No. 1 Miami
       Hurricanes (12-0 in 2001)
       Coach: Larry Coker
       Starters back: Offense 4, Defense 6.
       Players to watch: QB Ken Dorsey; K Todd Sievers; WR Andre Johnson; DT William Joseph; DE Jerome McDougle; LB D.J. Williams; C Brett Romberg; TE Kellen Winslow Jr.; DT Vince Wilfork; OT Vernon Carey.
       Key games: Sept. 7 at Florida; Oct.12 vs. Florida State; Nov. 9 at Tennessee; Nov. 30 at Syracuse; Dec. 7 vs. Virginia Tech.

        No. 2 Oklahoma
       Sooners (11-2 in 2001)
       Coach: Bob Stoops
       Starters back: Offense 8, Defense 7.
       Players to watch: TE Trent Smith; LB Teddy Lehman; DT Tommie Harris; RB Quentin Griffin; DE Jimmy Wilkerson; G Mike Skinner; CB Derrick Strait; WR Antwone Savage; CB Andre Woolfolk.
       Key games: Sept. 7 vs. Alabama; Oct. 12 vs. Texas in Dallas; Nov. 2 vs. Colorado; Nov. 9 at Texas A&M.

        No. 3 Florida State
       Seminoles (8-4 in 2001)
       Coach: Bobby Bowden
       Starters back: Offense 7, Defense 8.
       Players to watch: RB Greg Jones; WR Craphonso Thorpe; DT Darnell Dockett; DL Travis Johnson; LB Kendyll Pope; WR Talman Gardner; PK Xavier Beitia; OT Brett Williams; G Montrae Holland.
       Key games: Sept. 14 at Maryland; Sept. 26 at Louisville; Oct. 3 vs. Clemson; Oct. 12 at Miami; Oct. 26 vs. Notre Dame; Nov. 23 at N.C. State; Nov. 30 vs. Florida.

        No. 4 Texas
       Longhorns (11-2 in 2001)
       Coach: Mack Brown
       Starters back: Offense 8, Defense 5.
       Players to watch: QB Chris Simms; RB Cedric Benson; WR Roy Williams; DL Marcus Tubbs; DE Cory Redding; LB Derrick Johnson; PR-CB Nathan Vasher; WR B.J. Johnson; TE Bo Scaife.
       Key games: Sept. 14 at North Carolina; Oct. 12 vs. Oklahoma in Dallas; Oct. 19 at Kansas State; Nov. 2 at Nebraska; Nov. 29 vs. Texas A&M.

        No. 5 Tennessee
       Volunteers (11-2 in 2001)
       Coach: Phillip Fulmer
       Starters back: Offense 5, Defense 5.
       Players to watch: QB Casey Clausen; WR Kelley Washington; TE Jason Witten; S Julian Battle; CB Jabari Greer; PK Alex Walls; CB Willie Miles; RB Cedric Houston.
       Key games: Sept. 21 Florida; Oct. 5 vs. Arkansas; Oct. 12 at Georgia; Oct.26 vs. Alabama; Nov. 2 at South Carolina; Nov. 9 vs. Miami.

        No. 6 Florida
       Gators (10-2 in 2001)
       Coach: Ron Zook
       Starters back: Offense 5, Defense 5.
       Players to watch: QB Rex Grossman; RB Earnest Graham; WR Taylor Jacobs; DT Ian Scott; OT Max Starks; G Shannon Snell; S Todd Johnson; DE Darnell Lee Jr.; LB Mike Nattiel.
       Key games: Sept. 7 vs. Miami; Sept. 21 at Tennessee; Oct. 12 vs. LSU; Oct.19 vs. Auburn; Nov. 2 vs. Georgia; Nov.16 vs. South Carolina; Nov. 30 at Florida State.

        No. 7 Colorado
       Buffaloes (10-3 in 2001)
       Coach: Gary Barnett
       Starters back: Offense 7, Defense 8.
       Players to watch: TE Quinn Sypniewski; LB Sean Tufts; RB Chris Brown; QB Craig Ochs; RB Marcus Houston; OT Justin Bates; C Wayne Lucier; P Mark Mariscal.
       Key games: Aug. 31 vs. Colorado State; Sept. 14 vs. Southern Cal; Sept.21 at UCLA; Oct. 5 vs. Kansas State; Nov. 2 at Oklahoma; Nov. 29 at Nebraska.

        No. 8 Georgia
       Bulldogs (8-4 in 2001)
       Coach: Mark Richt
       Starters back: Offense 8, Defense 5.
       Players to watch: DL Johnathan Sullivan; WR Fred Gibson; LB Boss Bailey; TE Benjamin Watson; S Sean Jones; KR Fred Gibson; PR Damien Gary; PK Bill Bennett; G Kevin Breedlove; P Jonathan Kilgo.
       Key games: Aug. 31 vs. Clemson; Sept. 14 at South Carolina; Oct. 5 at Alabama; Oct. 12 vs. Tennessee; Nov.2 vs. Florida; Nov. 30 vs. Georgia Tech.

