and sophomore Drew Stanton will battle it out |
47 | SAN DIEGO STATE | 6--6 | 16 | Senior LB Kirk Morrison (115 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks) is reigning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year |
48 | OKLAHOMA STATE | 9--4 | 15 | Sophomore WR D'Juan Woods looks to fill the shoes of his brother Rashaun, who caught 77 passes for 1,367 yards and 15 TDs |
49 | WASHINGTON | 6--6 | 12 | Senior FB Zach Tuiasosopo, brother of former Huskies QB Marques, is one of the Pac-10's best blocking backs |
50 | PENN STATE | 3--9 | 13 | Joe Pa calls on youngster--64-year-old former Florida coach Galen Hall--to resuscitate Big Ten's worst offense (313.3 yards) |
51 | ARIZONA STATE | 5--7 | 11 | Senior QB Andrew Walter (back-to-back 3,000-yard passing seasons) has reliable target in junior Derek Hagan (66 catches) |
52 | ARKANSAS | 9--4 | 4 | Coach Houston Nutt, who flirted with Nebraska job, stuck with Hogs and QB Matt Jones (1,917 passing yards, 707 rushing yards) |
53 | OLE MISS (13) | 10--3 | 10 | Junior QB Micheal Spurlock (7 of 8 passing, 118 yards in career) has toughest job in college football: replacing Eli Manning |
54 | UCLA | 6--7 | 13 | Luxury model: Sure-handed junior TE Mercedes Lewis (30 receptions) complements senior WR Craig Bragg (73) |
55 | TEXAS A&M | 4--8 | 14 | Courtney Lewis had second-most rushing yards (1,024) by an Aggies freshman and was first A&M back to get 1,000 since 1998 |
56 | PITTSBURGH | 8--5 | 10 | Junior Luke Getsy (13 passes) and senior WR Princell Brockenbrough (35 catches) replace Rod Rutherford and Larry Fitzgerald |
57 | NEW MEXICO | 8--5 | 9 | Junior RB DonTrell Moore set Lobos' single-season rushing mark with 1,450 yards and scored 21 touchdowns, 19 rushing |
58 | NORTHWESTERN | 6--7 | 17 | Junior DE Loren Howard led Wildcats with 16 tackles for loss, 15 quarterback hurries and eight sacks |
59 | TULSA | 8--5 | 17 | Looking to build on seven-win improvement (best turnaround in nation) behind senior QB James Kilian (2,217 passing yards) |
60 | SYRACUSE | 6--6 | 9 | On hot seat: Coach Paul Pasqualoni (33--27 since 1999) needs big year from senior RB Walter Reyes (1,347 yards, 21 TDs) |
61 | COLORADO STATE | 7--6 | 12 | Junior WR David Anderson had 72 catches for a Mountain West--best 1,293 yards and nine touchdowns |
62 | HAWAII | 9--5 | 15 | Senior QB Timmy Chang needs 2,218 passing yards to surpass Ty Detmer's NCAA career record of 15,031 |
63 | KANSAS | 6--7 | 16 | Jayhawks could make noise if sophomore Adam Barmann passes as well as departed Bill Whittemore (No. 9 in passing efficiency) |
64 | ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM | 5--7 | 18 | Sophomore WR Nick Coon averaged 36.2 yards per catch, and three of his 10 receptions went for touchdowns |
65 | CONNECTICUT | 9--3 | 17 | Senior QB Dan Orlovsky has thrown a touchdown pass in 24 straight games, a stretch during which Huskies went 15--9 |
66 | SOUTH FLORIDA | 7--4 | 15 | Sixth-year senior DT Lee Roy Selmon Jr., son of NFL Hall of Famer, anchors defense for Bulls, who join Big East in 2005 |
67 | NAVY | 8--5 | 15 | Nation's best ground attack (323.2 yards per game) buoyed by senior backs Kyle Eckel (1,249 yards) and Eric Roberts (630) |
68 | NORTH CAROLINA | 2--10 | 15 | Senior WR Jawarski Pollock, ACC's top returning pass catcher, pulled down school-record 71 receptions |
69 | RUTGERS | 5--7 | 15 | Junior QB Ryan Hart set school records for pass attempts (398), completions (234) and yards (2,714) |
70 | BOWLING GREEN (23) | 11--3 | 17 | Senior WR Cole Magner (99 catches, 1,138 yards), junior TB P.J. Pope (1,005 yards) pick up slack for departed QB Josh Harris |
