2002 NCAA Division I-A football season

The 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with a double overtime national championship game. Ohio State and Miami both came into the Fiesta Bowl undefeated. The underdog Buckeyes defeated the defending-champion Hurricanes 31–24, ending Miami's 34-game winning streak. Jim Tressel won the national championship in only his second year as head coach.

2002 NCAA Division I-A season
Heisman Trophy won by Carson Palmer for play during the 2002 season
Number of teams117[1]
Preseason AP No. 1Miami (FL)
Post-season
DurationDecember 17, 2002 –
January 3, 2003
Bowl games28
Heisman TrophyCarson Palmer (quarterback, USC)
Bowl Championship Series
2003 Fiesta Bowl
SiteSun Devil Stadium,
Tempe, Arizona
Champion(s)Ohio State
Division I-A football seasons
← 2001
2003 →

Rose Bowl officials were vocally upset over the loss of the Big Ten champ from the game. Former New England Patriots coach Pete Carroll returned the USC Trojans to a BCS bid in only his second season as head coach. Notre Dame also returned to prominence, as Tyrone Willingham became the first coach in Notre Dame history to win 10 games in his first season.

Beginning with the 2002 season, teams were allowed to schedule twelve regular season games instead of eleven leading to additional revenues for all teams and allowing players the enhanced opportunity to break various statistical records.

Rules changes

The NCAA Rules Committee adopted the following rules changes for the 2002 season:

  • The penalty for violating the so-called "Halo Rule" (two yard restricted area around the punt/kick receiver) without making contact with the receiver is increased from five yards to 10 yards.
  • Flagrant personal fouls committed during possession by the defense in overtime will be carried over to the next extra period. Previously, those fouls were disregarded but the player committing the foul was ejected from the game.
  • All players are required to wear facemasks of the same color.
  • Penalties committed during a touchdown play can now either be enforced on the PAT or the ensuing kickoff.

Conference and program changes

No teams upgraded from Division I-AA, leaving the number of Division I-A schools fixed at 117.

  • The only conference move during this season saw the University of Central Florida leave the Independent ranks to join the Mid-American Conference as its 14th member.
School2001 Conference2002 Conference
Central Florida KnightsI-A IndependentMAC

Conference standings
2002 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 21 Florida State $  7 –1     9 –5  
No. 22 Virginia  6 –2     9 –5  
No. 13 Maryland  6 –2     11 –3  
No. 12 NC State  5 –3     11 –3  
Clemson  4 –4     7 –6  
Georgia Tech  4 –4     7 –6  
Wake Forest  3 –5     7 –6  
North Carolina  1 –7     3 –9  
Duke  0 –8     2 –10  
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
2002 Big 12 Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
Northern Division
No. 20 Colorado xy  7 –1     9 –5  
No. 7 Kansas State  6 –2     11 –2  
Iowa State  4 –4     7 –7  
Nebraska  3 –5     7 –7  
Missouri  2 –6     5 –7  
Kansas  0 –8     2 –10  
Southern Division
No. 5 Oklahoma xy$  6 –2     12 –2  
No. 6 Texas x  6 –2     11 –2  
Texas Tech  5 –3     9 –5  
Oklahoma State  5 –3     8 –5  
Texas A&M  3 –5     6 –6  
Baylor  1 –7     3 –9  
Championship: Oklahoma 29, Colorado 7
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll
2002 Big East Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 2 Miami (FL) $  7 –0     12 –1  
No. 25 West Virginia  6 –1     9 –4  
No. 19 Pittsburgh  5 –2     9 –4  
No. 18 Virginia Tech  3 –4     10 –4  
Boston College  3 –4     9 –4  
Syracuse  2 –5     4 –8  
Temple  2 –5     4 –8  
Rutgers  0 –7     1 –11  
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
2002 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 1 Ohio State $#+  8 –0     14 –0  
No. 8 Iowa %+  8 –0     11 –2  
No. 9 Michigan  6 –2     10 –3  
No. 16 Penn State  5 –3     9 –4  
Purdue  4 –4     7 –6  
Illinois  4 –4     5 –7  
Minnesota  3 –5     8 –5  
Wisconsin  2 –6     8 –6  
Michigan State  2 –6     4 –8  
Northwestern  1 –7     3 –9  
Indiana  1 –7     3 –9  
    1. – BCS National Champion
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • % – BCS at-large representative
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll[2]
2002 Conference USA football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 23 TCU +  6 –2     10 –2  
Cincinnati +  6 –2     7 –7  
Louisville  5 –3     7 –6  
Southern Miss  5 –3     7 –6  
Tulane  4 –4     8 –5  
UAB  4 –4     5 –7  
East Carolina  4 –4     4 –8  
Houston  3 –5     5 –7  
Memphis  2 –6     3 –9  
Army  1 –7     1 –11  
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll
2002 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
East Division
No. 24 Marshall x$  7 –1     11 –2  
UCF  6 –2     7 –5  
Miami  5 –3     7 –5  
Ohio  4 –4     4 –8  
Akron  3 –5     4 –8  
Kent State  1 –7     3 –9  
Buffalo  0 –8     1 –11  
West Division
Toledo xy  7 –1     9 –5  
Northern Illinois x  7 –1     8 –4  
Bowling Green  6 –2     9 –3  
Ball State  4 –4     6 –6  
Western Michigan  3 –5     4 –8  
Central Michigan  2 –6     4 –8  
Eastern Michigan  1 –7     3 –9  
Championship: Marshall 49, Toledo 45
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll
2002 Mountain West Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
Colorado State $  6 –1     10 –4  
New Mexico  5 –2     7 –7  
Air Force  4 –3     8 –5  
San Diego State  4 –3     4 –9  
Utah  3 –4     5 –6  
UNLV  3 –4     5 –7  
BYU  2 –5     5 –7  
Wyoming  1 –6     2 –10  
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
2002 Pacific-10 Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 10 Washington State $+  7 –1     10 –3  
No. 4 USC %+  7 –1     11 –2  
Arizona State  5 –3     8 –6  
UCLA  4 –4     8 –5  
Oregon State  4 –4     8 –5  
California  4 –4     7 –5  
Washington  4 –4     7 –6  
Oregon  3 –5     7 –6  
Arizona  1 –7     4 –8  
Stanford  1 –7     2 –9  
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • % – BCS at-large representative
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll
2002 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
Eastern Division
No. 3 Georgia x$  7 –1     13 –1  
Florida  6 –2     8 –5  
Tennessee  5 –3     8 –5  
Kentucky  3 –5     7 –5  
South Carolina  3 –5     5 –7  
Vanderbilt  0 –8     2 –10  
Western Division
No. 11 Alabama  6 –2     10 –3  
Arkansas xy  5 –3     9 –5  
No. 14 Auburn x  5 –3     9 –4  
LSU x  5 –3     8 –5  
Ole Miss  3 –5     7 –6  
Mississippi State  0 –8     3 –9  
Championship: Georgia 30, Arkansas 3
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • Alabama had the best division record, but did not participate in postseason play due to NCAA probation.
Rankings from AP Poll
2002 Sun Belt Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
North Texas $  6 –0     8 –5  
New Mexico State  5 –1     7 –5  
Arkansas State  3 –3     6 –7  
Middle Tennessee  2 –4     4 –8  
Louisiana–Lafayette  2 –4     3 –9  
Louisiana–Monroe  2 –4     3 –9  
Idaho  1 –5     2 –10  
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
2002 Western Athletic Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 15 Boise State $  8 –0     12 –1  
Hawaii  7 –1     10 –4  
Fresno State  6 –2     9 –5  
San Jose State  4 –4     6 –7  
Nevada  4 –4     5 –7  
Rice  3 –5     4 –7  
Louisiana Tech  3 –5     4 –8  
SMU  3 –5     3 –9  
UTEP  1 –7     2 –10  
Tulsa  1 –7     1 –11  
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
2002 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
South Florida   –     9 –2  
No. 17 Notre Dame   –     10 –3  
Connecticut   –     6 –6  
Utah State   –     4 –7  
Troy State   –     4 –8  
Navy   –     2 –10  
Rankings from AP Poll

