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Florida State

For the fourth straight year, the Seminoles failed to live up to their lofty preseason rankings -- and probably didn't deserve them in the first place. FSU's once-feared offense has fallen to pieces under coordinator Jeff Bowden. The second half of the season, the 'Noles lost to Maryland and Florida and struggled to beat Wake Forest and N.C. State.

Louisville

The Cardinals were overshadowed by undefeated Utah and Boise State, but they may just be the best of the three. Their only loss came to Miami at the Orange Bowl in a game they led at one point 31-14. Louisville is the first team in history to score 55 points in five consecutive games, and QB Stefan LeFors is on pace to break the NCAA record for pass efficiency.

Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish fire their coach, it's front-page news. They get rejected by their first choice, it's front-page news. They hire a coach, it's front-page news. Their president speaks, it's front-page news. Sure seems like an excessive amount of attention for a team that hasn't won a national title in 16 years.

Alex Smith, Utah

For a pencil-thin 20-year-old, the Utes' junior quarterback had no problem carrying a $14 million burden -- the amount a school receives for reaching the BCS -- on his shoulders for 11 games. The certifiable genius (he entered Utah with enough credits to be a junior) ran Urban Meyer's unique spread/option offense to perfection while both running and passing.

Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma

Simply put, Peterson was the game's most dominant freshman since Herschel Walker 24 years ago. In the Sooners' biggest game of the season against Texas, with QB Jason White struggling, Peterson, in just his fifth collegiate contest, ran for 225 yards. He had 249 gainst Oklahoma State, and he became the first freshman to finish second for the Heisman.

Tim Frisby, South Carolina

Having completed a 20-year career in the U.S. Army, this 39-year-old father of six decided not to let age get in the way of a lifelong dream and walked on to the South Carolina football team as a receiver. Frisby never caught a pass in a game, but he caught the attention of David Letterman and Jay Leno and captured the hearts of his teammates.

Florida-South Carolina

You can go ahead and mark the calendar now for Nov. 12. That's the day new Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier will face his former team, the Gators, themselves led by first-year coach Urban Meyer. Many in Gainesville were upset that Florida didn't immediately offer the job to the 'Ol Ball Coach. Will Meyer make them forget?