| Rank | Team | Final '97 AP Ranking | '97 Record | Returning Starters | Schedule Strength |
| 41 | Marshall | N.R. | 10-3 | 14 | 111 |
| Chad Pennington (39 touchdown passes in 1997) has his own Web site: www.HerdQB.com
|
| 42 | Stanford | N.R. | 5-6 | 9 | 20 |
| Stock dropped when quarterback-pitcher Chad Hutchinson chose St. Louis Cardinals over Cardinal
|
| 43 | USC | N.R. | 6-5 | 16 | 6 |
| One of every five balls that wideout R. Jay Soward catches goes for a touchdown
|
| 44 | Purdue | 15 | 9-3 | 13 | 32 |
| Offense that averaged 33 points in Big Ten play has lost coordinator Tim Lappano and wideout Brian Alford to NFL
|
| 45 | Iowa | N.R. | 7-5 | 13 | 46 |
|
Hawkeyes' career sack leader, defensive tackle Jared DeVries (33), returns for senior season
|
| 46 | SMU | N.R. | 6-5 | 15 | 78 |
|
Mustangs trying to notch back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1985-86
|
| 47 | Alabama | N.R. | 4-7 | 12 | 3 |
|
Junior tailback Shaun Alexander holds single-game school rushing record of 291 yards (set in 1996)
|
| 48 | Rice | N.R. | 7-4 | 15 | 71 |
|
Flightless Owls: No. 2 rushing team in the nation (332 yards per game) passed 69 times in 1997
|
| 49 | Mississippi | 22 | 8-4 | 12 | 39 |
|
Six-foot-four, 245-pound tight end Rufus French is magnifique!
|
| 50 | Northwestern | N.R. | 5-7 | 13 | 24 |
|
Wildcats must settle on either redshirt freshman Gavin Hoffman or Mizzou transfer John McArthur at quarterback
|
| 51 | N.C. State | N.R. | 6-5 | 10 | 17 |
|
Quarterback Jamie Barnette will lock in on Torry Holt, who led ACC with 16 touchdown catches in 1997
|
| 52 | Utah | N.R. | 6-5 | 11 | 101 |
|
Soft nonconference lineup (Utah State, Louisville, Boise State) could get Utes rolling
|
| 53 | Washington State | 9 | 10-2 | 7 | 34 |
|
Cougars, with just two returning starters on offense, won't change legacy of never having had back-to-back bowl seasons |
| 54 | Central Florida | N.R. | 5-6 | 16 | 105 |
|
Daunte Culpepper (3,086 passing yards, 25 touchdown passes) could be first quarterback taken in 1999 NFL draft |
| 55 | Louisiana Tech | N.R. | 9-2 | 13 | 82 |
|
QB Tim Rattay led nation in total offense in 1997; WR Troy Edwards was tops in both receiving and all-purpose yardage |
| 56 | Miami (Ohio) | N.R. | 8-3 | 13 | 85 |
|
With 37 rushing touchdowns in his first two seasons, Travis Prentice is on pace to break NCAA record of 64 |
| 57 | Arkansas | N.R. | 4-7 | 20 | 18 |
|
New defensive co-coordinators are Keith Burns and Bobby Allen. Say good night, Gracie
|
| 58 | Wyoming | N.R. | 7-6 | 14 | 77 |
|
Only Florida State surpassed Cowboys' 54-sack total of a year ago
|
| 59 | Kansas | N.R. | 5-6 | 14 | 56 |
|
Good news: Offensive line returns intact. Bad news: Jayhawks last in nation in total offense in 1997
|
| 60 | Texas Tech | N.R. | 6-5 | 13 | 63 |
|
The "other" Ricky Williams set Red Raiders freshman rushing record (894 yards) in 1997
|
| 61 | Clemson | N.R. | 7-5 | 13 | 48 |
|
Offense lost five players who held 60 school records; QB Brandon Streeter returns from a broken ankle suffered in spring
|
| 62 | East Carolina | N.R. | 5-6 | 14 | 92 |
|
Linebacker Roderick Coleman and nosetackle Travis Darden (combined 23 sacks last season) lead an all-senior front four
|
| 63 | South Carolina | N.R. | 5-6 | 13 | 10 |
|
Free safety Arturo Freeman, Gamecocks' best defender, will be out most of the year with ligament damage in right knee
|
| 64 | Boston College | N.R. | 4-7 | 15 | 51 |
|
Eagles will start just two seniors, linebacker Brian Maye and tackle Andrew Krauza, on defense
|
| 65 | Air Force | N.R. | 10-3 | 9 | 76 |
|
Nation's 10th-ranked defense has lost all four starting linebackers from 1997
|
| 66 | Memphis | N.R. | 4-7 | 15 | 55 |
|
Sophomore quarterback Kenton Evans, who passed for more than 10,000 yards in high school, is the likely starter
|
| 67 | Cal | N.R. | 3-8 | 17 | 5 |
|
Punchless Bears added little to an offense that led Pac-10 in time of possession in 1997 but was seventh in scoring
|
| 68 | New Mexico | N.R. | 9-4 | 9 | 100 |
|
Quarterback Graham Leigh threw for 24 touchdowns and ran for eight more in 1997
|
| 69 | Oklahoma | N.R. | 4-8 | 17 | 62 |
|
Good news in Norman: For first time since 1927, Sooners don't play Nebraska
|
| 70 | San Diego State | N.R. | 5-7 | 9 | 79 |
|
Defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila had WAC-high 12 sacks in 1997
|
| 71 | Ohio | N.R. | 8-3 | 16 | 94 |
|
Bobcats were fourth in the nation with 301.9 rushing yards per game; leading receiver Damion Maxwell had seven catches
|
| 72 | Pittsburgh | N.R. | 6-6 | 13 | 67 |
|
Walt Harris voted Big East Coach of the Year after taking previously pathetic Panthers bowling; lanes closed this year
|
| 73 | Nevada | N.R. | 5-6 | 13 | 102 |
|
Juco transfer quarterback Erik Stidham inherits nation's No. 1 air attack of a year ago
|
| 74 | Minnesota | N.R. | 3-9 | 16 | 16 |
|
Brutal conference schedule (all seven of last year's Big Ten bowl teams) likely spells eighth straight losing season
|
| 75 | Louisville | N.R. | 1-10 | 17 | 73 |
|
New coach John Smith, from Utah State, will build one-back, three-wideout offense around talented QB Chris Redman
|
| 76 | Fresno State | N.R. | 6-6 | 16 | 87 |
|
Five-foot-seven linebacker Tim Skipper is the Bulldogs' leading returning tackler with 117
|
| 77 | Vanderbilt | N.R. | 3-8 | 13 | 22 |
|
Commodores were the only team in 1997 with a top 10 defense and a losing record
|
| 78 | Western Michigan | N.R. | 8-3 | 16 | 110 |
|
Nation's most-improved team in 1997 welcomes back fullback Robert Sanford (1,033 yards) |
| 79 | Indiana | N.R. | 2-9 | 13 | 8 |
|
Senior fullback Chris Gall had team-high 54 receptions in 1997
|
| 80 | Houston | N.R. | 3-8 | 13 | 44 |
|
Cougars play all home games on campus, at 20,500-seat Robertson Stadium, for first time since 1949
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