71 | WAKE FOREST | 5--7 | 14 | Junior RB Chris Barclay was second in ACC in rushing with 1,192 yards on 235 carries, and he scored 12 touchdowns |
72 | NORTHERN ILLINOIS | 10--2 | 13 | Senior QB Josh Haldi (2,544 yards, 25 TDs) will try to recapture the magic of Huskies' breakout 2003 campaign |
73 | KENTUCKY | 4--8 | 15 | Senior QB Shane Boyd, Jared Lorenzen's backup for last two years, can run but must improve on 34.9% completion rate |
74 | MIAMI (OHIO) (10) | 13--1 | 17 | Junior Josh Betts (19 of 36, 263 yards) takes over at QB for RedHawks' alltime leading passer Ben Roethlisberger |
75 | STANFORD | 4--7 | 14 | Had nation's worst pass defense (296.3 yards), but senior FS Oshiomogho Atogwe (90 tackles) is among nine starters back on D |
76 | HOUSTON | 7--6 | 17 | With 3,131 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions, QB Kevin Kolb was C-USA freshman of the year |
77 | ARIZONA | 2--10 | 19 | Junior RB Mike Bell, Pac-10's top returning rusher (920 yards), is one of nine returning starters on offense |
78 | NORTH TEXAS | 9--4 | 14 | Senior RB Patrick Cobbs led nation in rushing (152.7 yards per game) and contributed 19 TDs |
79 | VANDERBILT | 2--10 | 21 | Commodores are most experienced team in SEC and have a defensive stopper in Junior DE Jovan Haye (8 1/2 sacks) |
80 | AIR FORCE | 7--5 | 6 | Junior QB Andy Gray, fresh off two-year Mormon mission, succeeds Chance Harridge after Adam Fitch tore Achilles in spring |
81 | ILLINOIS | 1--11 | 14 | Senior QB Jon Beutjer, awarded sixth year of eligibility, needs to improve on subpar performance (10 TDs, nine INTs) |
82 | MISSISSIPPI STATE | 2--10 | 14 | First-year coach Sylvester Croom (Alabama, class of '75) faces Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 6 |
83 | INDIANA | 2--10 | 19 | Ten starters return on offense, led by sophomore RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis (203 rushing yards against Penn State) |
84 | CINCINNATI | 5--7 | 16 | New coach Mark Dantonio, former Ohio State defensive coordinator, inherits school's alltime leading passer, senior Gino Guidugli |
85 | UNLV | 6--6 | 13 | Senior WR Earvin Johnson (60 catches, 834 yards) needs QB Kurt Nantkes (12 TDs, 10 INTs) to be more consistent |
86 | BYU | 4--8 | 10 | Cougars' strength is their defense led by senior safety Aaron Francisco, who had 116 tackles and three interceptions |
87 | IOWA STATE | 2--10 | 13 | Cyclones turn to redshirt freshman QB Bret Meyer to boost 116th-ranked scoring offense (14.4 points per game) |
88 | BAYLOR | 3--9 | 14 | Oct. 2 game at Texas will not be fun: Longhorns have outscored Bears 97--0 over past two years and 286--44 since 1998 |
89 | TULANE | 5--7 | 16 | Green Wave has a stud in All-C-USA senior WR Roydell Williams, who had 66 receptions for 1,006 yards and nine TDs |
90 | AKRON | 7--5 | 12 | First-year coach J.D. Brookhart has a building block in senior QB Charlie Frye (8,426 career passing yards and 46 TDs) |
91 | DUKE | 4--8 | 13 | Senior Senterrio Landrum averaged 28.4 yards per kick return (25 for 709) and added 11 catches for 101 yards as a WR |
92 | RICE | 5--7 | 14 | Owls had school-record 3,800 rushing yards, led by Thomas Lott (714), whose 7.3 yards per carry was second-best in nation |
93 | WYOMING | 4--8 | 12 | Oh, brother: Junior Corey Bramlet (14 career attempts) takes over for Casey, who directed Mountain West's top passing attack |
94 | WESTERN MICHIGAN | 5--7 | 11 | Transfer Ryan Cubit, who set Rutgers freshman passing marks in 2001, will battle junior Blayne Baggett for QB job |
95 | CENTRAL FLORIDA | 3--9 | 15 | Unproven sophomore QB Steven Moffett and tough schedule make for a bumpy return to college coaching for George O'Leary |
