2002 College Football

1. Carson Palmer: Won the Heisman Trophy. Was named player of the year by the AP, Sporting News ESPN.com and other media services.

He was PAC-10 Offensive Player of the Year.

Palmer was the Orange Bowl MVP after 21-31 305 yard and TD effort vs. #8 Iowa.

USC opened the season vs. #14 Auburn. Palmer has 302 yards and a TD passing. He also has the go ahead TD rushing in the final two minutes.

He led the Pac 10 in TDs with 33 and was 2^nd in yards with 3,942. He also led the conference in completions % (63.2), and passing rating.

He was top 10 in the country in TDs, yards and rating.

The Trojans QB led his team to a 44-13 rout of #17 Notre Dame with 425 yards and 4 TDs.

Palmer had seven 300 yard games, and five with at least 4 TDs.

SC  was 11-2, won the Pac-10, and finished #4 in the polls after their 38-17 beat down of Iowa in the Orange Bowl. They were 9^th in the NCAA scoring with 35.8 points per game.

2. Maurice Clarret: Helped led Ohio St. to their first national championship since 1969.

He scored 2 TDs in the title game vs. #1 Miami, including the game winner in overtime.

He made a key defensive play after an interception that help that propelled the Buckeyes.

Clarett was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

He was 2^nd in the Big 10 with 18 TDs, 6^th in yards with 1,237, and 5^th in yards per carry (5.6).

Clarret ran for at least 100 yards in seven of 11 games.

He scored 2 or more TDs in five of his first six games.

The Buckeye freshman pummeled #10 Washington St. for 230 and two scores.

He helped put the Buckeyes into the title game with 154 total yards and a TD in a 14-9 win over arch rival #9 Michigan.

Ohio State ran the table and went 14-0. They won the Big Ten and upset defending champion Miami 31-24 in the overtime in the Fiesta Bowl.

3. Willis McGahee: Led the nation with 27 touchdowns. He finished 4^th in the Heisman voting.

He was also a finalist for the Doak Walker award for RB of the year, and Walter Camp (player of the year).

He was co-Big East Player of the Year and a consensus All-American.

 McGahee had a Big East high 1,753 yards (5^th in NCAA), 2,108 yards from scrimmage (3^rd in NCAA), and 168 points.

The Canes back had a career day vs. #18 Virginia Tech with 205 yards and six scores. The win put Miami back in the national title game.

He had a Miami record ten 100 yards games.

In the Fiesta Bowl, McGahee ran for 67 yards. His 3^rd quarter TD pulled Miami within three. The Hurricanes would eventually force overtime.

His college career ended on a brutal knee injury in the 4^th quarter of the title.

Miami was stunned by Ohio State in the national championship in double overtime. The Hurricanes was #1 in every regular season poll, won their 3^rd straight Big East and were 12-0 in the regular season.

They finished 4^th in the nation scoring 40.5 PPG.