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The Goal - See 'em all!

CollegeFootballFan.com Caps Record Season in 2002; 18 Games and 9 New Teams

    CFF.com attended a record 18 games in 2002, including 13 Division 1A games featuring nine new teams toward “ The Goal to See –em All! “  Eight 2002 bowl teams were seen as well as five conference cellar dwellers.   Several high scoring, close, exciting games were attended as well as some expected blowouts, the price we sometimes pay to eventually see all 117 teams!  CFF also attended five 1AA games involving several playoff teams and traveled to four new venues in the states of Massachusetts, Nevada and Texas.  Overall, it was a fun year that included some great games, record-breaking performances, and tailgate parties with old and new friends alike.  Go to our Archives page to rehash the details of each game attended and editions of “Steveo’s Salvos”.  The following Review is an encapsulation of the entire season depicting the fun memories.  CFF looks forward to attending more exciting games and seeing more new teams toward The Goal! next season.

Delaware 22 - Georgia Southern 19 - The Fighting Blue Hens of Delaware won its season opener and started the new era of UD football under new coach KC Keeler as it honored its former, legendary Head Coach, Harold “Tubby” Raymond. Delaware dedicated the evening to honor his 300-victory career that ended in 2001.  The Blue Hens hosted perennial power Georgia Southern in a well-played struggle that wasn’t over until the final minute of play. Blue Hen HB Antawn Jenkins crossed the goal line twice and Georgia Tech transfer QB Andy Hall ran for 88 yards and a TD from a spread offense. The game wasn't on ice until UD recovered an Eagle onside kick with :07 remaining.   GSU (10-3), under its new Head Coach Mike Sewak, ended the regular season ranked #3 in 1AA as it lost in the semi-finals of 1AA play to eventual National Champ, Western Kentucky, 31-28.  Delaware finished at 6-6 losing all six games by a total of only 26 points!  The Blue Hens will be primed and ready for the A-10 in 2003.

Notre Dame 22 - Maryland 0  - The last Kick-off Classic ever featured the first game played by Notre Dame under its new Head Coach Tyrone Willingham, who turned Irish fortunes around in one year from 5-6 to 10-3 for a final #17 ranking.   The Irish defense rose to the occasion this night and carried the team most of the early season as DB Shane Walton intercepted two passes to thwart Terp QBs and backfield mate Vontez Duff returned a punt for a 76-yard TD to catapult ND to a strong start for the season.  PK Nick Setta converted five FGs for the Irish.  A lame EJ Henderson, eventual winner of the Butkus and Bednarik awards, recovering from back surgery played a valiant game in his condition for the Terps.  Maryland played without the services of injured RB Bruce Perry and with an experienced QB Scott McBrien.  CFF would see a different Terp team in three weeks that would spark the start to its second consecutive, successful season under second-year HC Ralph Friedgen. In a trip to the Gator Bowl, the Irish were humbled by NC State, 28-6, to finish its surprisingly strong season on a sour note.

Oregon State 35 - Temple 3  - On a clear Thursday night in Philly, CFF saw the first game of a Big East vs. PAC-10 doubleheader weekend.  Two teams battled feeling their way with Soph QBs operating their respective offenses.  The Beavers’ Derek Anderson completely outclassed Owl QB Mike McGann flipping four TD passes among his 286 yards compared to 3 INTS and 99 yards thrown by his counterpart. Beaver RB Steven Jackson accounted for 117 yards on 25 carries, but was not an impact player in this game as he would be for OSU later in the season.  HC Dennis Erickson relied more on his young QB and his receiving corps to rack up the points at Franklin Field, oldest NCAA venue in the USA.  Temple would finish their season at 4-8 with two Big East wins.  Next year, the Owls will share the new Lincoln Financial Stadium with the NFL’s Eagles when they return to action.  OSU finished fifth in the PAC-10 with an overall record of 8-4 in the regular season.  In the Insight.com Bowl, the Beavers would fall in defeat to another Big East school, Pittsburgh, 38-13, to end its season.  CFF found the New Deck Tavern not far from Franklin Field on this evening and plans to meet up with friends there again when future games are attended in the City of Brotherly Love.  OSU went in CFF’s record book as Team # 74.

