
5 Minute Guide
1 TO 119
1 OHIO STATE ...BIG TEN
2 NOTRE DAME ...INDEPENDENT
3 TEXAS ... BIG12
4 LSU ... SEC
5 USC ...PAC-10
6 WEST VIRGINIA... BIG EAST
7 AUBURN ...SEC
8 CAL ...PAC-10
9 FLORIDA ...SEC
10 MICHIGAN ...BIG TEN
11 GEORGIA ...SEC
12 FLORIDA STATE... ACC
13 LOUISVILLE ...BIG EAST
14 OKLAHOMA ...BIG 12
15 CLEMSON ...ACC
16 ARIZONA STATE... PAC-10
17 MIAMI ...ACC
18 NEBRASKA ...BIG 12
19 PENN STATE ...BIG TEN
20 OREGON ...PAC-10
21 IOWA ... BIGTEN
22 VIRGINIA ...TECH ACC
23 BOISE STATE... WAC
24 ARKANSAS ...SEC
25 TEXAS ... TECHBIG 12
26 UTAH ...MOUNTAIN WEST
27 TEXAS A&M... BIG 12
28 TCU ...MOUNTAIN WEST
29 BOSTON ...COLLEGE ACC
30 FRESNO STATE... WAC
31 IOWA STATE ...BIG 12
32 GEORGIA TECH... ACC
33 MICHIGAN STATE... BIG TEN
34 TENNESSEE ...SEC
35 WISCONSIN ...BIG TEN
36 SOUTH CAROLINA... SEC
37 COLORADO ...BIG 12
38 ALABAMA ...SEC
39 MISSOURI ...BIG 12
40 MARYLAND ...ACC
41 NORTHERNILLINOIS ... MAC
42 PURDUE ... BIGTEN
43 BYU ...MOUNTAIN WEST
44 VIRGINIA ...ACC
45 UCLA ...PAC-1O
46 CENTRALFLORIDA ... C-USA
47 RUTGERS ...BIG EAST
48 NORTH CAROLINA... ACC
49 SOUTHERN MISS... C-USA
50 SOUTH FLORIDA... BIG EAST
51 WASHINGTONSTATE ... PAC-10
52 TULSA ...C-USA
53 NEVADA ...WAC
54 ARIZONA ...PAC-10
55 BAYLOR ... BIG12
56 AKRON ...MAC
57 NORTHWESTERN... BIG TEN
58 UTEP ...C-USA
59 NAVY ...INDEPENDENT
60 PITTSBURGH ...BIG EAST
61 TOLEDO ...MAC
62 MINNESOTA ...BIG TEN
63 WAKE FOREST... ACC
64 CONNECTICUT... BIG EAST
65 KENTUCKY ...SEC
66 KANSAS ... BIG12
67 N.C. STATE ...ACC
68 KANSAS STATE... BIG 12
69 HOUSTON ...C-USA
70 MIAMI (OHIO)... MAC
71 HAWAII ...WAC
72 SAN DIEGO ST.... MOUNTAIN WEST
73 SMU ...C-USA
74 BOWLING GREEN... MAC
75 MISSISSIPPI... SEC
76 STANFORD ...PAC-10
77 MEMPHIS ...C-USA
78 MISSISSIPPISTATE ... SEC
79 OREGON STATE... PAC-10
80 COLORADO ST.... MOUNTAIN WEST
81 OHIO ...MAC
82ALA.-BIRMINGHAM ... C-USA
83 CENTRALMICHIGAN ... MAC
84 NEW MEXICO ...MOUNTAIN WEST
85 WESTERNMICHIGAN ... MAC
86 LOUISIANA TECH... WAC
87 LA.-LAFAYETTE... SUN BELT
88 ARMY ...INDEPENDENT
89 ILLINOIS ...BIG TEN
90 AIR FORCE ...MOUNTAIN WEST
91 VANDERBILT ...SEC
92 UNLV MOUNTAIN... WEST
93 ARKANSAS STATE... SUN BELT
94 SAN JOSE STATE... WAC
95 INDIANA ...BIG TEN
96 OKLAHOMA STATE... BIG 12
97 CINCINNATI ...BIG EAST
98 WASHINGTON ...PAC-10
99 SYRACUSE ...BIG EAST
100 DUKE ...ACC
101 MARSHALL ...C-USA
102 TROY ... SUNBELT
103 KENT STATE... MAC
104 WYOMING ...MOUNTAIN WEST
105 BALL STATE... MAC
106 EAST CAROLINA... C-USA
107 LA.-MONROE... SUN BELT
108 TULANE ...C-USA
109 NORTH TEXAS... SUN BELT
110 UTAH STATE... WAC
111 MIDDLETENNESSEE ... SUN BELT
112 IDAHO ...WAC
113 BUFFALO ...MAC
114 NEW MEXICOSTATE ... WAC
