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League's SID's favor Louisville
From Conference USA
 CHICAGO
— Two-time defending Conference USA champion Louisville has been chosen to
win a third straight regular season title in 2002, according to a poll taken
by the league’s Sports Information Directors at C-USA’s annual SID meetings
this week. The Cardinals received 97 of a possible 100 points, garnering
seven first place votes.
 Louisville
is coming off an 11-2 season in which it followed up its second straight
C-USA title with a win over BYU in the AXA Liberty Bowl to finish 17th in
the nation. Louisville returns 10 starters on defense and 18 total as it
seeks its third consecutive Conference USA championship. Senior QB Dave
Ragone, a top prospect for next April’s NFL Draft, leads the Cardinals on
offense. Ragone passed for 3,056 yards and 23 touchdowns last season and
owns a 20-5 record as U of L’s starting quarterback. Defensive end Dewayne
White, the nation’s returning leader in sacks, and Anthony Floyd, U of L’s
career leader in interceptions, spearhead the Cardinals defense. Southern
Miss, which received two first place votes and 88 total points, was selected
second. The Golden Eagles welcome back nine starters on each side of the
ball this fall. The Golden Eagles defense is led by junior linebacker Rod
Davis, a Butkus Award candidate. Davis posted a team-best 92 tackles and 10
sacks last season, to go along with four interceptions and two fumble
recoveries. The offense is looking forward to a healthy season for RB
Derrick Nix. A 1,000-yard rusher in his freshman and sophomore seasons, Nix
missed some of the 2000 season and all of last year’s campaign with a kidney
infection. Cincinnati, coming off back-to-back bowl appearances for just
the second time in school history, was chosen third. The Bearcats defense
features DE Antwan Peek, who is coming off a record-setting junior campaign
in which he led all UC linemen with 60 tackles while setting school
standards for quarterback sacks in a game (four vs. Louisiana-Monroe),
season (12.5) and career (21). During the 2001 season, he ranked fourth in
the nation in sacks, fifth with five forced fumbles and 10th with 22 tackles
for loss. On offense, the Bearcats are led by QB Gino Guidugli, the league’s
2001 Freshman of the Year, and WR LaDaris Vann. Texas Christian edged East
Carolina for fourth place. Both schools are looking to extend their strings
of consecutive bowl appearances with the Horned Frogs having appeared in the
postseason in four straight years, while ECU has made three bowl trips in a
row. TCU features a pair of outstanding receivers in LaTarence Dunbar and
Adrian Madise, along with linebacker LaMarcus McDonald (25 tackles for
loss). East Carolina has a preseason All-American candidate in offensive
lineman Brian Rimpf, who will be blocking for new QB Paul Troth, among
others. Memphis was chosen sixth, followed by UAB. The Tigers are aiming
for a winning season this fall in their second campaign under Tommy West.
Running back Dante Brown and sophomore quarterback Danny Wimprine lead the
Tigers offense. UAB will need to replace nine starters from one of the
nation’s top defenses in 2001, but has very capable returnees such as
defensive end James Malone and defensive back Dio Hill. Rounding out the
poll were Tulane, Houston and Army, respectively. The Green Wave’s explosive
offense is led by versatile running back Mewelde Moore, who ran for 1,1421
yards, scored 15 touchdowns and set a new C-USA record for all-purpose
yardage. UH has a pair of solid performers in running back Joffrey Reynolds
(818 yards, seven TDs) and defensive back Hanik Milligan, who set a
Conference USA record with a nation-leading 174 tackles last season. Army
begins the third season of the Todd Berry era and is ready to make a move up
the conference ladder with a balanced offensive attack and a defensive
charge led by linebacker Jason Frazier and defensive lineman Clarence
Holmes. Conference USA’s seventh football season will get underway on
Saturday, August 31. The conference champion will receive a bid to the AXA
Liberty Bowl on December 31 in Memphis, Tenn. Other guaranteed bowl slots
include the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, the Houston Bowl, the New Orleans Bowl and
the brand new Hawaii Bowl.
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CONFERENCE USA 2002 FOOTBALL
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH BY THE SID'S
Poll Results Pts (first place votes)
1. Louisville 97 (7)
2. Southern Miss 88 (3)
3. Cincinnati 76 (1)
4. Texas Christian 69
5. East Carolina 63
6. Memphis 51
7. UAB 40
8. Tulane 30
9. Houston 22
10. Army 18
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