Boston College 34 - Stanford  27 – In the second game of our Big East-PAC 10 DH, CFF attended a game in Chestnut Hill, MA for the first time to see the Stanford Cardinal (#75) play for the first time.  A true travel adventure was had before the game as our train stopped due to wires fallen across the tracks and we were switched to a bus that dropped off everyone but CFF and a few other Eagles fans at Boston’s South Street Station. The driver then transported us directly to Alumni Field just in time for kick-off!  Stanford, without starting QB Chris Lewis who was suspended, played one of its most competitive games of the season in its opener as it eventually became the PAC-10 Cellar Dweller (2-9,1-7) under new HC Buddy Teevens, who replaced ND’s Tyrone Willingham.  What a difference a coach can make!  Frosh QB Kyle Matters played admirably for Stanford, but a TD burst up the middle by BC RB Derrick Knight from 12 yards out with: 36 remaining sealed the victory for the Eagles who finished the season at 8-4 overall.  BC accepted an invitation to the Motor City Bowl where the Purple Eagles manhandled the Toledo Rockets, 51-28, as the Eagle seniors played their fourth bowl in a row under HC Tom O’Brien.

Penn State 40  - Nebraska 7  - CFF watched the beginning of the end for Nebraska in 2002 as the 3-0, #7 ranked Cornhuskers fell hard in the second half to cause Beaver Stadium to “bleed”. A trail of red-clad Husker fans fled the northeast corner of Beaver Stadium starting late in Q3.  The record crowd of 110,753 in State College watched Zack Mills throw for 259 yards and TB Larry Johnson ramble for 123 yards and 2 TDs.  Frosh Mike Robinson displayed his skills at QB, RB and receiver for the Lions as well.  This loss was the start of the mighty Huskers’ demise from BCS participant in 2001 to a 7-6 overall at the end of 2002 before it lost to Mississippi, 27-23, in the Independence Bowl.  2002 was the Huskers’ first non-winning season since 1964!  CFF would see PSU two more times later against lackluster Big Ten foes.

Northwestern 49 – Navy 40  – In the day game of CFF’s Doubleheader Saturday played in the state of Maryland on a beautiful September afternoon, we were entertained in a high scoring affair between two teams that would total only five wins between them by the end of the season.  The Wildcats achieved the third of the five this afternoon.  CFF would see both teams play again later in the season with totally different results.  Northwestern’s RB Jason Wright looked like a world-beater this day as he dominated the Navy defense with three rushing TDs and 186 yards.  The Mids would score much this day also taking the lead 38-35 with 10:28 remaining.   An interception in the end zone sealed their fate with 1:19 left against the first Big Ten team to visit Annapolis in many years.  The plans to upgrade and expand Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium that will feature a museum and memorials to both services will keep CFF going back to Annapolis for future games no matter what the success of Navy football.   The program is now under the guidance of HC Paul Johnson, who won two 1AA championships previously at Georgia Southern.

Maryland  45 – Eastern Michigan 3  -  In the nightcap of our double-header in College Park, MD, about half an hour from Annapolis, CFF witnessed the start of the Terps’ season turnaround albeit against overmatched EMU, whom we watched for the first time to become #76 toward The Goal!  After a 1-2 start with losses to ND and Florida State,  Maryland got things headed in the right direction.  All-America LB EJ Henderson was playing at full strength again, QB Scott McBrien was improved under the tutelage of his HC, “The Fridge”, as he threw for 300 yards, SR TB Chris Downs filled in amply for the injured Bruce Perry with two TDs and WR/Returner Steve Suter was compiling a highlight film utilizing his speed for big gains.  For UMD, this was the first of eight consecutive wins before losing to Virginia to finish tied for second in the ACC and 10-3 overall.  Under the “Fridge” in his second season, the Terps won ten games for the second year in a row and warranted and invitation to the Peach Bowl where it trounced Tennessee, 30-3.  Maryland would be the highest ranked 1A team CFF watched in 2002 as it finished ranked # 13 in the USA/ESPN Coaches Poll.   Henderson wrangled All-American honors including the Butkus award as the nation’s top LB.  Watch out for him on Sundays next season!   Things are looking up for the Terps again next year as well and CFF hopes to see them play in a key conference game if possible or against another new foe to add to The Goal!  As for the Eagles of EMU, they were a team that was unprepared as any seen this year.  They finished as the Cellar Dweller in the MAC’s Western Division at 1-7, 3-9 overall.  CFF wonders how HC Jeff Woodruff’s career bodes in the near future at Ypsilanti.  He’s now 8-26 during his three seasons there.

