Knight Ridder/Tribune
FORT WORTH, Texas -The 2003 college football season begins this week, and this season's team of destiny will be determined in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 4.
The season began Saturday with two games - California at Kansas State in the Black Coaches Association Classic, and Division I-AA Grambling State at San Jose State in the Martin Luther King Literacy Classic.
Oklahoma opens as the preseason No. 1, while defending national champion Ohio State is No. 2.
Based on that early prognostication, the national championship in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 4 will match the Sooners and the Buckeyes. Considering that both OU coach Bob Stoops and Ohio State coach Jim Tressel are Ohio natives, the Buckeye state would have another seminal sports event to celebrate.
Miami and Virginia Tech begin their final seasons in the Big East Conference before moving to the Atlantic Coast Conference next season. Further conference realignment stories will provide plenty of background noise.
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Perennial powers Nebraska, Penn State, Florida State, Florida and Alabama will be trying to get their grooves back. `Bama, which was 10-3 last season, is again banned from postseason play because of NCAA sanctions.
The ACC's expansion has left the Big East searching to add at least two more football schools. The Big East also is trying to decide if it wants to remain in its current state or whether its football schools will split from Big East schools that don't play Division I-A football. Expect a season's worth of rumors and stories about the next round of conference musical chairs.
Football fans are advised to mark calendars on Oct. 11. On that day, Oklahoma will take on Texas in Dallas. The Red River Shootout should again be between Top 5 teams. The past three years, the Sooners have won and put themselves in position to win a national championship. Two years ago, the Longhorns nearly recovered from their loss to OU to reach the title game.
Also on Oct. 11 will be Miami at Florida State. The Hurricanes are still steaming after their double-overtime loss to Ohio State in last year's title game. The Seminoles have dropped three in a row in the series. After consecutive mediocre seasons, Florida State needs a victory here to restore order.
Auburn will be at Arkansas. The Tigers are a preseason Top 5 team, but there are many who doubt coach Tommy Tuberville's team. Auburn could well be undefeated going to Fayetteville. If so, expect the Razorbacks to be snorting fire.
Kansas State will play at Oklahoma State. On Oct. 4, the Wildcats play at Texas. If they win in Austin, reloading for a trip to Stillwater won't be easy. And if Oklahoma State opens the season with a victory at Nebraska, the Cowboys will stamp themselves as a serious contender in the Big 12 South.
Georgia will face Tennessee. In recent seasons, the Southeastern Conference East Division was decided when Florida played Tennessee. This year, though, the East title could come down to this game in Knoxville.
