Imagine a world where players can do basically anything with a football. Imagine a world where players never argue, where egos don’t get in the way of the team, and where there are never any long flights for away games. Welcome to the world of EA Sports’ NCAA College Football 2003 for Playstation 2. Throughout the course of the season, The Reflector will parallel the college football events of the real world with the results of a simulated season on the nation’s hottest college football video game. Before the start of what we will be calling “Season X”, Miami is the consensus top ranked team. In the Coaches’ Poll, Texas ranks (2), and Oklahoma ranks (3). However in the Media Poll, the rolls are reversed with OU taking the number two spot and Texas starting out at third.
Florida State began its season by hammering Iowa State 32-8. Nebraska also rolled over Arizona State 48-10. The offensive player of the week was Virginia Tech running back Lee Suggs, who racked up 115 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries in the Hokies’ 70-5 win over Arkansas State. Defensive player of the week honors went to North Carolina State safety Terrance Holt, brother of NFL star Torry Holt. Holt pulled down two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
The top ten teams remain locked in their preseason positions.
Mississippi State opened up its season with 20-9 loss to the Oregon Ducks. Kevin Fant finished the game 19-41 for 170 yards (56 to Justin Jenkins) with no touchdowns, while Dontae Walker rushed for an anemic 47 yards. The Bulldogs scoring consisted of three field goals by John Michael Marlin.
In the Game of the Week, the LSU Tigers fell from 15th to 22nd after a brutal 34-14 loss to 14th ranked Virginia Tech. This week’s offensive player of the week was Tulane’s Mewelde Moore who carried for 166 yards and five touchdowns on 31 carries, plus another 180 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Pittsburgh’s all-star linebacker No. 10 tallied eight tackles and a sack, plus a touchdown on a fumble recovery.
Ole Miss beat ULM 45-10, but drop from 23rd in the nation to 24th due to lack of icing on their cupcake schedule. Top ten remains the same.
The big game to look forward to for next week pits No. 1 Miami visiting “the Swamp” to take on the sixth-ranked Florida Gators.