Princeton 36 -  Lafayette 19 - CFF disappointingly had to replace a game it had originally intended to see between first-timer Ball State and UConn which the former won in OT, 24-21. Because of the unexpected sell-out announced the night before he game due to the Huskies’ parents’ weekend, CFF quickly changed plans.  Rather than taking a chance to trek to Storrs without a ticket, CFF settled on an Ivy-Patriot evening contest that saw the Tigers allow the Leopards to creep back 24-19 in the third quarter before they eventually roared past the visitors on the rushing of RB Cameron Atkinson who gained 121 yards and scored 3 TDs.  The Tiger D picked off 4 Lafayette passes to hold the Leopards in check this evening.  PU floundered toward the end of its season to finish at 6-4 while the Leopards turned in their first winning season in years finishing at 7-5 which included a win over archrival Lehigh for the first time since 1986.  Lafayette’s future will probably built upon the wheels of hard running Soph RB Joe McCourt, whose workhorse ways netted him 149 yards versus the Tigers.

Lehigh 36 -  Harvard  35  -   Two mighty mite RBS scored three TDs each for their respective teams while the Mountain Hawks lived up to their recent reputation of “Comeback Kids”.  Lehigh’s 5’5” RB Jermaine Pugh swept right with :48 remaining in this game to overcome a 35-21 deficit late in Q3 and three fumbles of his own to cap the scoring of a 36-35 1AA thriller! The Crimson’s QB, Ryan Fitzpatrick, subbing for the injured Neil Rose, threw for 289 yards but relied on 5’4” TB Bill Palazzo in short yardage TD situations for 3 scores.  Former Rutgers QB Chad Schwenk engineered the final 2-minute drive by the Mountain Hawks.  Harvard was on the move in Lehigh territory when time expired.  The Hawks found themselves out of the 1AA playoffs for the first time in several years as upstart Fordham ousted them as Patriot League champs.  Harvard would be seen in a key Ivy League battle by CFF two weeks later.

TCU 46 - Army 27 - A continuous downpour kept Army in this game until late in Q3. Though dominant throughout, TCU, eventual winner of the 2002 Liberty Bowl over Colorado State, 17-3, turned the ball over in several key situations when it mishandled the wet pigskin to allow Army to trail only 32-27 entering Q4.  QB Tye Gunn, RB Ricky Madison and PK Nick Browne were prime offensive weapons that helped the Frogs maintain their lead.  But the true heroine of the game was my wife Laurie who responded the P.A. warning to move the car parked by the South Dock Area on the Hudson where cars were about to be washed away by the mighty river.  TCU was #77 on the CFF list and CFF could not risk missing the last quarter of play to make this game count!  Besides, it was an unexpectedly close game. Outmanned Army played hard as usual, but RB Lonta Hobbs’ 65-yard jaunt off right tackle in Q4 finally sealed Army’s fate in the fourth.  Thanks to Laurie’s effort, the van was saved, and CFF saw TCU, team #77, which finished the season at 10-2 ranked #22 in the final polls.  Army would finish CFF’s season versus Navy in December.

Penn State 49 - Northwestern 0  - CFF witnessed the Larry Johnson show on this cold, cloudy day as QB Zack Mills relented his passing game (120 yards) to the SR RB who set a PSU single game record racking up 257 yards early in Q3 against the Wildcats “no road-show” defense, one CFF had already seen allow 40 points by Navy in Annapolis earlier this season.  Johnson had two TDs in this game as the Lions stormed to a 35-0 halftime lead.  His brother, WR Tony, hauled in a 40-yd TD pass right before halftime. CFF enjoyed the hospitality of Rich and Laurie Williams and friends who traveled appropriately to State College in a rented mobile home on this cold, wet day.  Northwestern has returned to their old ways as Big 10 doormat, finishing 1-7 in conference play and 3-9 overall. They were one of five Cellar Dwellers seen by CFF in 2002.

