| | No. 1 Florida State
1998 Record: 11-2
Coach: Bobby Bowden (219-53-4, 23 years; overall 292-85-4, 33 years)
Starters Returning: 9 offense; 7 defense.
Players to Watch: RB Travis Minor; WR Peter Warrick; QB Chris
Weinke; DT Corey Simon; DT Jerry Johnson; CB Mario Edwards; PK
Sebastian Janikowski.
Conference: Atlantic Coast.
Site: Tallahassee. Stadium: Doak Campbell (80,000)
Strengths: Running back; offensive line; defensive line.
Question Marks: Linebacker.
Key Games: Sept. 11 Georgia Tech; Oct. 9 Miami; Oct. 30 at Virginia;
Nov. 20 at Florida.
No. 2 Tennessee
1998 Record: 13-0
Coach: Phillip Fulmer (67-11, 7 years)
Starters Returning: 6 offense; 7 defense.
Players to Watch: QB Tee Martin; RB Jamal Lewis; WR Cedric Wilson;
CB Dwayne Goodrich; DT Darwin Walker; LB Raynoch Thompson; FS
Deon Grant.
Conference: Southeastern.
Site: Knoxville. Stadium: Neyland (102,844)
Strengths: Running back; quarterback; offensive line; defensive
backfield.
Question Marks: Defensive line; wide receiver; placekicker.
Key Games: Sept. 18 at Florida; Oct. 9 Georgia; Oct. 23 at Alabama;
Nov. 6 Notre Dame; Nov. 13 at Arkansas.
No. 3 Penn State
1998 Record: 9-3
Coach: Joe Paterno (307-70-3, 33 years)
Starters Returning: 8 offense; 9 defense.
Players to Watch: LB Brandon Short; DE Courtney Brown; CB David
Macklin; QB Kevin Thompson; RB Eric McCoo; LB LaVar Arrington.
Conference: Big Ten.
Site: University Park, Pa. Stadium: Beaver (93,967)
Strengths: Offensive line; linebacker; kicking game.
Question Marks: Quarterback; defensive backfield.
Key Games: Aug. 28 Arizona; Sept. 18 at Miami; Oct. 16 at Ohio State;
Oct. 23 at Purdue; Nov. 13 Michigan.
No. 4 Arizona
1998 record: 12-1
Coach: Dick Tomey (84-52-4, 12 years; overall 147-98-7, 22 years)
Starters Returning: 7 offense; 9 defense.
Players to Watch: WR Dennis Northcutt; RB Trung Canidate; LB
Marcus Bell; DE Joe Tafoya; LB DaShon Polk; QB Keith Smith.
Conference: Pac-10.
Site: Tucson, Ariz. Stadium: Arizona (56,500).
Strengths: Defensive line; linebacker.
Question Marks: Defensive backfield; wide receiver.
Key Games: Aug. 28 at Penn State; Oct. 9 Southern Cal; Oct. 30 at
UCLA; Nov. 27 at Arizona State.
No. 5 Florida
1998 record: 10-2
Coach: Steve Spurrier (93-18-1, 9 years; overall 113-31-2, 12 years)
Starters Returning: 7 offense; 2 defense.
Players to Watch: QB Doug Johnson; WR Travis Taylor; DE Derrick
Chambers; LB Keith Kelsey; DT Gerard Warren; CB Bennie Alexander.
Conference: Southeastern.
Site: Gainesville. Stadium: Florida Field (83,000)
Strengths: Quarterback; offensive line.
Question Marks: Defensive line; linebacker.
Key Games: Sept. 18 Tennessee; Oct. 9 at LSU; Oct. 30 Georgia; Nov.
20 Florida State.
No. 6 Nebraska
1998 Record: 9-4
Coach: Frank Solich (9-4, 1 year)
Starters Returning: 7 offense; 9 defense.
Players to Watch: QB Bobby Newcombe; RB DeAngelo Evans; LB Eric Johnson; CB Ralph Brown; SE Matt Davison; SS Mike Brown.
Conference: Big 12.
Site: Lincoln, Neb. Stadium: Memorial (72,700)
Strengths: Quarterback; running back; defensive backfield.
Question Marks: Special teams; defensive line.
Key Games: Oct. 23 at Texas; Nov. 6 Texas A&M; Nov. 13 Kansas
State; Nov. 26 at Colorado.
No. 7 Michigan
1998 Record: 10-3
Coach: Lloyd Carr (39-11, 4 years)
Starters Returning: 5 offense; 8 defense.
