| Rank | Team (Final Rank) | 2002 Record | Returning Starters |
| 71 | STANFORD | 2-9 | 13 |
| Bad news: Offense must break in eight new starters. Good news: Offense was 111th in country and needed overhaul |
| 72 | ARIZONA | 4-8 | 15 |
| Coach John Mackovic survived player revolt, but nonconference games against LSU and Purdue could do him in |
| 73 | WAKE FOREST | 7-6 | 12 |
| Heralded freshman QB Ben Mauk set national high school records last year with 6,540 passing yards, 76 TDs |
| 74 | TEXAS TECH | 9-5 | 14 |
| Senior QB B.J. Symons (329 passing yards) takes over for Kliff Kingsbury (11,918 career yards of total offense) |
| 75 | NORTHWESTERN | 3-9 | 18 |
| Good news: Nine starters are back on defense. Bad news: Defense allowed 502.3 yards a game, second worst in I-A |
| 76 | UTAH | 5-6 | 12 |
| Utes hope incoming coach Urban Meyer can work same magic he did at Bowling Green (six-win improvement in first year) |
| 77 | EAST CAROLINA | 4-8 | 15 |
| New head man John Thompson, former Florida defensive coordinator, has dumped 3-4 defense for 4-3 |
| 78 | DUKE | 2-10 | 22 |
| Senior LB Ryan Fowler could become the first Blue Devil to lead team in tackles in four straight seasons |
| 79 | INDIANA | 3-9 | 14 |
| Wake up the echoes: Notre Dame transfer Matt LoVecchio gives Hoosiers hope at QB |
| 80 | TEMPLE | 4-8 | 11 |
| Junior QB Mike McGann must cut down on giveaways after throwing for 22 INTs and 13 TDs |
| 81 | TOLEDO | 9-5 | 15 |
| Star tackles Erik Faasen and Nick Kaczur clear road for sleek sophomore TB Astin Martin |
| 82 | VANDERBILT | 2-10 | 12 |
| Sophomore RB Kwane Doster, SEC's top freshman last season, had 798 rushing yards, best ever for first-year back |
| 83 | ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM | 5-7 | 17 |
| In just eight starts freshman QB Darrell Hackney threw for 1,977 yards, 14 TDs |
| 84 | KANSAS | 2-10 | 15 |
| Senior QB Bill Whittemore, Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year, had 1,666 passing yards, 549 rushing yards |
| 85 | BAYLOR | 3-9 | 12 |
| Bears broke 29-game Big 12 losing streak with win over Kansas in '02; rematch is Oct. 18 in Lawrence |
| 86 | CONNECTICUT | 6-6 | 16 |
| Sophomore RB Terry Caulley is short in stature (5'7") but not in production (124.7 rushing yards per game) |
| 87 | MEMPHIS | 3-9 | 17 |
| Junior DT Albert Means, academically ineligible last year, could have huge impact if he makes grades |
| 88 | SAN DIEGO STATE | 4-9 | 14 |
| Senior QB Adam Hall had two of top five NCAA passing games in '02, with 500-yarders against Arizona State and Idaho |
| 89 | TROY STATE | 4-8 | 10 |
| Will be tough to match '02 win total with schedule that includes Kansas State, Nebraska, Minnesota, Virginia and Marshall |
| 90 | SAN JOSE STATE | 6-7 | 15 |
| Senior DE Philip Perry was tied for third nationally in forced fumbles, with seven |
| 91 | MIDDLE TENNESSEE | 4-8 | 15 |
| Senior LT Brandon Westbrook, two-time All-Sun Belt First Teamer, anchors Blue Raiders' line |
| 92 | BALL STATE | 6-6 | 14 |
| Homecoming king: New coach Brady Hoke, a former Michigan assistant, captained Cardinals as senior LB in 1980 |
| 93 | UNLV | 5-7 | 13 |
| Junior Earvin Johnson provides magic at wideout, but who will replace showtiming QB Jason Thomas? |