Harvard 24 - Princeton 17 - A game between two traditionally-rich football rivals with over 700+ wins each and unblemished Ivy records conjured up pre-game anticipation for an intense match-up by CFF, but alas, the Tigers and their followers seemed to have cared less about The Crimson on this day.  The sleeping Tigers allowed the Crimson to take a 24-7 lead into the third quarter on 3 short TD runs by Harvard RB Bill Palazzo (once again as witnessed by CFF vs. Lehigh).  The Tiger coaching staff, indicating little confidence in the team’s place kicker, relinquished several short FG attempts.  The Tigers never seemed to get interested and lost starting QB David Splithoff to a separated shoulder on the first play of the last quarter.  Back-up QB Matt Verbit connected in the end zone with WR Chisom Opara with 3:42 remaining, and though the Tiger sideline finally seemed to stir with some interest, the Tigers’ inept focus on the field ineffectively managed the clock to halt the Crimson with enough time remaining.  Verbit’s next pass attempt was intercepted by DE Brian Garcia to mitigate any final threat.  The Tigers would falter in three of their last five games to finish 6-4 overall, 4-3 in the Ivies.  The Crimson would finish their League record at 6-1, 7-3 overall, but were completely dominated by Ivy champ Penn, 44-9, who finished 7-0 to totally dominate the rest of the Ivy League.

UNLV 49 - Wyoming 48 (OT) – CFF saw a great game in its first Mountain West Conference contest ever between two first-time teams (#78 vs. #79) going nowhere.  The trip from The Strip to Sam Boyd Stadium turned out to be a fiasco, but the game action was second to none and well worth the long walk.  The only disappointment in the game was that the final score came down to a missed PAT.  Cowboy QB Casey Bramlett, who threw for 5 TDs and 420 yards this evening, connected with WR Scottie Vines in the end zone as time expired on the final play of regulation.  Down 42-40 and finding no receiver open, Bramlett outstretched his arm over the goal line for two to knot the score at 42-42 for OT.  Wyoming scored a TD on its first OT series on a 1-yd run by Kit Bradshaw, but FR PK Scott Parker’s PAT attempt, however, sailed wide right.  UNLV responded with a 25-yard TD pass from QB Jason Thomas (329 yards passing, 2 TD passes and 3 TDs rushing) to WR Steve Costa on the very next play.  The extra point was good for the Runnin’ Reb victory, and CFF ventured back to the Strip in style on a cold desert night after an exciting game.  Wyoming coach Vic Koennig lost his job at season’s end after a horrid 2-10 season and a last place finish in the MWC.  CFF’s timing couldn’t have been better to see the Pokes this season!  John Robinson’s Rebs finished a disappointing 5-7, and CFF will probably rent a car the next time we visit Sam Boyd Stadium!

UConn 63 - Kent State 21 - Up and coming Connecticut took a 48-0 lead at the half to totally embarrass another weak MAC team on the CFF schedule this year.  The only reason to remain at the final game ever at UConn’s Memorial Stadium was to record the Golden Flashes as team #80 on our drive to the Goal!  Husky Soph QB Dan Orlovsky is a work in progress who led his team to four straight victories including a win at Iowa State to complete the Huskies’ record at 6-6.  Frosh RB Terry Caulley ran for 175 yards and scored 4 TDs in the first half and will be the Husky workhorse for years to come.  Kent State put forth one of the worst efforts ever witnessed by CFF.  QB Joshua Cribbs, who is aiming to become the first player to pass and rush for over 1000 yards in more than two seasons, got hurt, but was unimpressive to say the least.  A coaching change is due there in the not too distant future as the Flashes finished 3-9 for the season.  HC Dean Pees is 12-44   during his career at Kent.  The Connecticut future is looking bright as HC Randy Edsall builds a strong foundation before UC enters the Big East Conference in 2005.