        No. 9 Washington
       Huskies (8-4 in 2001)
       Coach: Rick Neuheisel
       Starters back: Offense 8, Defense 5.
       Players to watch: WR Reggie Williams; PK John Anderson; WR Paul Arnold; DL Kai Ellis; LB Ben Mahdavi; CB-KR Roc Alexander; S Greg Carothers; QB Cody Pickett.
       Key games: Aug. 31 at Michigan; Oct. 19 at Southern Cal; Nov. 2 vs. UCLA; Nov. 16 at Oregon; Nov. 23 at Washington State.

        No. 10 Nebraska
       Cornhuskers (11-2 in 2001)
       Coach: Frank Solich
       Starters back: Offense 5, Defense 6.
       Players to watch: RB Dahrran Diedrick; DL Chris Kelsay; PR-CB DeJuan Groce; C John Garrison; OT Dan Vili Waldrop; DL Demoine Adams; LB Barrett Rudd; K Josh Brown; LB Demorrio Williams; KR Josh Davis.
       Key games: Aug. 24 vs. Arizona State; Sept. 14 at Penn State; Oct. 26 at Texas A&M; Nov. 2 vs. Texas; Nov.16 at Kansas State; Nov. 29 vs. Colorado.

        No. 11 Washington State
       Cougars (10-2 in 2001)
       Coach: Mike Price
       Starters back: Offense 7, Defense 6.
       Players to watch: WR Mike Bush; RB Jermaine Green; CB Marcus Trufant; QB Jason Gesser; DL DD Acholonu; DL Faafetai Tupai; PK Drew Dunning; G Derrick Roche.
       Key games: Sept. 14 at Ohio State; Oct. 5 vs. Southern Cal; Nov. 9 vs. Oregon; Nov. 23 vs. Washington; Dec. 7 at UCLA.

        No. 12 Michigan
       Wolverines (8-4 in 2001)
       Coach: Lloyd Carr
       Starters back: Offense 7, Defense 8.
       Players to watch: QB John Navarre; RB Chris Perry; WR-KR Ronald Bellamy; LB Victor Hobson; S Cato June; CB Marlin Jackson; TE Bennie Joppru; DL Shantee Orr; DL Norman Heuer; S Charles Drake; WR Tyrece Butler; LB Carl Diggs.
       Key games: Aug. 31 vs. Washington; Sept. 14 at Notre Dame; Oct. 12 vs. Penn State; Nov. 2 vs. Michigan State; Nov. 16 vs. Wisconsin; Nov. 23 at Ohio State.

        No. 13 Ohio State
       Buckeyes (7-5 in 2001)
       Coach: Jim Tressel
       Starters back: Offense 5, Defense 7.
       Players to watch: RB Lydell Ross; G Adrien Clarke; DL Will Smith; DL Tim Anderson; LB Matt Wilhelm; S Mike Doss; LB Cie Grant; KR Maurice Hall; WR Michael Jenkins.
       Key games: Sept. 14 vs. Washington State; Oct. 19 at Wisconsin; Oct. 26 vs. Penn State; Nov. 23 vs. Michigan.

        No. 14 LSU
       Tigers (10-3 in 2001)
       Coach: Nick Saban
       Starters back: Offense 5, Defense 7.
       Players to watch: WR Michael Clayton; LB Bradie James; PR Domanick Davis; RB LaBrandon Toefield; S Damien James; DL Kendrick Allen; S Norman LeJeune; PK John Corbello.
       Key games: Sept. 1 at Virginia Tech; Oct. 12 at Florida; Oct. 19 vs. South Carolina; Oct. 26 at Auburn; Nov. 16 vs. Alabama; Nov. 29 at Arkansas.

        No. 15 Oregon
       Ducks (11-1 in 2001)
       Coach: Mike Belotti
       Starters back: Offense 6, Defense 6.
       Players to watch: RB-KR Onterrio Smith; LB Kevin Mitchell; OT Corey Chambers; WR-PR Keenan Howry; LB David Moretti; WR Samie Parker; S Rasuli Webster; S Keith Lewis.
       Key games: Oct. 12 at UCLA; Oct. 26 vs. Southern Cal; Nov. 9 at Washington State; Nov. 16 vs. Washington; Nov. 23 at Oregon State.

        No. 16 Va. Tech
       Hokies (8-4 in 2001)
       Coach: Frank Beamer
       Starters back: Offense 6, Defense 5.
       Players to watch: RB Lee Suggs; RB Kevin Jones; TE Keith Willis; CB-PR Ronyell Whitaker; PK Carter Warley; S Willie Pile; CB DeAngelo Hall; OT Jon Dunn; DL Nathaniel Adibi; LB Mike Daniels.
       Key games: Sept. 1 vs. LSU; Sept. 12 vs. Marshall; Sept. 21 at Texas A&M; Oct. 10 at Boston College; Nov. 9 at Syracuse; Nov. 30 vs. Virginia; Dec. 7 at Miami.

