TRAVERSE CITY RECORD-EAGLE Kickoff 2005 27

Conference shuffle glance

The conference shake-up that start- ed last season continues in 2005. Here are the conferences that’ll have a new look: AP Photo Southern Cal coach Pete ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE Boston College’s arrival makes 12 Carroll and quarterback teams in the ACC with two divisions: Matt Leinart embrace after Atlantic their 55-19 win over Boston College Oklahoma in the Orange Clemson Florida State Bowl at Pro Player Stadium Maryland in Miami, Jan. 4, 2005. North Carolina State Wake Forest Change is in store for Coastal college football in 2005, Duke Georgia Tech from an abundance of new Miami head coaches to instant North Carolina Virginia replay in eight conferences. Virginia Tech But there's one striking BIG EAST constant: Southern Boston College and Temple are out. California starts at the Cincinnati, Louisville and South Florida are in via Conference USA. head of the class. They join Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse and West Virginia. 2005 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE Marshall and Central Florida exited, leaving the MAC with 12 teams. East Trojans try for a ‘three-peat’ Akron Bowling Green Buffalo Kent State ball now,” said Miami coach draft. tailback Adrian Peterson, the Miami (Ohio) Leinart tries for a Larry Coker, who was part of a But who needs a job when Heisman runner-up as a fresh- Ohio Hurricanes program that won you’re having this much fun? man in 2004, is a nice way to West Ball State Heisman repeat 34 straight from 2000-2003, but Now Leinart has a chance to start. Central Michigan only one championship. join college football’s most Michigan and Ohio State, as Eastern Michigan “Getting there is very, very exclusive club. usual, are expected to make a Northern Illinois (AP) — What’s new in college Toledo difficult, but to win those “There’s a lot of preseason run at the national title out of football in 2005? Plenty, start- Western Michigan games would be a tremendous hype about Archie Griffin the Big Ten, and Iowa, with ing with nearly 20 percent of CONFERENCE USA accomplishment. It’s never being the only two-time win- three straight double-digit win Division I-A head coaches. Marshall and Central Florida move been done. That says a lot ner of the Heisman, but every- seasons under Kirk Ferentz, Eight conferences will use over from the MAC, and Rice, SMU, right there.” body on our team knows that’s has now nudged its way into Tulsa and UTEP from the WAC to instant replay for the first replace five defectors (TCU, Eleven teams have won at not what I’m about,” said the league’s elite. time, six leagues will welcome Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida least 30 straight games, but Leinart, one of nine returning There’s a new Vick leading and Army), and the conference splits first-year members and a new only Miami’s streak came starters to USC’s offense and Virginia Tech, Mike’s little into two six-team divisions: poll will help determine East within the last three decades. one of two Heisman Trophy brother, Marcus, and — unlike which teams play in the Bowl UAB “Our focus isn’t about any finalists in the Trojans’ back- last season — the Hokies won’t Central Florida Championship Series. kind of numbers you can put field. Do-it-all tailback Reggie surprise anybody if they win East Carolina Amid all that change, Marshall up, or any championships or Bush is the other. another Atlantic Coast Southern California remains a Memphis any of that stuff,” Carroll said. The Rose Bowl will host the Conference crown. Southern Miss constant — the Trojans are West “It’s about practicing really BCS national title game this In the Southeastern still the class of college foot- Houston well, and battling every day. season, and the Trojans are Conference, Tennessee and Rice ball. We do that kind of stuff and overwhelming favorites to be LSU are loaded for a run for SMU With back-to-back national UTEP we’ll be a good football team playing in Pasadena on Jan. 4. the Rose Bowl, while Florida titles, 22 straight wins and a Tulane and we’ll see how far we can But there are other teams with is one of those schools bank- Tulsa 36-3 record over the last three take it.” championship aspirations, ing on a new coach to change seasons, USC already has MOUNTAIN WEST Leinart, the big left-hander and Leinart should have plen- its fortunes. Urban Meyer, established itself as college TCU bolts C-USA and joins Air with SoCal roots, shocked ty of company in the Heisman with his record of quick turn- Force, BYU, Colorado State, New football’s first dynasty of the Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV, many — and no doubt deflated race. arounds and explosive offens- new millennium. Utah and Wyoming. quite a few competitors — In the Big 12, Texas could es, has the Gators believing a If Heisman Trophy winner when he decided to return for have its best team in the Mack reprise of the not-so-distant WESTERN ATHLETIC Matt Leinart and the rest of Reached into the Sun Belt his senior season. Brown era, led by elusive glory days under Steve coach Pete Carroll’s Trojans Conference for Idaho, New Mexico After tossing five touchdown quarterback Vince Young, Spurrier is imminent. State and Utah State. They join add an unprecedented third passes in a 55-19 Orange Bowl who began his Heisman cam- Speaking of Spurrier, the Ol’ Boise State, Fresno State, Hawaii, straight national title, a case Louisiana Tech, Nevada and San rout of Oklahoma, it was paign with an eye-popping Ball Coach returns to college can be made that theirs is the Jose State. assumed that Leinart would performance in the Rose football and the SEC with greatest run in the sport’s his- SUN BELT take his cool demeanor and Bowl. Oklahoma has to South Carolina. tory. Division I-A neophytes Florida pinpoint accuracy to the NFL, replace 11 players drafted by “It was a lot more fun hanging Atlantic and Florida International join “It would be a tremendous where he was almost assured the NFL, plus 2003 Heisman North Texas, Troy, Louisiana- accomplishment just from the Monroe, Louisiana-Lafayette, Middle of being the No. 1 pick in the winner Jason White. Having PLEASE SEE PAGE 31 standpoint of parity in foot- Tennessee and Arkansas State.