Hawaii 33 - Rice 28 - CFF made its long overdue trip to Texas to watch a college game for the first time, and we were not too disappointed in a fairly competitive game in our first ever Western Athletic Conference game.  Hawaii Bowl-bound Hawaii (CFF #81) ventured to Rice Stadium to meet us half way across our country as the Bows and Owls (CFF #82) played a great game that wasn’t decided until only :08 remained as the Owls final effort stalled at the UH 8 yard line.  Hawaii QB Timmy Chang spread his passes among his wide-outs for 369 yards and took a 33-21 lead in the fourth quarter.  Rice cut the lead when it scrapped its option offense and brought in QB Greg Henderson who relied more on his arm than the legs, as had Owl starter Kyle Herm.  Henderson connected from 54 yards out to WR Marcus Battle with over 4 minutes to go, but final efforts came up short as the Owls ran out of time to finish the season at 4-7.  Coming all the way out from Jersey, CFF ran into the Houston version of the MOB (Marching Owl Band).  The Bows faltered in their Bowl Game against Tulane, 36-28, as QB Timmy Chang was knocked out with an injury and a slight lead versus The Wave.  Chang will return next year with a solid nucleus that finished the 2002 season at 11-3.  The Bows and Owls would be the last of the new teams CFF would watch in 2002.

Penn State 61 - Michigan State 7 - In another first half 48-0 blow-out in which Lion RB Larry Johnson accumulated 279 yards and 4 TDS in the first half, the Lions annihilated the demoralized Spartans who lost QB Jeff Smoker earlier in the season to a drug problem, and their Head Coach Bobby Williams to a lack of leadership problem.  Spartan All-America WR Charles Rogers provided no threat to a fired up Nittany Lion defense, and Larry Johnson established the PSU single-season rushing record of 2,015 yards which was good enough to earn him the Maxwell award.  He became only the ninth player in NCAA history to gain 2,000+ in a season and set an NCAA mark of 8.02 yards per carry.  The Spartans staggered back to East Lansing with a final 4-8 record.  The Lions finished 9-4 for the season including a loss to Auburn in the Capital One Bowl to fall to a final ranking of #15.

Fordham 29 - Northeastern 24  - CFF traveled to Brookline, MA to watch two 1AA teams play for the first on our schedule.  The two teams themselves entered the playoffs for the first time and put up quite an intense struggle.  The surprising Fordham Rams of the Patriot League surprised the Huskies of the strong Atlantic 10 Conference.  Kicker and punter Mike Fordyce put on quite a show this day for the Rams with his five accurate FGs, booming kickoffs and his well-placed punts.  Ram QB Kevin Eakin (269 yards) hooked up with his tight ends for several big plays as Northeastern mounted a comeback with its powerful running game.  Two late turnovers forced by the Ram defense thwarted the Husky comeback.   RB Tim Gale scored from the one with :55 remaining to close the gap until NU succumbed with a failed onsides kick.   The game was well played and exciting, and only reinforced CFF’s desire once again for a 1A playoff series!

Navy 58 - Army 12 - Record-setting devastation took place in this greatest of all college football rivalries. Scoring records by the Mids and their QB Craig Candeto who tallied six scores running and one passing embarrassed the Black Knights throughout the course of the day.  Navy scored the first eight times it possessed the football and rushed for 421 yards.  As in recent years, each team entered the contest with one win each, but Navy scored the most points ever in this intense rivalry. The Cadets were hapless. The O-line even sacked its own QB Reggie Nevels on one particular play. Army reinforces CFF’s thoughts that the Cadets cannot run the wide-open offense HC Todd Berry would like to.  The videos played on the scoreboard were entertaining to watch as Mids and Cadets made fun of each other’s lifestyles.  CFF only hopes that they continue to play the game in Philly in the future and no longer in the Meadowlands, which presents such an antiseptic environment around college football.

We can’t wait until next season!  Check out our 2003 schedule and follow us next season!

Steve Koreivo, ed.  Collegefootballfan.com