CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

The 2003 season

USC finished No. 1 in the final AP poll, 12–⁠1 under Pete Carroll, after it beat Michigan 28–⁠14 in the Rose Bowl. LSU also claims the national title. The biggest game by the rankings: No. 3 LSU 21, No. 1 Oklahoma 14 (Jan 4, 2004). 65 ranked teams lost to unranked or lower-ranked opponents.

Heisman Trophy: Jason White, QB, Oklahoma, who also won the Davey O’Brien.

The Heisman vote: Jason White 1,481 points, Larry Fitzgerald 1,353
PlayerPoints1st2nd3rd
Jason White QB, Oklahoma1,481319204116
Larry Fitzgerald WR, Pittsburgh1,353253233128
Eli Manning QB, Ole Miss71095132161
Chris Perry RB, Michigan3412766128
Darren Sproles RB, Kansas State134153029
Matt Leinart QB, USC12752758
Philip Rivers QB, NC State118182024
Mike Williams WR, USC78121218
Ben Roethlisberger QB, Miami (OH)475914
B.J. Symons QB, Texas Tech381721

First-, second- and third-place votes (3, 2 and 1 points), from the season’s Wikipedia article, as published.

Scoreboards

Final AP poll

1USC (48)Pac-10
2LSU (17)Southeastern Conference
3OklahomaBig 12
4Ohio StateBig Ten
5MiamiBig East
6MichiganBig Ten
7GeorgiaSoutheastern Conference
8IowaBig Ten
9Washington StatePac-10
10Miami (OH)Mid-American Conference
11Florida StateAtlantic Coast Conference
12TexasBig 12
13Ole MissSoutheastern Conference
14Kansas StateBig 12
15TennesseeSoutheastern Conference
16Boise StateWestern Athletic Conference
17MarylandAtlantic Coast Conference
18PurdueBig Ten
19NebraskaBig 12
20MinnesotaBig Ten
21UtahMountain West Conference
22ClemsonAtlantic Coast Conference
23Bowling GreenMid-American Conference
24FloridaSoutheastern Conference
25TCUConference USA

Biggest upsets

Sep 27, 2003California 34, 3USC 31
Oct 22, 2003West Virginia 28, 3Virginia Tech 7
Nov 8, 2003Clemson 26, 3Florida State 10
Sep 13, 2003Arkansas 38, 6Texas 28
Sep 20, 2003Marshall 27, 6Kansas State 20
Oct 11, 2003Florida 19, 6LSU 7
Oct 11, 200323Wisconsin 17, 3Ohio State 10
Nov 8, 200325Pittsburgh 31, 5Virginia Tech 28
Sep 20, 200322Oregon 31, 3Michigan 27
Oct 4, 2003Auburn 28, 7Tennessee 21
Oct 11, 2003Auburn 10, 7Arkansas 3
Nov 1, 200323Florida 16, 4Georgia 13

Ranked teams that lost as the betting favorite, the longest shots first, with the winner’s odds on the line; before lines are on file, ranked teams beaten by unranked or lower-ranked ones.

