| DIVISION I-AA |
| RANK | TEAM | 2002 RECORD | 2002 RANK |
| 1 | GRAMBLING STATE | 11-2 | 8 |
| Junior QB Bruce Eugene led the nation in passing yards (4,483), TD passes (43) and total offense (386 yards per game) |
| 2 | MONTANA | 11-3 | 6 |
| Nineteen starters return, including stellar senior DE Tim Bush (19 sacks) and sophomore RB J.R. Waller (826 yards) |
| 3 | GEORGIA SOUTHERN | 11-3 | 3 |
| Junior QB Chaz Williams rushed for 100-plus yards in 10 straight games, and finished the season with 1,422 yards and 27 TDs |
| 4 | MCNEESE STATE | 13-2 | 2 |
| Senior TB Vick King (1,103 yards rushing) was Southland offensive player of the year, and senior FB Luke Lawton was all-conference |
| 5 | WESTERN ILLINOIS | 11-2 | 5 |
| Both Leathernecks' losses in '02 came on last play of the game; team is in good hands with senior QB Russ Michna (3,037 yards) |
| 6 | BETHUNE-COOKMAN | 11-2 | 12 |
| Senior QB Allen Suber is a dual threat (1,307 passing, 1,035 yards rushing), and senior DE Steve Baggs is a handful (eight sacks) |
| 7 | MASSACHUSETTS | 8-4 | NR |
| One of 17 returning starters, sophomore TB R.J. Cobbs rushed for freshman-record 1,067 yards and league-high 5.6 yards a carry |
| 8 | FORDHAM | 10-3 | 15 |
| Four years ago the Rams were 0-11; QB Kevin Eakin, who threw for 3,040 yards and 22 TDs, has led the program's turnaround |
| 9 | DELAWARE | 6-6 | NR |
| A transfer from Georgia Tech, senior QB Andy Hall (1,832 yards passing, 863 rushing) is the Blue Hens' leader |
| 10 | IDAHO STATE | 8-3 | 17 |
| The Bengals have four first-team all-Big Sky selections back on defense, including senior DE Jared Allen (10 1/2 sacks) |
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| DIVISION II |
| RANK | TEAM | 2002 RECORD | 2002 RANK |
| 1 | CENTRAL WASHINGTON | 11-1 | 9 |
| Senior QB Zak Hill, four-year captain, threw for 2,694 yards, 22 TDs and completed 67.9% of his passes |
| 2 | VALDOSTA (GA.) STATE | 14-2 | 2 |
| National runner-up has 15 starters returning, including senior QB Buster Faulkner (3,826 yards) and senior RB Aaron Jenkins (1,304) |
| 3 | GRAND VALLEY STATE (MICH.) | 14-0 | 1 |
| Defending champion solid on D behind junior DT Keyonta Marshall (12 sacks), last season's Great Lakes co-defensive lineman of the year |
| 4 | CENTRAL ARKANSAS | 8-3 | 25 |
| QB Zak Clark, a transfer from Arkansas, threw for school-record 3,157 yards and was fifth in Harlon Hill voting |
| 5 | TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE | 10-3 | 4 |
| Senior RB Larry Williams, who broke right leg in first game of college career in 2000, rushed for conference-high 1,496 yards |
| 6 |
NEBRASKA-KEARNEY | 10-2 | 12 |
| Junior RB Mike Miller (1,600 yards, 13 TDs rushing) and sophomore WR Richie Ross (56 receptions, 1,142 yards) lead Lopers |
| 7 | NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE | 12-1 | 6 |
| Speedy junior WR Jamaica Rector caught 78 passes for 1,242 yards and six TDs and returned 36 punts for 514 yards and two TDs |
| 8 | MINNESOTA-DULUTH | 11-1 | 11 |
| Senior WR Tim Battaglia, a star on baseball team, is first Bulldog with more than 1,000 yards receiving in a season |
| 9 | BENTLEY (MASS.) | 10-1 | 23 |
| Linemen Bill Kavanaugh and Ted Krautmann, both seniors, tied for Division II lead with 13 1/2 sacks |
| 10 | TUSKEGEE (ALA.) | 10-1 | 14 |
| With wins in 33 of their last 35 games, Golden Tigers will once again rely on senior RB Cortlandt Florence (1,281 yards) |
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| DIVISION III |
| RANK | TEAM | 2002 RECORD | 2002 RANK |
| 1 | ST. JOHN'S (MINN.) | 12-2 | 4 |
| Johnnies will rely on senior WR Blake Elliott, who set school records for catches (120), yards (1,484) and TDs (22) |
| 2 | MOUNT UNION (OHIO) | 14-0 | 1 |
| Three-time defending champs have won 96 of last 97 games; Purple Raiders' spark is senior WR Randell Knapp (1,016 yards) |
| 3 | ROWAN (N.J.) | 10-1 | 9 |
| Profs stacked on defense, led by sophomore CB Kelvin Bellamy (six interceptions), one of three returning starters in the secondary |
| 4 | WABASH (IND.) | 12-1 | 7 |
| Senior DT Blair Hammer (61 tackles) has 22 1/2 career sacks; needs five more to tie school record held by brother B.J. |
| 5 | WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON (PA.) | 9-3 | 21 |
| Presidents will follow the leadership of senior WR Mike Virgin, who caught 48 passes for 932 yards and seven TDs |
| 6 | WHEATON (ILL.) | 10-2 | 11 |
| Senior QB Chad Bradley (2,253 yards and 15 TDs) is the leader of an offense that averaged 486.6 yards a game |
| 7 | BRIDGEWATER (VA.) | 11-1 | 3 |
| Senior LB Jermaine Taylor had 17 tackles for loss and is conference's outdoor 100-meter sprint champion |
| 8 | BALDWIN-WALLACE (OHIO) | 8-2 | NR |
| Yellow Jackets look to senior QB Dan Larlham (1,873 yards, 16 TDs), Michigan State transfer who has completed 65.3% of his passes |
| 9 | HANOVER (IND.) | 10-1 | 12 |
| Favorite target of senior QB Brett Dietz (2,296 yards and 26 TDs) is junior wingback Clint Bobb (1,041 total yards) |
| 10 | WISCONSIN-STOUT | 7-3 | NR |
| Senior RB Luke Bundgaard (2,966 career yards) is school's alltime leading rusher and one of 11 returning starters on offense |