115 EASTERNMICHIGAN ... MAC
116 RICE ...C-USA
117 FLA.INTERNATIONAL ... SUN BELT
118 FLA. ATLANTIC... SUN BELT
119 TEMPLE ...INDEPENDENT
CONFERENCERANKINGS
1. SEC There arefour teams ranked in the top 11 and eight teams in the top 40; no conference isstronger top to bottom.
2. BIG TEN Theleague has two clear favorites, but it could finish the year with as many asfive teams in the top 20.
3. BIG 12 TheSouth has a pair of heavyweights and a couple of teams ready to break out,while four teams in the North could surprise.
4. ACC With nineschools in the top 50, the balance is hard to overlook. All that's missing is adominant team.
5. PAC-10 WhileUSC's run has been impressive, it's time for another challenger to step up inthis top-heavy conference.
6. BIG EAST Wherewould the weakest BCS conference be without West Virginia and Louisville?
7. MOUNTAIN WESTThis is the mid-major most likely to snatch a bid in the first year of theexpanded BCS.
8. WAC Ifwide-open offenses and high-scoring games are your thing, this is theconference you're looking for.
9. CONFERENCE USAThe league is quietly gaining respectability with Central Florida, SouthernMiss and Tulsa leading the way.
10. MAC The teamsat the top can play with some of the big boys, but the league gets dragged downby its weak sisters.
11. SUN BELTTeams from BCS conferences seeking wins to become bowl-eligible should lookhere.
SI'S ALL-AMERICATEAM
OFFENSE
WR DWAYNE JARRETT... USC
T SAM BAKER ...USC
G JOSH BEEKMAN... Boston College
C DAN MOZES ...West Virginia
G MIKE JONES ...Iowa
T JUSTIN BLALOCK... Texas
TE GREG OLSEN ...Miami
WR JEFFSAMARDZIJA ... Notre Dame
QB BRADY QUINN... Notre Dame
RB ADRIANPETERSON ... Oklahoma
RB STEVE SLATON... West Virginia
K MASON CROSBY... Colorado
KR TERRYRICHARDSON ... Arizona State
DEFENSE
DE QUENTIN MOSES... Georgia
DT MARCUS THOMAS... Florida
DT BRANDON MEBANE... Cal
DE LAWRENCEJACKSON ... USC
LB PAUL POSLUSZNY... Penn State
LB PATRICK WILLIS... Ole Miss
LB RUFUSALEXANDER ... Oklahoma
CB DARRELLE REVIS... Pitt
FS LARON LANDRY... LSU
SS BRANDONMERIWEATHER ... Miami
CB ANTOINE CASON... Arizona
P DANIELSEPULVEDA ... Baylor
PR TED GINN JR.... Ohio State
COACHES ON THERISE
GENE CHIZIK
TEXAS
This co--defensive coordinator, the hottest assistant in the game, is awaitingthe right opportunity.
RANDY EDSALL
CONNECTICUT
In seven years he took the Huskies from I-AA to I-A and won the school's firstbowl game.
STEVEKRAGTHORPE
TULSA
In 2005, his third season, he won the C-USA title and upset Fresno State in theLiberty Bowl.
COACHES ON THEHOT SEAT
RICH BROOKSKENTUCKY
He's 9-25 overall, 4-20 in the SEC. The conference wins? All over Vandy andMississippi State.
