2002 NCAA Division I-A football season

The 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season bucked the trend of boring national title games, providing a game that lived up to the hype. Ohio State and Miami both came into the Fiesta Bowl undefeated. The underdog Buckeyes defeated the Hurricanes 31-24 in a double overtime thriller, ending Miami's 34 game winning streak. However, controversy did surround the end of the game. After Miami had taken the lead into overtime, Ohio State sat with a fourth and goal. Buckeye quarterback Craig Krenzel's pass fell incomplete in the end zone, appearing that Miami had won their 2nd straight title. However as the Miami team began to race on the field they realized there was a late flag thrown on the play for pass interference. Though replays brought question to this call, it set up the Buckeyes for an easy score from the one-yard line. Though many have questioned the call, it was confirmed to be the correct call when the Big12 reviewed the call. [http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/6483719]

Keeping with the trend of recent coaching hires turning around old powerhouses going through recent troubles with distinctive coaching styles, Jim Tressel won the national championship in only his second year as head coach. From Bob Stoops' D, to Larry Coker's O, now to Tressel's conservative Ohio style offense, new coaches had dominated this decade.

Not to say there still wasn't BCS grumbling. The system had to be praised for setting up a game which could not have happened under the old system. However Rose Bowl officials were vocally upset over the loss of the Big Ten champ from the game.

This was the first season without the Ol' Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier, who left the Florida Gators to try his luck coaching the NFL's Washington Redskins.

On the other end of the country, former New England Patriots coach Pete Carroll was making quite a splash, returning the USC Trojans to their former glory days, and a BCS bid, in only his second season as head coach.

Notre Dame, bitter rival of USC, also returned to promenince, as Ty Willingham became the first coach in Notre Dame history to win 10 games in his first season.

Bowl Championship Series Rankings

Final BCS Rankings

Bowl Games

Prior to the BCS, the New Year's day pairings never would have occurred. The Rose Bowl normally features the champions of the Big Ten, the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Pac-10. However, because the Buckeyes had finished #2 in the BCS, they were set to play in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl for the national championship against Miami (Fla.) [ [http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/2002_archive_bcs.html 2002 BCS Standings] ] Earlier in the season, Ohio State had defeated Washington State 25-7.

The Orange Bowl had the next pick after the Fiesta Bowl pairing, and #3 (#5 BCS) Iowa was chosen. The Rose Bowl had the next BCS selection. The next, best available team to choose was #8 (#7 BCS) Oklahoma, who won the Big 12 Championship Game, to play Pac-10 winner Washington State. When it came time for the Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl to make a second pick, both wanted USC. However, a BCS rule stated that if two bowls want the same team, the bowl with the higher payoff has the option.Rosenblatt, Richard - [http://www.centralohio.com/ohiostate/stories/20021209/football/540072.html BCS: Orange Bowl has a Rosy look] Associated Press, December 9, 2002] The Orange Bowl immediately extended an at-large bid to the number 5 ranked Trojans and paired them with at-large number 3 Iowa in a Big Ten/Pac-10 "Rose Bowl" matchup in the 2003 Orange Bowl. Rose Bowl committee executive director Mitch Dorger was not pleased with the results. This left the Sugar Bowl with #14 BCS Florida State, the winner of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Notre Dame at 10-2 and #9 in the BCS standings was invited to the 2003 Gator Bowl. Kansas State at #8 also was left out.

Oklahoma came into 2003 Rose Bowl game as the Big 12 Champions, while Washington State came in champions of the Pac-10.

BCS Bowls

*Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State (BCS #2) 31, Miami (BCS #1) 24 (2 OT)
*Sugar Bowl: Georgia (SEC Champ) 26, Florida State (ACC Champ) 13
*Orange Bowl: USC (At Large) 38, Iowa (At Large) 17
*Rose Bowl: Oklahoma (Big12 Champ) 34, Washington State (Pac10 Champ) 14

Other New Years Day Bowls

*Cotton Bowl: Texas 35, LSU 20
*Capital One Bowl: Auburn 13, Penn State 9
*Gator Bowl: NC State 28, Notre Dame 6
*Outback Bowl: Michigan 38, Florida 30

December Bowl Games

*Holiday Bowl: Kansas State 34, Arizona State 27
*Peach Bowl: Maryland 30, Tennessee 3
*Tangerine Bowl: Texas Tech 55, Clemson 15
*Sun Bowl: Purdue 34, Washington 24
*Independence Bowl: Mississippi 27, Nebraska 23
*Alamo Bowl: Wisconsin 31, Colorado 28
*Insight Bowl: Pittsburgh 38, Oregon State 13
*Liberty Bowl: TCU (C-USA Champ) 25, Colorado State (MWC Champ) 3
*Humanitarian Bowl: Boise State (WAC Champ) 34, Iowa State 16
*Motor City Bowl: Boston College 51, Toledo (MAC Champ) 25
*Hawai'i Bowl: Tulane 36, Hawai'i 28
*Seattle Bowl: Wake Forest 38, Oregon 17
*San Francisco Bowl: Virginia Tech 20, Air Force 13
*Music City Bowl: Minnesota 29, Arkansas 14
*Las Vegas Bowl: UCLA 27, New Mexico 13
*GMAC Bowl: Marshall 38, Louisville 15
*Silicon Valley Classic: Fresno State 30, Georgia Tech 21
*Houston Bowl: Oklahoma State 33, Southern Miss 23
*Continental Tire Bowl: Virginia 48, West Virginia 22
*New Orleans Bowl: North Texas (Sun Belt Champ) 25, Cincinnati 19

Heisman Trophy Voting

"The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award is given to the

Most Outstanding Player of the year"
Winner:
Carson Palmer (Sr.), QB, USC (1,328 points)
*2. Brad Banks (Sr.), QB, Iowa (1,095 points)
*3. Larry Johnson (Sr.), RB, Penn State (726 points)
*4. Willis McGahee (So.), RB, Miami (660 points)
*5. Ken Dorsey (Sr.), QB, Miami (643 points)

Other Major Awards

*Maxwell Award (College player of the Year): Larry Johnson, Penn State
*Walter Camp Award (top back): Larry Johnson, Penn State
*Associated Press Player Of the Year: Brad Banks, Iowa
*Davey O'Brien Award (quarterback): Brad Banks, Iowa
*Johnny Unitas Award (Sr. quarterback): Carson Palmer, USC
*Doak Walker Award (running back): Larry Johnson, Penn State
*Fred Biletnikoff Award (wide receiver): Charles Rogers, Michigan State
*John Mackey Award (tight end): Dallas Clark, Iowa
*Dave Rimington Trophy (center): Brett Romberg, Miami
*Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player): E. J. Henderson, Maryland
*Lombardi Award (top lineman): Terrell Suggs, Arizona State
*Outland Trophy (interior lineman): Rien Long, Washington State
*Dick Butkus (linebacker): E. J. Henderson, Maryland
*Jim Thorpe Award (defensive back): Terence Newman, Kansas State
*Lou Groza Award (placekicker): Nate Kaeding, Iowa
*Ray Guy Award (punter): Mark Mariscal, Colorado
*The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award: Ty Willingham, Notre Dame
*Paul "Bear" Bryant Award: Jim Tressel, Ohio St.

References