A year too soon for the Sooners: we picked Oklahoma to finish No. 1 in 2002 and were wrong—but this season, Jason White and company will vindicate us - 2003 College Preview

Football Digest, July-August, 2003 by Joe Donatelli

COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS A GAME of accountability. The quarterback is accountable to the coach. The coach is accountable to the university president. The president is accountable to the alumni. And the alumni are accountable to ... well, that seems to be a problem these days.

Regardless, your intrepid college football reporter is accountable to his readers. With that in mind, I would like to caution you before you read the 2003 season preview: I did not have a good year in 2002. So please take my predictions with a grain of salt, followed by a shot of tequila (a practice which, now that I think about it, may explain the quagmire that was my 2002 season).

Yours truly predicted a national title for Oklahoma. The Sooners finished fifth. Not bad, until you consider it was as close as I came to predicting a top-10 finisher. I picked eventual national champion Ohio State 23rd. Oops. I had Georgia 22nd--it finished third. And USC--which finished fourth--was penciled in by me at No 46. Ouch. Worse, I vastly underestimated the likes of Boise State, Notre Dame, and Virginia, none of which I ranked in the top 50. We won't talk about the fact that I had Tennessee at No. 3.

There were, however, bright spots, I picked Michigan to finish 11th, and it wound up ninth. Penn State was picked to finish 16th and ended at No. 15. And I chose Marshall at No. 25; it finished at No. 25.

For the record, I again am picking Oklahoma to win it all. I maintain I was right last season, just one year early. What follows is my preseason top 25 (with each team's record from last season and final ranking by The Associated Press in parentheses).

Pass the salt.

1. Oklahoma (12-2, 5th)

The Sooners have finally achieved offensive balance, establishing a running game to complement their solid aerial attack. With oft-injured (but experienced) quarterback Jason White ready to take over the offense, the Sooners shouldn't miss a beat. Running backs Kejuan Jones and Renaldo Works will fill in nicely for Quentin Griffin. And one of the best defenses in the country last season returns nine starters. These guys have everything they need to win it all.

2. Ohio State (14-0, 1st)

The 2002 national champions are thinking repeat. And rightly so. The Buckeyes return 18 starters, including 11 on offense. Quarterback Craig Krenzel (15-1 as a starter), running back Maurice Clarett (1,237 yards, 18 TDs as a freshman), wide receiver Michael Jenkins, and wide receiver/defensive back Chris Gamble give OSU plenty of offensive firepower. The secondary and linebacking corps must be rebuilt, but the Buckeyes return three of the best defensive linemen in the country: Will Smith, Darrion Scott, and Tim Anderson.

3. Texas (11-2, 6th)

Mack Brown, meet John Cooper. His career should look familiar. Much like Cooper did at Ohio State, Brown has brought Texas back to prominence, winning at least nine games in each of the past five seasons. But with success comes high expectations, and the Longhorns have yet to challenge for the national title that so many Texas fans feel is their birthright. With eight starters returning on each side of the ball, this might be the year.

4. Miami (12-1, 2nd)

Without quarterback Ken Dorsey, the question now is, who will lead the Hurricanes: junior Derrick Cruddup, Florida transfer Brock Berlin, or red-shirt freshman Marc Guillon? The Hurricanes also must find two new starters on the offensive line and replace their entire defensive line. Miami is a top-10 team, but with Florida, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Florida State, and Pittsburgh on the schedule, another national-rifle run appears doubtful.

5. Michigan (10-3, 9th)

With quarterback John Navarre, running back Chris Perry, wide receiver Braylon Edwards, cornerback Marlin Jackson, and defensive end Alain Kashama returning, the Wolverines don't lose much from what was an extremely solid team in 2002. Injuries at linebacker and a lack of experience at safety could hurt, but the schedule is favorable--only Notre Dame looms as a tough non-conference foe--and both the Fighting Irish and Ohio State travel to the Big House this season.

6. Auburn (9-4, 14th)

The Tigers are a team on the rise. Auburn returns eight starters on both sides of the ball and enters the season fresh off of a 13-9 upset over Penn State in the Capital One Bowl. Junior running back Ronnie Brown's breakout game against the Nittany Lions (184 yards, two TDs) offered a glimpse of things to come. Consider Brown and the Tigers darkhorse contenders for the national rifle.

7. Virginia Tech (10-4, 18th)

Who will quarterback the Hokies: Bryan Randall or Marcus Vick? Really, it doesn't matter. The Virginia Tech program is built on defense and special teams. The defense loses just two starters and returns a lot of talent at defensive end in Nathaniel Adibi, Cols Colas, and Jim Davis. And on special teams, all seven players who blocked kicks last season are back, as is dangerous return man DeAngelo Hall.

8. Pittsburg (94, 19th)

It's official: The Panthers are back. In 2002, Pittsburgh won nine games for the first time in 20 years--since the days of Dan Marino. The Panthers should continue their climb, with quarterback Rod Rutherford, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and running back Brandon Miree back for another season. Credit head coach Walt Harris for effectively mining the plentiful talent in western Pennsylvania and nearby Ohio.