A fine vintage -- 10 defining moments

By David Shaw Sports Central Columnist

A shootout between two undefeated teams, a double-overtime thriller that tested each and every beaten and battered body on the field, a thrilling upset of a heavily-favored team, what better way to end the 2002 college season but with the greatest college football game of all-time?

Of course, a single game does not make a season, but the 2002 college football season will not soon suffer the fate of being defined by a single moment or game. In fact, it will difficult to narrow it down to even 10 stories that defined the season, but such is the inhuman task I have chosen. The 2002 college football season, how little we knew ye. In no particular order...

"Lightning" Joe Paterno

Everyone's favorite crotchety, old man breaks into a full-out sprint to track down one of the many incompetent officials in the Big 10. The kicker here? Joe Pa was right. The Big 10, and countless examples exist, was simply the worst officiating conference in the country this year. The referee hanging in effigy is hopefully a precursor to the house cleaning or massive reassessment the Big 10 needs to address among their officials. The deciding factor of too many games in too important a conference was the misguided whistle of one of the Big 10's finest. Run, Joe Pa, run.

He Did What?

I have been a fan of Terrell Suggs for a long time now. Unfortunately, there are many out there that have never heard the man's name, much less identify him with one of the best single seasons in college football history. The man had 24 sacks. How many? 24 sacks, 14 games. That's an amazing stat and one that garnered him the Nagurski Award for best defensive player.

He's coming out for the draft, so don't be surprised to see this kid go in the early first round. He's the real deal and finding good pass rush isn't easy in the NFL. Had Suggs played for Miami, you'd have his jersey in your closet. As it stands, you're hearing about him for one of only a handful of times this season.

Wide Left

As Xavier Beitia's 43-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left, Miami escaped and Florida State was sent home wondering why -- a metaphor for both team's seasons. Only two bad calls kept Florida State from a five-loss season, unheard of for a Seminole team (they should have lost to Iowa State). They played a tough schedule, but this was simply not the fierce Florida State of the past, they simply couldn't handle the load.

Such a disease was not confined to Tallahassee as folks in Lincoln saw something many of them had never seen in their life time, a non-winning season -- not to mention two, count them, two losses at home to Texas and archrival Colorado. The Cornhuskers ended up 7-7, losing their last three, and perhaps no one's seat is hotter than Ron Zook, who might have just one more year to make up for the rather pedestrian 8-5, especially when The Swamp was tainted twice by loss. Parity is good, just don't ask a Cornhusker, Gator, or Seminole fan.

Premature Celebration

Former Kentucky coach Guy Morriss was drenched with sweat, happiness... and ice-cold Gatorade shortly before the final seconds ticked off of a massive upset against LSU. Five minutes later, perhaps much, much longer for Morriss and Wildcat fans everywhere, and one highlight reel later left an entire stadium shocked.

LSU pulled out one of the biggest miracles in college football history, and the water slowly dripping off of Morriss' back became a constant reminder of what was so violently pulled from his grasp and the grasp of his team. The event will forever be remembered not just for the miracle pass, but also for the bitter reminder not to celebrate prematurely...

Happy Times in Happy Valley

Bad officiating and a difficult schedule aside, Larry Johnson rumbled his way to over 2,000 yards, averaging 7.7 yards a carry and touching the end zone carpet 20 times. Say what you will about all of the other running backs in the land (Willis McGahee, Chris Brown, Maurice Clarett, all studs), but none of them accomplished nor will accomplish what Johnson was able to do.

Thrown against some of the stingiest run defenses in the land each and every week (this is not the Pac-10, folks), Larry Johnson still managed to find the gaps and holes. Penn State took back some of the prestige that had been flaking off with passing lackluster seasons, largely due in part to the intense and inspired play behind one of the greatest single-season efforts in history.