| 94 | AKRON | 4-8 | 17 |
| All 11 starters return on offense, including junior QB Charlie Frye, who threw for 2,824 yards |
| 95 | WESTERN MICHIGAN | 4-8 | 11 |
| Senior DE Jason Babin (15 sacks) was named top defensive player in MAC |
| 96 | NEVADA | 5-7 | 18 |
| Junior RB Chance Kretschmer (1,732 yards in '01; missed '02 with torn ACL) gives Wolf Pack much needed boost |
| 97 | OHIO | 4-8 | 12 |
| Junior LB Dennis Chukwuemeka had six games with 10 or more tackles |
| 98 | WYOMING | 2-10 | 16 |
| Cowboys, 5-29 over past three years, hope for change of fortunes with new coach Joe Glenn (39-6 at I-AA Montana) |
| 99 | NEW MEXICO STATE | 7-5 | 14 |
| Returning QB platoon of sophomore Paul Dombrowski and junior Buck Pierce combined for 3,324 yards and 15 rushing TDs |
| 100 | LOUISIANA TECH | 4-8 | 13 |
| Cool Hand Luke: Senior QB Luke McCown has most career passing yards (9,420 yards) of any current QB in nation |
| 101 | KENT STATE | 3-9 | 13 |
| Junior QB Joshua Cribbs can become first I-A player to both pass and rush for 1,000 yards in each of first three seasons |
| 102 | RICE | 4-7 | 11 |
| Senior LB Jeff Vanover (92 tackles) hurts people on field but off field is studying to help them (he's premed) |
| 103 | HOUSTON | 5-7 | 12 |
| First-year coach Art Briles is first former Cougars player (he was WR from '74 to '77) to run program |
| 104 | NAVY | 2-10 | 15 |
| Senior QB Craig Candeto (775 rushing yards, 16 TDs) anchored nation's No. 3 ground offense (270.8 yard average) | |
| 105 | RUTGERS | 1-11 | 12 |
| Scarlet Knights look to Moses -- promising junior WR Tres Moses -- to deliver after his injury-plagued '02 |
| 106 | TULSA | 1-11 | 15 |
| Golden Hurricane has lost 21 of last 23 games; hope is that seven returning starters on offense can turn things around |
| 107 | SMU | 3-9 | 18 |
| Mustangs' D will rely on senior D.D. Johnson at outside linebacker and junior D.D. Lee at middle linebacker |
| 108 | ARKANSAS STATE | 6-7 | 16 |
| Sun Belt's No. 2 defense gets boost from addition of junior college All-America free safety LeUndo Adams |
| 109 | CENTRAL MICHIGAN | 4-8 | 14 |
| Chippewas need senior HB Terrence Jackson to return to form of 2001 (1,194 yards rushing) |
| 110 | TEXAS-EL PASO | 2-10 | 16 |
| Redshirt freshman Jordan Palmer, brother of Heisman winner Carson, among three vying for starting QB position |
| 111 | ARMY | 1-11 | 13 |
| West Point for coach Todd Berry (5-29) looks to improve in Black Knights' final year in Conference USA |
| 112 | LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE | 3-9 | 11 |
| Senior WR Fred Stamps delivers: just second Ragin' Cajun to top 1,000 receiving yards |
| 113 | EASTERN MICHIGAN | 3-9 | 19 |
| New defensive coordinator Tim Rose has 10 starters back from nation's worst defense (519.9 yards per game) |
| 114 | BUFFALO | 1-11 | 17 |
| TB Aaron Leeper (917 rushing yards, 10 TDs) was MAC Freshman of the Year |
| 115 | LOUISIANA-MONROE | 3-9 | 16 |
| New coach Charlie Weatherbie is Indians' third in less than 12 months |
| 116 | IDAHO | 2-10 | 13 |
| Senior QB Brian Lindgren led Sun Belt in total offense (242.2 yards per game) |
| 117 | UTAH STATE | 4-7 | 12 |
| Game equivalent of Mr. Irrelevant Award: Aggies travel to Idaho on Nov. 22 for season finale |