Bowl Championship Series rankings
Main article: 2002 NCAA Division I-A football rankings
WEEK #1 #2 EVENT
OCT 21 Oklahoma Miami
OCT 28 Oklahoma Miami Ohio State 34, Minnesota 3
NOV 4 Oklahoma Ohio State Texas A&M 30, Oklahoma 26
NOV 11 Ohio State Miami Ohio State 23, Illinois 16
NOV 18 Miami Ohio State Miami 28, Pittsburgh 21
NOV 25 Miami Ohio State Miami 49, Syracuse 7
DEC 2 Miami Ohio State Miami 56, Virginia Tech 45
FINAL Miami Ohio State

Final BCS rankings
BCS School Record BCS Bowl game
1 Miami (FL) 12-0 Fiesta
2 Ohio State 13-0 Fiesta
3 Georgia 12-1 Sugar
4 USC 10-2 Orange
5 Iowa 11-1 Orange
6 Washington State 10-2 Rose
7 Oklahoma 11-2 Rose
8 Kansas State 10-2
9 Notre Dame 10-2
10 Texas 10-2
11 Michigan 9-3
12 Penn State 9-3
13 Colorado 9-4
14 Florida State 9-4 Sugar
15 West Virginia 9-4

Bowl games
Main article: 2002–03 NCAA football bowl games

The Rose Bowl normally features the champions of the Big Ten and the Pac-10. However, Big Ten-champion Ohio State, finishing #2 in the BCS, had qualified to play in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl for the national championship against Miami (Florida)[3] Earlier in the season, Ohio State had defeated Washington State 25-7.

After the national championship was set, the Orange Bowl had the next pick, and invited #3 (#5 BCS) Iowa from the Big Ten. When it was the Rose Bowl's turn to select, the best available team was #8 (#7 BCS) Oklahoma, who won the Big 12 Championship Game. When it came time for the Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl to make a second pick, both wanted Pac-10 co-champion USC. However, a BCS rule stated that if two bowls wanted the same team, the bowl with the higher payoff had priority.[4] The Orange Bowl immediately extended an at-large bid to the #5 Trojans and paired them with at-large #3 Iowa in a Big Ten/Pac-10 "Rose Bowl East" matchup in the 2003 Orange Bowl. The Rose Bowl was left to pair Oklahoma with Pac-10 co-champion Washington State.[4] Rose Bowl committee executive director Mitch Dorger was not pleased with the results.[4]

As such, the BCS instituted a new rule, whereby a bowl losing its conference champion to the BCS championship could "protect" the second-place team from that conference from going to another bowl. 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.

BCS bowls

Other New Year's Day bowls

December Bowl Games

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)

Other major awards

References
  1. http://www.jhowell.net/cf/cf2002.htm
  2. "2002 NCAA Football Rankings - AP Top 25 Postseason (Jan. 5)". ESPN. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  3. 2002 BCS Standings
  4. Rosenblatt, Richard – BCS: Orange Bowl has a Rosy look Associated Press, December 9, 2002
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