Carson Palmer

While this columnist sees no reason Carson Palmer should have been winner of the great kiss of death (otherwise known as the Heisman), he truly proved how powerful big-time games against big time competition can shape public opinion. Palmer, after a sluggish start, lit fire during the latter part of the season, making USC one of the most-feared teams in the country the last eight weeks of the season. Couple that with the routs of Notre Dame and Iowa, and this kid is headed to Cincinnati for sure (lucky him).

Not only did he accomplish all of this, but he was deemed better than Brad Banks, national leader in pass efficiency and QB rating, Larry Johnson, 2,000-yard rusher, and a pair of offensive machines on an offensive juggernaut in Willis McGahee and Ken Dorsey in one of the closest Heisman trophy races in recent memory. Hats off to the future number one pick of the Bengals... let's hope he likes the taste of grass.

BCScrewed it Up Again

I like the BCS, I think it provides excitement, raises the stakes, and provides as good a way as any for picking a national championship game, but it certainly has its kinks. Just as we saw last year with Nebraska somehow ending up in the national championship game, there are bugs to be worked out. That example showed us that any team up for the national championship should at least win its own conference.

This year, we saw that automatic bids, while certainly needed to please conferences nationwide, undermine the integrity of the BCS. Florida State, simply put, was not one of the top-eight programs in the country and should have thus not received a spot in the BCS family of bowls. Don't think Texas, Kansas State, or any host of other teams didn't think they should have gotten the prestige of a BCS bid, and the $13.5 million check to boot, over four-loss Florida State.

Touch Down Ty

The Golden Dome is once again striking fear into the hearts of college football teams, and the nation's most prestigious is no longer a joke -- with the university's third or fourth pick for head coach at the helm. It seems almost poetic that Notre Dame be brought back to its rightful place in college football by Ty Willingham, a man deserving of the job, but would have had no job to apply had a certain coach not lied on his application.

Ty was tested from the opening coin-flip this season, and his team rose to the challenge of playing a difficult schedule under a new coach with uncertain prospects. After eight wins in a row, Willingham's spot in Notre Dame lore was secure, and despite a rather sour end to the season by losing three of the last five game, it seems the Fighting Irish have arrived all over again.

Big 10 Who?

The talk this season, just like every season, swirled about just which conference was the best, which one was the toughest, which one played the most competitive football. No matter your prognosis, it can be clearly seen that the slights against the Big 10 were wholly unfounded and that year in and year out, the Big 10 supplies a brand of football that plays well around New Year's.

Obvious example exist in the spectacular season the Iowa Hawkeyes had and the national championship crown taken by the Ohio State Buckeyes, but a return to prestige by Penn State, a marvelous season by Michigan, and critical bowl wins by Wisconsin, Purdue, and Minnesota set the Big 10 apart. With the crown jewel and the best bowl record this season, it can be little disputed that this year, the Big 10 proved best.

The New Grand Daddy of Them All

In college football history, there can be no game comparable to the 2003 Fiesta Bowl played in Tempe just two short weeks ago. Coming into the game having heard just why they shouldn't, wouldn't and couldn't win, Ohio State just went ahead and did just that... in dramatic fashion.

Has there been a better example of just why the college football overtime season is the best overtime process in all of sports? The back and forth shots taken by Miami and Ohio State thrilled like the desperate shots of two great prize fighters (before boxing became a joke, that is). The turnover battle, the expected battle between hard-nosed defense and speed-oriented offense, the horrific injury to star running back Willis McGahee, and so much more added up to a game full of intrigue and excitement.

As I said before, and as evident through these 10 trademark stories of the 2002 NCAA college football season, the Fiesta Bowl was a fitting send off to a season full of fireworks. I have enjoyed covering it, I certainly enjoyed the stories that unfolded throughout, and I most definitely enjoyed watching my team win it all. Here's to 2002, you will not be soon forgotten.

Thoughts? Comments? Moments I may have left out? (Very, very possible.) Click on the write the editor link and let me know. Thanks.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.