Every college football season, amazing things happen and unlikely events and controversy always occur.
But this season seemed extra scintillating, with some huge upsets, some programs rising from the doldrums and some dropping farther than they have in years.
For this reason, the Reveille has compiled the Top 10 list of college football moments in 2003. Now remember, these aren’t necessarily all positive things, but they are things that reverberated through college football and affected its whole landscape.
10. SEC lands first black coach: The SEC finally got it right. After the retirement of Jackie Sherill, Mississippi State hired former Alabama great Sylvester Croom to lead its program. In similar fashion, Georgia hired Damon Evans as its athletic director, making him the first black AD in SEC history.
9. Ohio State’s winning streak ended: After sneaking its way to a national championship in 2002 and winning its first five games of 2003, the Buckeyes fell to Wisconsin on the road and its college football dominance ended.
8. Maurice Clarett suspended: When you’re national champs, a lot of things happen. In this case, the Buckeyes’ star freshman running back was suspended for the season for lying on a police report about the amount of merchandise stolen from his car. This suspension delivered a huge blow to Ohio State’s chance of repeating as national champs.
7. Ole Miss’ re-emergence: The Rebels were on the rise in 2003 behind the masterful arm of senior Eli Manning. Even though they came up short of winning the SEC, the Rebels gave their fans hope which was quickly lost when they realized Eli was graduating.
6. Larry Fitzgerald’s season: Pittsburgh’s top receiver was flat out the best player in college football this year. The super sophomore had 87 catches for 1,595 yards and caught a touchdown pass in 18 straight games, and NCAA record and finished second in the Heisman Trophy race.
5. Neil Parry: On Sept. 19, 2003, San Jose State’s Neil Parry did an amazing thing — he played on a prosthetic leg on special teams three years after having his leg amputated. Enough said.
4. Alabama coaching carousel: After Dennis Franchione left the Tide after two seasons, ‘Bama hired Washington State head coach Mike Price. But then he had a little too much fun, getting drunk and associating with some questionable people in Florida, so then he was fired. Then the Tide had to settle on former player Mike Shula to lead the way for the near future.
3. Oklahoma knocked off its perch: After dominating the regular season and being placed with some of the best teams of all time, the Sooners did something no one expected — played average. They were smoked by Kansas State, 35-7, in the Big XII Championship game and then thoroughly outplayed by LSU, losing 21-14 in the Nokia Sugar Bowl for the national championship.
2. LSU, USC: LSU won the BCS national championship while USC won the AP version. What’s wrong with having two national champions? I don’t see one thing wrong with it.
1. The BCS controversy: Oklahoma got into the national championship game and didn’t win its conference. But the BCS did its job — awarded a team for its complete season and got people talking about college football. When does the 2004 season start? I’m ready.