        No. 17 Louisville
       Cardinals (11-2 in 2001)
       Coach: John L. Smith
       Starters back: Offense 5, Defense 10.
       Players to watch: QB Dave Ragone; WR James Taylor; TE Ronnie Gent; DL Dewayne White; S Curry Burns; S-PR Anthony Floyd; DL Bobby Leffew; LB Michael Brown; G Chris Thigpen; OT Travis Leffew.
       Key games: Sept. 14 at Colorado State; Sept. 26 vs. Florida State; Oct.26 vs. East Carolina; Nov. 14 at Southern Miss.

        No. 18 Michigan State
       Spartans (7-5 in 2001)
       Coach: Bobby Williams
       Starters back: Offense 8, Defense 7.
       Players to watch: QB Jeff Smoker; WR-PR Charles Rogers; DT Matthias Askew; CB Cedric Henry; S Thomas Wright; G William Whitticker; C Brian Ottney.
       Key games: Sept. 21 vs. Notre Dame; Oct. 26 vs. Wisconsin; Nov. 2 at Michigan; Nov. 23 at Penn State.

        No. 19 Marshall
       Thundering Herd (11-2 in 2001)
       Coach: Bob Pruett
       Starters back: Offense 9, Defense 6.
       Players to watch: QB Byron Leftwich; WR Darius Watts; WR Denero marriott; TE Jason Rader; DT Orlando Washington; RB Franklin Wallace; DT Marlon Hicks; S Chris Crocker; OT Nate McPeek.
       Key games: Sept. 12 at Virginia Tech; Sept. 20 vs. Central Florida; Nov. 12 vs. Miami U.

        No. 20 Southern Cal
       Trojans (6-6 in 2001)
       Coach: Pete Carroll
       Starters back: Offense 9, Defense 5.
       Players to Watch: QB Carson Palmer; TE Alex Holmes; DT Bernard Riley; DT Shaun Cody; S Troy Polamalu; WR Kareem Kelly; LB Matt Grootegoed; LB Michael Pollard; C Lenny Vandermade; G Zach Wilson.
       Key games: Sept. 2 vs. Auburn; Sept. 14 at Colorado; Sept. 21 at Kansas State; Oct. 5 at Washington State; Oct. 19 vs. Washington; Oct. 26 at Oregon; Nov. 23 at UCLA; Nov. 30 vs. Notre Dame.

        No. 21 Maryland
       Terrapins (10-2 in 2001)
       Coach: Ralph Friedgen
       Starters back: Offense 8, Defense 6.
       Players to watch: RB Bruce Perry; LB EJ Henderson; TE Jeff Dugan; LB Leon Joe; DT Randy Starks; PK Rich Parson; C Kyle Schmitt; OT Matt Crawford; G Todd Wilke; P Brooks Barnard.
       Key games: Aug. 31 vs. Notre Dame; Sept. 14 vs. Florida State; Nov. 2 at North Carolina; Nov. 16 at Clemson.

        No. 22 South Carolina
       Gamecocks (9-3 in 2001)
       Coach: Lou Holtz
       Starters back: Offense 5, Defense 4.
       Players to watch: RB Andrew Pinnock, RB Ryan Brewer, G Cedric Williams; WR James Adkisson; S Rashad Faison, NT Langston Moore.
       Key games: Sept. 14 vs. Georgia; Oct. 19 at LSU; Nov. 2 vs. Tennessee; Nov. 16 vs. Florida; Nov. 23 at Clemson.

        No. 23 Texas A&M
        Aggies (10-2 in 2001)
       Coach: R.C. Slocum
       Starters back: Offense 9, Defense 7.
       Players to watch: DE Ty Warren; LB Jarrod Penright; CB Sammy Davis; S Terrence Kiel; LB Brian Gamble; RB Derek Farmer; WR Jamaar Taylor; G Taylor Whitley; OT Jami Hightower.
        Key games: Sept. 21 vs. Virginia Tech; Oct. 26 vs. Nebraska; Nov. 9 vs. Oklahoma; Nov. 29 at Texas.

        No. 24 Penn State
       Nittany Lions (5-6 in 2001)
       Coach: Joe Paterno
       Starters back: Offense 8, Defense 7.
       Players to watch: QB Zack Mills; NT Jimmy Kennedy; DT Anthony Adams; CB Bryan Scott; KR Larry Johnson; WR Bryant Johnson; DE Michael Haynes; LB Lamar Stewart; LB Derek Wake.
       Key games: Sept. 14 vs. Nebraska; Oct. 5 at Wisconsin; Oct. 12 at Michigan; Oct. 26 at Ohio State; Nov.23 vs. Michigan State.

        No. 25 Wisconsin
       Badgers (5-7 in 2001)
       Coach: Barry Alvarez
       Starters back: Offense 8, Defense 3.
       Players to watch: RB Anthony Davis; QB Brooks Bollinger; CB Mike Echols; WR Lee Evans; OT Ben Johnson; DT Anttaj Hawthorne; DE Darius Jones; C Al Johnson; PK Scott Campbell.
       Key games: Aug. 23 vs. Fresno State; Oct. 5 vs. Penn State; Oct. 19 vs. Ohio State; Oct. 26 at Michigan State; Nov. 16 at Michigan.