Players to Watch: QB Tom Brady; RB Anthony Thomas; G Steve
Hutchinson; OLB James Hall; ILB Dhani Jones; NT Rob Renes; FS
Tommy Hendricks.
Conference: Big Ten.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. Stadium: Michigan (107,501).
Strengths: Defensive line; linebacker.
Question Marks: Offensive line; running back; defensive backfield.
Key Games: Sept. 4 Notre Dame; Sept. 18 at Syracuse; Sept. 25 at
Wisconsin; Oct. 2 Purdue; Nov. 13 at Penn State; Nov. 20 Ohio State.
No. 8 Texas A&M
1998 Record: 11-3
Coach: R.C. Slocum (94-28-2, 10 years)
Starters Returning: 8 offense; 8 defense.
Players to Watch: RB Dante Hall; QB Randy McCown; FB Ja'Mar
Toombs; WR Chris Cole; LB Roylin Bradley; CB Jason Webster; CB
Sedrick Curry.
Conference: Big 12.
Site: College Station, Texas. Stadium: Kyle Field (80,000)
Strengths: Defensive line; wide receiver; special teams.
Question Marks: Offensive line; quarterback.
Key Games: Sept. 25 Southern Miss; Nov. 6 at Nebraska; Nov. 26
Texas.
No. 9 Ohio State
1998 Record: 11-1
Coach: John Cooper (97-33-4, 11 years; overall 179-73-6, 22 years)
Starters Returning: 6 offense; 7 defense.
Players to Watch: RB Michael Wiley; WR Reggie Germany; LB Na'il
Diggs; FS Gary Berry; CB Ahmed Plummer; DB Percy King.
Conference: Big Ten.
Site: Columbus. Stadium: Ohio (89,841)
Strengths: Running back; offensive line; defensive line.
Question Marks: Quarterback; linebacker.
Key Games: Aug. 29 Miami at East Rutherford, N.J.; Sept. 11 UCLA;
Oct. 2 Wisconsin; Oct. 16 at Penn State; Nov. 20 at
Michigan.
No. 10 Wisconsin
1998 Record: 11-1
Coach: Barry Alvarez (60-42-4, 9 years)
Starters Returning: 7 offense; 8 defense.
Players to Watch: FB Ron Dayne; WR Chris Chambers; OT Chris
McIntosh; CB Jamar Fletcher; DE John Favret; LB Donnel Thompson;
LB Chris Ghidorzi.
Conference: Big Ten.
Site: Madison. Stadium: Camp Randall (76,129)
Strengths: Running back; offensive line; defensive line; linebacker.
Question Marks: Quarterback; defensive backfield.
Key Games: Sept. 25 Michigan; Oct. 2 at Ohio State; Nov. 6 at Purdue.
No. 11 Georgia Tech
1998 Record: 10-2
Coach: George O'Leary (28-21, 4 years)
Starters Returning: 7 offense; 5 defense.
Players to Watch: QB Joe Hamilton; WR Dez White; FS Traveres
Tillman; DE Felipe Claybrooks; RB Joe Burns; RB Philip Rogers.
Conference: Atlantic Coast.
Site: Grant Field/Bobby Dodd Stadium: (46,000).
Strengths: Offensive line; quarterback.
Question Marks: Defensive line; linebacker.
Key Games: Sept. 11 at Florida State; Nov. 6 at Virginia; Nov. 27
Georgia
No. 12 Miami
1998 Record: 9-3
Coach: Butch Davis (31-15, 4 years)
Starters Returning: 7 offense; 10 defense.
Players to Watch: QB Kenny Kelly; LB Dan Morgan; TE Daniel Franks;
LB Nate Webster; RB James Jackson.
Conference: Big East.
Site: Miami. Stadium: Orange Bowl (73,319)
Strengths: Running back; defensive line; linebacker.
Question Marks: Quarterback; secondary.
Key Games: Aug. 29 vs. Ohio State at East Rutherford, N.J.; Sept. 18
Penn State; Oct. 9 at Florida State; Nov. 13 at Virginia Tech; Nov. 27
Syracuse
No. 13 Georgia
1998 Record: 9-3
Coach: Jim Donnan (24-11, 3 years; overall 88-32, 9 years)
Starters Returning: 4 offense; 6 defense.
Players to Watch: QB Quincy Carter; TE Jevaris Johnson; OLB Orantes
Grant; RB Patrick Pass; G Steve Herndon; DT Richard Seymour; WR
Michael Greer.
Conference: Southeastern.