LARRY COKERMIAMI
Consecutive 9-3 seasons don't cut it at the U. Coker fired four assistantsafter '05. He may be next.
CHUCK AMATO N.C.STATE
Underachieving Wolfpack was 3-5 in the ACC in '05, even with three first-rounddraft picks on D.
[This articlecontains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine or PDF.]
BOWL PROJECTIONS
POINSETTIA | Dec. 19 | San Diego | San Diego State vs. Miami (Ohio) |
LAS VEGAS | Dec. 21 | Las Vegas | TCU vs. UCLA |
NEW ORLEANS | Dec. 22 | New Orleans | La.-Lafayette vs. UTEP |
NEW MEXICO | Dec. 23 | Albuquerque | Utah vs. Nevada |
BIRMINGHAM | Dec. 23 | Birmingham | Southern Miss vs. South Florida |
FORT WORTH | Dec. 23 | Fort Worth | BYU vs. SMU |
HAWAII | Dec. 24 | Honolulu | North Carolina vs. Hawaii |
MOTOR CITY | Dec. 26 | Detroit | Missouri vs. Northern Illinois |
EMERALD | Dec. 27 | San Francisco | Fresno State vs. Maryland |
INDEPENDENCE | Dec. 28 | Shreveport, La. | South Carolina vs. Colorado |
TEXAS | Dec. 28 | Houston | Baylor vs. Pittsburgh |
HOLIDAY | Dec. 28 | San Diego | Arizona State vs. Texas A&M |
MUSIC CITY | Dec. 29 | Nashville | Alabama vs. Boston College |
INSIGHT | Dec. 29 | Tempe, Ariz. | Purdue vs. Iowa State |
SUN | Dec. 29 | El Paso | Louisville vs. Oregon |
CHAMP SPORTS | Dec. 29 | Orlando | Michigan State vs. Virginia Tech |
MEINEKE CAR CARE | Dec. 30 | Charlotte | Georgia Tech vs. Navy |
LIBERTY | Dec. 30 | Memphis | Central Florida vs. Connecticut |
CHICK-FIL-A | Dec. 30 | Atlanta | Clemson vs. Arkansas |
ALAMO | Dec. 30 | San Antonio | Texas Tech vs. Wisconsin |
MPC COMPUTERS | Dec. 31 | Boise, Idaho | Boise State vs. Virginia |
OUTBACK | Jan. 1 | Tampa | Iowa vs. Tennessee |
COTTON | Jan. 1 | Dallas | Oklahoma vs. Georgia |
GATOR | Jan. 1 | Jacksonville | Miami vs. Nebraska |
CAPITAL ONE | Jan. 1 | Orlando | Florida vs. Penn State |
INTERNATIONAL | Jan. 6 | Toronto | Toledo vs. Rutgers |
GMAC | Jan. 7 | Mobile | Tulsa vs. Akron |
BCS MATCHUPS
ROSE | Jan. 1 | Pasadena | USC vs. Michigan |
FIESTA | Jan. 1 | Glendale, Ariz. | Texas vs. Cal |
ORANGE | Jan. 2 | Miami | Auburn vs. Florida State |
SUGAR | Jan. 3 | New Orleans | LSU vs. West Virginia |
BCS | Jan. 8 | Glendale, Ariz. | Ohio State vs. Notre Dame |
PHOTO
TOM DAHLIN
 ON THELINE
Minnesota has been to four straight bowls but wideout Logan Payne and theGophers will be hard-pressed to make it five.
SIX PHOTOS
DARREN CARROLL (CHIZIK); AL TIELEMANS (EDSALL); BILLY HEFTON/ICON SMI (KRAGTHORPE); JOHN SOMMERS II/ICON SMI (BROOKS); WARREN ZINN/US PRESSWIRE (COKER); GREG DRZAZGOWSKI/ICON SMI (AMATO)
PHOTO
NICK DOAN/ICON SMI
 THEYMEET AGAIN
Notre Dame's Tom Zbikowski (9) and Ohio State's Ted Ginn Jr. will butt headsonce more, this time for the national title.