EARLY BIRD 2003 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW

THIS EARLY BIRD PREVIEW WAS RELEASED NOVEMBER 28, 2002. See how we compared to the 2003 Coaches Poll that came out in August:
Preseason Coaches Poll

With the Buckeyes returning all 11 starters on offense from an undefeated 2002 season and a trip to the National Championship Game in the Fiesta Bowl, the choice on who to start at #1 next August wasn't so hard.

2003 Early Bird
Top 25

1. Ohio State
2. Oklahoma
3. Miami FL
4. Texas
5. Notre Dame
6. Michigan
7. Kansas State
8. Auburn
9. Florida
10. Virginia Tech
11. Georgia
12. Colorado State
13. Pittsburgh
14. Florida State
15. Tennessee
16. Washington
17. Louisiana State
18. Penn State
19. Maryland
20. Arkansas
21. Iowa
22. Oregon State
23. Southern Cal
24. Virginia
25. Colorado

Others Easily Making The Top 25
-between now and August

Alabama
Arizona State
North Carolina State
Washington State
Georgia Tech
Boston College
Oregon
Wisconsin
Missouri
Nebraska
Air Force
UCLA
Hawaii
Mississippi
Northern Illinois

 

 

NOTES: NationalChamps.net is proud to once again present the annual Thanksgiving Early Bird College Football Breakdown. For those of you concerned with the rankings and the fact this #16 team is better than that #9 team, then you are missing the point. Our presentation was created as nothing more than a rough guide for listing whether key players return or depart. So many of the selections are evidently interchangeable and will adjust continuously until next season arrives.

So sit back, unbutton those tight pants from your turkey dinners and leftovers, and take this preview for what it's worth. We think you will gain much more by realizing that the rankings and their explicit accuracy are not the primary goal.

However, in the fourth season of compiling this Thanksgiving Early Bird Preview, NationalChamps.net has never had one team fall more than 6 spots off what the AP Poll releases in August. Enjoy!

COMPLETE 2003 PREVIEW COMING IN FEBRUARY

Please check back in February when NationalChamps.net releases the complete 2003 College Football Preview of all 117 teams... complete with full depth charts, analysis from our newly aquired writing staff, rankings, unit power ratings, and lots of new digital photos.

 

ACC Big East Big Ten
Clemson
Duke
Florida State
Georgia Tech
Maryland
North Carolina
North Carolina State
Virginia
Wake Forest

Boston College
Miami FL
Pittsburgh
Rutgers
Syracuse
Temple
Virginia Tech
West Virginia

Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Michigan
Michigan State
Minnesota
Northwestern
Ohio State
Penn State
Purdue
Wisconsin

Big 12 Conference USA MAC

North
Colorado
Iowa State
Kansas
Kansas State
Missouri
Nebraska

South
Baylor
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Texas
Texas A&M
Texas Tech

Army
Cincinnati
East Carolina
Houston
Louisville
Memphis
Southern Miss
South Florida
Texas Christian
Tulane
UAB

East
Akron
Buffalo
Central Florida
Kent State
Marshall
Miami OH
Ohio

West
Ball State
Bowling Green
Central Michigan
Eastern Michigan
Northern Illinois
Toledo
Western Michigan

Mountain West Pac Ten SEC
Air Force
Brigham Young
Colorado State
New Mexico
San Diego State
UNLV
Utah
Wyoming

Arizona
Arizona State
California
Oregon
Oregon State
Southern Cal
Stanford
UCLA
Washington
Washington State

East
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vanderbilt

West
Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
Louisiana State
Mississippi
Mississippi State

Sun Belt WAC Independents

Arkansas State
Idaho
Louisiana-Lafayette
Louisiana-Monroe
Middle Tennessee
New Mexico State
North Texas

Boise State
Fresno State
Hawaii
Louisiana Tech
Nevada
Rice
San Jose State
Southern Methodist
Texas El-Paso
Tulsa

Connecticut
Navy
Notre Dame
Troy State
Utah State