Site: Athens, Ga. Stadium: Sanford (86,117)
Strengths: Quarterback; linebacker; special teams.
Question Marks: Running back; wide receiver.
Key Games: Oct. 2 LSU; Oct. 9 at Tennessee; Oct. 30 at Florida; Nov.
27 at Georgia Tech.
No. 14 Virginia Tech
1998 Record: 9-3
Coach: Frank Beamer (77-59-2, 12 years; overall 119-82-4, 18 years)
Starters Returning: 7 offense; 8 defense.
Players to Watch: K Shane Graham; TB Shyrone Stith; DE Corey
Moore; DE John Engelberger; QB Michael Vick.
Conference: Big East.
Site: Stadium: (50,000)
Strengths: Defensive line; linebacker.
Question Marks: Quarterback; secondary.
Key Games: Oct. 2 at Virginia; Oct. 16 Syracuse; Nov. 13 Miami
No. 15 UCLA
1998 Record: 10-2
Coach: Bob Toledo (25-10, 3 years; overall 54-46, 9 years)
Starters Returning: 6 offense; 8 defense.
Players to Watch: WR Danny Farmer; LB Ryan Nece; DE Kenyon
Coleman; RB DeShaun Foster; CB Jason Bell; WR Freddie Mitchell; OL
Brian Polak.
Conference: Pac-10.
Site: Los Angeles. Stadium: Rose Bowl (98,000).
Strengths: Wide receiver; offensive line.
Question Marks: Quarterback; offensive line; kicking game.
Key Games: Sept. 11 at Ohio State; Oct. 2 at Arizona State; Oct. 30
Arizona; Nov. 20 at Southern Cal.
No. 16 Texas
1998 Record: 9-3
Coach: Mack Brown (9-3, 1 year; 95-77-1, 15 years)
Starters Returning: 4 offense; 7 defense.
Players to Watch: QB Major Applewhite; WR Kwame Cavil; DT Casey Hampton; DE Aaron Humphrey; K Kris Stockton; FS Quentin Jammer.
Conference: Big 12.
Site: Austin. Stadium: (79,437).
Strengths: Quarterback; defensive line.
Question Marks: Offensive line; cornerback; running back.
Key Games: Oct 2 Kansas State; Oct. 23 Nebraska; Nov. 26 at Texas
A&M
No. 17 Colorado
1998 Record: 8-4
Coach: Gary Barnett (1st year; overall 43-56-2, 9 years)
Starters Returning: 9 offense; 7 defense.
Players to Watch: CB Ben Kelly; QB Mike Moschetti; LB Jashon Sykes;
CB Damen Wheeler; DT Justin Bannan; G Ryan Johanningmeier.
Conference: Big 12.
Site: Boulder, Colo. Stadium: (51,808)
Strengths: Quarterback; wide receiver; kicking game.
Question Marks: Running back; linebacker.
Key Games: Sept. 25 at Washington; Nov. 6 at Kansas State; Nov. 26
Nebraska
No. 18 Notre Dame
1998 Record: 9-3
Coach: Bob Davie (16-9, 2 years)
Starters Returning: 4 offense; 8 defense.
Players to Watch: TE Jabari Holloway; DE Grant Irons; QB Jarious
Jackson; DB Gerome Sapp; RB Tony Driver.
Conference: Independent.
Site: South Bend, Ind. Stadium: Notre Dame (80,000)
Strengths: Quarterback; linebacker; defensive line.
Question Marks: Running back; defensive line; special teams.
Key Games: Sept. 4 at Michigan; Sept. 11 at Purdue; Oct. 9 Arizona
State; Oct. 16 Southern California; Nov. 6 at Tennessee.
No. 19 Kansas State
1998 Record: 11-2
Coach: Bill Snyder (77-39-1, 10 years)
Starters Returning: 3 offense; 7 defense.
Players to Watch: RB David Allen; OLB Mark Simoneau; WR Aaron
Lockett; SS Jarrod Cooper; K Jamie Rheem; QB Jonathan Beasley.
Conference: Big 12.
Site: Manhattan. Stadium: KSU (50,000)
Strengths: Defensive line; secondary; special teams.
Question Marks: Quarterback; offensive line; running back.
Key Games: Oct. 2 at Texas; Nov. 6 Colorado; Nov. 13 at Nebraska
No. 20 Alabama
1998 Record: 7-5
Coach: Mike DuBose (11-12, 2 years)
Starters Returning: 8 offense; 7 defense.
