Sunday, August 18, 2002
COLLEGE FOOTBALL 2002
Previews of regional teams and conferences
Key for Bearcats is winning the close ones
WEST HARRISON, Ind. — Coach Rick Minter saw enough out of his University of Cincinnati Bearcats last season to know they will compete for the 2002 Conference USA championship.
Ragone guides Cards through summer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Senior quarterback Dave Ragone spent much of his summer at a computer screen in a windowless conference room near Louisville coach John L. Smith's office, surrounded by young receivers.
Cardinals eyeing next level
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville coach John L. Smith isn't afraid to admit the time has come for program to set its objectives higher than Conference USA championships and automatic trips to the Liberty Bowl.
Conference USA Preview
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Conference USA has gone from a league full of NFL-caliber quarterbacks to one filled with unproven young guns.
RedHawks' offense shines
OXFORD — Miami's offense used a series of big plays for a 41-26 win over the defense in the final preseason scrimmage Saturday at Yager Stadium in preparation for the Aug. 31 opener at North Carolina.
RedHawks short on seniors, but long on talent
When Terry Hoeppner took over the football program at Miami, he was depending on the legs of All-America candidate Travis Prentice to win the school's first Mid-American East Division championship.
• Miami RedHawks football at a glance
Leftwich well-armed
Back when Byron Leftwich attended Evans Junior High in Washington, D.C., his football coaches didn't quite know what they had in him.
MAC preview
Only in the Mid-American Conference is Orlando, Fla., considered to be in the nation's heartland.
Lorenzen gets in gear at UK
LEXINGTON — Highlands graduate Jared Lorenzen completed eight of nine passes Saturday in Kentucky's first full-gear scrimmage of training camp at the Nutter Training Facility.
Wildcats hungry to win in SEC
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky wideout Derek Abney can pinpoint the moment he felt that the Wildcats' embattled football program was making huge strides toward respectability.
Weight no longer 'an issue' for Kentucky's Lorenzen
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The wait — and the weight — finally is over for Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen.
Son of Spurrier? Zook hopes to continue Florida legacy
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Steve Spurrier named the stadium, revolutionized college football and built a cult of personality that made his name synonymous with the program he ran.
SEC Preview
Now is a good time for Georgia to end its two-decade championship drought — the Bulldogs won't be getting kicked around by Steve Spurrier anymore.
Buckeyes brimming with confidence despite questions
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State is listed among the top 15 teams in the nation in most preseason polls and there's a swagger to the Buckeyes' walk.
Boilermakers looking to stay in Big Ten race
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue and its home football field both underwent renovations in the offseason. While the expansion still needs to be completed at Ross-Ade Stadium, the Boilermakers think the framework is set for a Big Ten title run.
Big Ten Preview
Wisconsin gets the earliest start in school history, and when the No. 25 Badgers hit Camp Randall Stadium for what should be a steamy Aug. 23 opener against Fresno State, Lee Evans will be a spectator.
Is any team capable of perfection?
Larry Coker calls No. 1 Miami's schedule daunting, yet absolutely believes his defending national champions are poised for another perfect season.
Irish wake-up?
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Tyrone Willingham, the new Notre Dame football coach, and Paul Hornung, the 1956 Heisman Trophy winner starting his 33rd year as a commentator on Irish game broadcasts, were at a banquet in Toledo, Ohio, earlier this year when the discussion turned to strategic philosophy.
Wait is over for Nebraska QB Lord
LINCOLN, Neb. — Jammal Lord has known all summer exactly how many days he has to wait before making his first start as Nebraska's quarterback. He may even have it down to the number of hours.
Heisman hopefuls
Statistics last year for this season's top preseason candidates for the Heisman Trophy.
ACC Preview
RALEIGH, N.C. — Florida State's streaks all came tumbling down last season. That remarkable 14-year run of top 5 finishes in the AP media poll? Finished.
Big East Preview
So, what do you do for an encore when you finish 12-0 and win a national championship in your very first season as a head coach? Why, you win another title, of course. At least, that's the way Miami coach Larry Coker looks at it.
Big 12 preview
Chris Simms, Mack Brown and the No. 4 Texas Longhorns have everything going for them, except one crucial thing. They can't win the big ones.
PAC-10 Preview
Rick Neuheisel's got 8 starters back on offense and his Washington Huskies look like the team to beat in the PAC-10.
• Preseason Top 25 Capsules
• Forecasting the season by fours
• 2002 College Football TV Schedule
COLLEGE FOOTBALL 2002
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