96 | TROY STATE | 6--6 | 17 | Senior FS Derrick Ansley led Trojans in tackles (94) and interceptions (9) and was second in pass breakups (10) |
97 | LOUISIANA TECH | 5--7 | 16 | Bulldogs will ride junior RB Ryan Moats, who rushed for 1,300 yards and 10 TDs and had six straight 100-yard games |
98 | EAST CAROLINA | 1--11 | 12 | New offensive coordinator Noah Brindise looks to improve nation's 104th-ranked offense (311.3 yards per game) |
99 | NEW MEXICO STATE | 3--9 | 13 | Aggies will rely on senior Buck Pierce, who threw for 1,510 passing yards and seven TDs and completed 69.4% of his passes |
100 | NEVADA | 6--6 | 11 | Chris Ault, the school's alltime winningest coach (163-63-1), is back on the sideline after serving as Wolfpack's athletic director |
101 | UTEP | 2--11 | 17 | Mike Price (20--4 in final two seasons at Washington State) takes over program that won six times over last three years |
102 | TEMPLE | 1--11 | 16 | Standout junior LB Rian Wallace (148 tackles) deserves better than a team that will struggle against even I-AA Florida A&M |
103 | CENTRAL MICHIGAN | 3--9 | 17 | MAC freshman of year Jerry Seymour set conference mark for first-year RBs with 1,117 rushing yards in just nine games |
104 | UTAH STATE | 3--9 | 10 | Senior QB Travis Cox, who passed for 2,791 yards and 18 touchdowns, led Sun Belt Conference in total offense |
105 | LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE | 4--8 | 10 | Sophomore QB Jerry Babb led Ragin' Cajuns to victories in four of their last five games, but he will miss departed WR Fred Stamps |
106 | KENT STATE | 5--7 | 16 | Golden Flashes get senior QB Joshua Cribbs (2,424 passing yards, 14 TDs) back after one-game suspension for drug possession |
107 | BALL STATE | 4--8 | 12 | David Letterman's alma mater has dominating WR in Dante Ridgeway (89 catches, 1,075 yards, 10 TDs) |
108 | ARKANSAS STATE | 5--7 | 11 | Mismatch of year: Indians travel to LSU to face co--national champs, who have outscored them 112--20 in previous two meetings |
109 | MIDDLE TENNESSEE | 4--8 | 12 | Senior WR Kerry Wright set a Sun Belt Conference record with 1,280 receiving yards and scored nine touchdowns |
110 | SMU | 0--12 | 17 | Mustangs looking for a big year from junior Rolando Humphrey (49 tackles, seven pass breakups), their most talented corner |
111 | SAN JOSE STATE | 3--8 | 7 | Mighty mite TB Lamar Ferguson (5'5") is back after missing 2003 with knee injury; he rushed for team-best 634 yards in '02 |
112 | LOUISIANA-MONROE | 1--11 | 15 | Worst scoring defense (38.9 points a game) in Sun Belt has nine starters back, including senior LB John Winchester (91 tackles) |
113 | OHIO | 2--10 | 17 | Senior inside LB Dennis Chukwuemeka (100 tackles in 10 games) is Bobcats' leader up front |
114 | EASTERN MICHIGAN | 3--9 | 16 | Senior TB Anthony Sherrell had 1,531 rushing yards, including eight consecutive games with 100 or more |
115 | ARMY | 0--13 | 18 | New boss Bobby Ross (94-76-2 as a college coach) tries to rebuild a team that has lost 24 of its last 25 games |
116 | IDAHO | 3--9 | 20 | Vandals hope success runs in family: Junior QB Michael Harrington, brother of Detroit Lions' Joey, will be under center |
117 | BUFFALO | 1--11 | 16 | Mr. Irrelevant Game: Bulls travel to Ohio U on Sept. 25; last year's 26--17 victory over Bobcats was Buffalo's only win |
COLOR PHOTO
DAVID STLUKA
BADGERED
Orton (sans helmet) and Purdue will have another tough Big Ten matchup with Wisconsin on Oct. 16. DAVID STLUKA
COLOR PHOTO
AJ MAST/ICON SMI (GREEN-ELLIS)
AIRBORNE
Green-Ellis carries the hopes of Indiana.
COLOR PHOTO
BRIAN BAHR/GETTY IMAGES
HANDS-ON
Humphrey anchors SMU’s secondary.