| DIVISION I-AA |
| RANK | TEAM | 2001 RECORD | 2001 RANK |
| 1 | MONTANA | 15-1 | 1 |
| The defending champs bring back 16 starters, including unflappable senior QB John Edwards (13 TDs passing, five rushing) |
| 2 | NORTHERN IOWA | 11-3 | 4 |
| With four senior O line starters, running backs Adam Benge (1,383 yards) and Richard Carter (957 yards) should see lots of daylight |
| 3 | EASTERN ILLINOIS | 9-2 | 9 |
| Senior QB Tony Romo, who threw for 2,068 yards, led I-AA with a 178.3 QB rating last season |
| 4 | LEHIGH | 11-1 | 5 |
| The Mountain Hawks have won 23 consecutive regular-season games, longest streak in Division I or I-AA |
| 5 | FURMAN | 12-3 | 2 |
| Fifth-year quarterback Billy Napier must shake off his disappointing showing in the title-game loss to Montana |
| 6 | GEORGIA SOUTHERN | 12-2 | 3 |
| All-America tackle Freddy Pesqueira, who had 15.5 tackles for loss last season, leads a defense that has seven starters back |
| 7 | HOFSTRA | 9-3 | 7 |
| Junior RB Trevor Dimmie, who's 237 yards short of the school's alltime mark, and the Pride await Montana's Aug. 29 visit |
| 8 | APPALACHIAN STATE | 9-4 | 6 |
| Strong-armed senior QB Joe Burchette needs 2,073 more yards to become the school's alltime passing leader |
| 9 | WILLIAM & MARY | 8-4 | 17 |
| Wideout Rich Musinski, one of 19 returning starters, had a school-record 1,393 receiving yards last season |
| 10 | SAM HOUSTON STATE | 10-3 | 8 |
| Two 300-pounders, tackle Chase Denton and guard Billy Williams, will pave the way for junior RB Willie Thomas |
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| DIVISION II |
| RANK | TEAM | 2001 RECORD | 2001 RANK |
| 1 | GRAND VALLEY STATE (MICH.) | 13-1 | 2 |
| Senior QB Curt Anes, who threw 49 TDs and only three INTs, leads an offense that has nine starters back |
| 2 | CATAWBA (N.C.) | 11-2 | 3 |
| Senior LB Todd McComb (105 tackles) is one of seven returning starters from a D that gave up only 14.8 points per game |
| 3 | PITTSBURG STATE (KANS.) | 11-2 | 11 |
| QB Neal Philpot (6'4", 245) was D-II's Eric Crouch, leading the Gorillas in passing (1,219 yards) and rushing (1,044) |
| 4 | UC DAVIS | 10-3 | 5 |
| The Aggies will contend again behind the play of receiver Michael Oliva (74 catches, 1,365 yards, 13 TDs) |
| 5 | VALDOSTA STATE (GA.) | 12-1 | 4 |
| Sophomore QB Buster Faulkner (38 of 52 for 307 yards as reserve in '01) replaces two-time Division II player of the year Dusty Bonner |
| 6 | NORTH DAKOTA | 14-1 | 1 |
| The defending national champs bring back just three starters on offense, but one is quarterback Kelby Klosterman (34 TDs) |
| 7 | TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE | 9-2 | 13 |
| QB Abel Gonzalez, a 5'10'' senior, averaged 211.3 yards passing and 60.3 yards rushing per game last season |
| 8 | NEBRASKA-OMAHA | 8-3 | 16 |
| Senior DE Buck Rasmussen, an NFL prospect, returns after missing most of 2001 with a knee injury |
| 9 | C.W. POST (N.Y.) | 11-1 | 19 |
| Senior Ian Smart (2,536 rushing yards in 2001; 4,624 career) could break R.J. Bowers's all-division rushing mark of 7,353 yards |
| 10 | CHADRON STATE (NEB.) | 10-1 | 7 |
| Junior TB Austin Forster, who led the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in total yards in 2000, with 1,721, returns from a broken collarbone |
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| DIVISION III |
| RANK | TEAM | 2001 RECORD | 2001 RANK |
| 1 | ST. JOHN'S (MINN.) | 11-3 | 5 |
| In his 50th year with the Johnnies, coach John Gagliardi looks for another big year from linebacker Cameron McCambridge (137 tackles) |
| 2 | MOUNT UNION (OHIO) | 14-0 | 1 |
| The defending champs, winners of 82 of last 83, have seven starters back from a defense that gave up just 11.1 points per game |
| 3 | AUGUSTANA (ILL.) | 10-2 | 14 |
| Senior offensive tackle J.D. Sheldon helped the Vikings set school marks for rushing yards (4,445) and total offense (5,284) in '01 |
| 4 | WIDENER (PA.) | 12-1 | 4 |
| If senior QB Mike Warker can duplicate his '01 performance (41 TDs), the Pioneers have a shot at their third national title |
| 5 | ROWAN (N.J.) | 11-2 | 3 |
| Strong-armed senior Tony Racioppi threw 47 touchdown passes last year, including seven against Montclair State |
| 6 | BRIDGEWATER (VA.) | 12-1 | 2 |
| The Eagles, 0-10 in 1998, had Mount Union on ropes in last year's national championship game before falling 30-27 |
| 7 | TRINITY (TEXAS) | 9-2 | 8 |
| Quarterback Roy Hampton, one of eight returning starters on offense, was second in D-III in passing efficiency (187.2) |
| 8 | WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON (PA.) | 11-1 | 7 |
| Senior quarterback Brian Dawson holds 18 school records, including most career passing yards (8,700) |
| 9 | WISCONSIN-STEVENS POINT | 8-3 | 13 |
| Led by 6'9", 333-pound tackle Luke Hilgeman, the Pointers boast one of the biggest offensive lines in D-III |
| 10 | LYCOMING (PA.) | 8-1 | 17 |
| The Warriors are still irked that they didn't get a playoff invitation after losing just one game last season |