Players to Watch: RB Shaun Alexander; OT Chris Samuels; DE Kenny
Smith; DE Kindal Moorhead; DT Cornelius Griffin; CB
Milo Lewis.
Conference: Southeastern.
Site: Tuscaloosa, Ala. Stadium: Bryant-Denny (83,818).
Strengths: Running back; defensive line.
Question Marks: Quarterback; linebacker; wide receiver.
Key Games: Sept. 25 Arkansas; Oct. 2 at Florida; Oct. 23 Tennessee;
Nov. 6 LSU.
No. 21 Southern Cal
1998 Record: 8-5
Coach: Paul Hackett (8-5, 1 year; 21-25-1, 4 years)
Starters Returning: 9 offense; 6 defense.
Players to Watch: R. Jay Soward; QB Carson Palmer; DT Ennis Davis;
CB Antuan Simmons; OLB Sultan Abdul-Malik.
Conference: Pacific 10.
Site: Los Angeles. Stadium: L.A. Coliseum (92,000).
Strengths: Wide receiver; quarterback; kick returner.
Question Marks: Offensive line; defensive back.
Key Games: Oct. 9 at Arizona; Oct. 16 at Notre Dame; Nov. 6 Arizona
State; Nov. 20 UCLA.
No. 22 Arkansas
1998 Record: 9-3
Coach: Houston Nutt (9-3, 1 year; 45-25, 6 years)
Starters Returning: 6 offense; 6 defense.
Players to Watch: QB Clint Stoerner; RB Chrys Chukwuma; WR
Anthony Lucas; TE Joe Dean Davenport; FS Kenoy Kennedy; DT D.J.
Cooper.
Conference: Southeastern.
Site: Fayetteville, Ark. Stadium: (50,000).
Strengths: Quarterback; wide receiver; linebacker.
Question Marks: Offensive line; defensive line.
Key Games: Sept. 25 at Alabama; Nov. 13 Tennessee; Nov. 27 at LSU.
No. 23 Purdue
1998 Record: 9-4
Coach: Joe Tiller (18-7, 2 years; 55-37-1, 8 years).
Starters Returning: 6 offense; 6 defense.
Players to Watch: QB Drew Brees; WR Randall Lane; LB Jason
Loerzel; DT Matt Mitrione; K Travis Dorsch
Conference: Big Ten.
Site: Lafayette, Ind. Stadium: (67,332).
Strengths: Quarterback; offensive line.
Question Marks: Defensive line; linebacker.
Key Games: Sept. 11 Notre Dame; Oct. 2 at Michigan; Oct. 9 at Ohio
State; Oct. 23 Penn State; Nov. 6 Wisconsin.
No. 24 Virginia
1998 Record: 9-3
Coach: George Welsh (121-75-3, 17 years; overall record 176-121-4, 26 years)
Starters Returning: 7 offense; 7 defense.
Players to Watch: QB Dan Ellis; TB Thomas Jones; DE Travis Griffith;
LB Byron Thweatt; CB Dwayne Stukes; WR Kevin Coffey.
Conference: Atlantic Coast.
Site: Charlottesville, Va. Stadium: Scott (44,000)
Strengths: Running back; offensive line.
Question Marks: Defensive line; quarterback.
Key Games: Sept. 25 at Brigham Young; Oct. 2 Virginia Tech; Oct. 30
Florida State; Nov. 6 Georgia Tech
No. 25 Arizona State
1998 Record: 5-6
Coach: Bruce Snyder (46-33, 7 years; overall 114-94-5, 19 years)
Starters Returning: 6 offense; 5 defense.
Players to Watch: QB Ryan Kealy; RB J.R. Redmond; TE Kendrick
Bates; CB Courtney Jackson; DT Junior Ioane.
Conference: Pac-10.
Site: Tempe, Ariz. Stadium: Sun Devil (73,379).
Strengths: Running back; wide receiver; offensive line.
Question Marks: Defensive line; kicking game.
Key Games: Oct. 2 UCLA; Oct. 9 at Notre Dame; Nov. 6 at Southern
Cal; Nov. 27 Arizona.
| |
ALSO SEE
Harig: Coaches carrying college football's legacy
ACC: Taking to the skies
Big East: Battling for balance, respect
Big Ten: Plenty to choose from
Big 12: Change becoming a constant
Big West: Resilience on and off the field
C-USA: Trying to find its way
MAC: Taking the act uptown
Mountain West: Playing a name game
Pac-10: Parity hasn't produced excellence
SEC: The toughest tour in the country
WAC: Success hinges on new identity
Independents: Irish eye national title run
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