The AP poll, week by week

The AP poll’s top 10 in 2003, week by week1510152025Wk 1Wk 4Wk 6Wk 8Wk 10Wk 12Wk 14Wk 16FinalMiami (OH): Wk 1 unranked, Wk 3 unranked, Wk 4 unranked, Wk 5 unranked, Wk 6 unranked, Wk 7 unranked, Wk 8 unranked, Wk 9 unranked, Wk 10 unranked, Wk 11 unranked, Wk 12 unranked, Wk 13 No. 23, Wk 14 No. 18, Wk 15 No. 15, Wk 16 No. 14, Final No. 1010 Miami (OH)Washington State: Wk 1 unranked, Wk 3 unranked, Wk 4 unranked, Wk 5 No. 24, Wk 6 No. 21, Wk 7 No. 14, Wk 8 No. 12, Wk 9 No. 6, Wk 10 No. 6, Wk 11 No. 6, Wk 12 No. 12, Wk 13 No. 8, Wk 14 No. 8, Wk 15 No. 16, Wk 16 No. 15, Final No. 99 Washington StateIowa: Wk 1 unranked, Wk 3 unranked, Wk 4 No. 23, Wk 5 No. 18, Wk 6 No. 13, Wk 7 No. 23, Wk 8 No. 14, Wk 9 No. 9, Wk 10 No. 16, Wk 11 No. 13, Wk 12 No. 10, Wk 13 No. 20, Wk 14 No. 17, Wk 15 No. 13, Wk 16 No. 12, Final No. 88 IowaGeorgia: Wk 1 No. 11, Wk 3 No. 8, Wk 4 No. 8, Wk 5 No. 7, Wk 6 No. 12, Wk 7 No. 11, Wk 8 No. 8, Wk 9 No. 4, Wk 10 No. 4, Wk 11 No. 4, Wk 12 No. 9, Wk 13 No. 7, Wk 14 No. 6, Wk 15 No. 5, Wk 16 No. 5, Final No. 77 GeorgiaMichigan: Wk 1 No. 4, Wk 3 No. 5, Wk 4 No. 5, Wk 5 No. 3, Wk 6 No. 11, Wk 7 No. 9, Wk 8 No. 20, Wk 9 No. 17, Wk 10 No. 13, Wk 11 No. 11, Wk 12 No. 8, Wk 13 No. 5, Wk 14 No. 5, Wk 15 No. 4, Wk 16 No. 4, Final No. 66 MichiganMiami: Wk 1 No. 3, Wk 3 No. 3, Wk 4 No. 2, Wk 5 No. 2, Wk 6 No. 2, Wk 7 No. 2, Wk 8 No. 2, Wk 9 No. 2, Wk 10 No. 2, Wk 11 No. 2, Wk 12 No. 6, Wk 13 No. 14, Wk 14 No. 13, Wk 15 No. 10, Wk 16 No. 10, Final No. 55 MiamiOhio State: Wk 1 No. 2, Wk 3 No. 2, Wk 4 No. 3, Wk 5 No. 5, Wk 6 No. 4, Wk 7 No. 3, Wk 8 No. 3, Wk 9 No. 8, Wk 10 No. 8, Wk 11 No. 8, Wk 12 No. 7, Wk 13 No. 4, Wk 14 No. 4, Wk 15 No. 8, Wk 16 No. 8, Final No. 44 Ohio StateOklahoma: Wk 1 No. 1, Wk 3 No. 1, Wk 4 No. 1, Wk 5 No. 1, Wk 6 No. 1, Wk 7 No. 1, Wk 8 No. 1, Wk 9 No. 1, Wk 10 No. 1, Wk 11 No. 1, Wk 12 No. 1, Wk 13 No. 1, Wk 14 No. 1, Wk 15 No. 1, Wk 16 No. 1, Final No. 33 OklahomaLSU: Wk 1 No. 14, Wk 3 No. 13, Wk 4 No. 12, Wk 5 No. 11, Wk 6 No. 7, Wk 7 No. 6, Wk 8 No. 6, Wk 9 No. 10, Wk 10 No. 9, Wk 11 No. 7, Wk 12 No. 4, Wk 13 No. 3, Wk 14 No. 3, Wk 15 No. 3, Wk 16 No. 3, Final No. 22 LSUUSC: Wk 1 No. 8, Wk 3 No. 4, Wk 4 No. 4, Wk 5 No. 4, Wk 6 No. 3, Wk 7 No. 10, Wk 8 No. 9, Wk 9 No. 5, Wk 10 No. 5, Wk 11 No. 3, Wk 12 No. 2, Wk 13 No. 2, Wk 14 No. 2, Wk 15 No. 2, Wk 16 No. 2, Final No. 11 USC
The top 10 of the final AP poll and where each stood every week before it; a gap is a week out of the Top 25. Hover or tab to a line for its weeks.

Climbed

  1. Iowaunranked → No. 8
  2. Washington Stateunranked → No. 9
  3. Miami (OH)unranked → No. 10
  4. Ole Missunranked → No. 13
  5. LSUNo. 14 → No. 2

Fell

  1. AuburnNo. 6 → unranked
  2. Virginia TechNo. 9 → unranked
  3. PittsburghNo. 10 → unranked
  4. NC StateNo. 16 → unranked

From the season’s first AP poll (the preseason poll) to the final one.

National leaders

Passing yardsB.J. Symons (Texas Tech)5,833 yds
Passing touchdownsB.J. Symons (Texas Tech)52 TD
Passer ratingPhilip Rivers (NC State)170.5
Rushing yardsDarren Sproles (Kansas State)1,986 yds
Rushing touchdownsCedric Benson (Texas) and Kevin Jones (Virginia Tech)21 TD
Yards per carryMatt Jones (Arkansas) and Vince Young (Texas)7.4
ReceptionsLance Moore (Toledo)103 catches
Receiving yardsLarry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh)1,672 yds
Yards per catchDwight Counter (Boise State)25.0
Receiving touchdownsLarry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh)22 TD
PointsCedric Benson (Texas)134 pts
Points per gamePatrick Cobbs 11.5
Total offenseB.J. Symons (Texas Tech)5,976 yds
Total offense per gameB.J. Symons (Texas Tech)459.7
Punt return averageSkyler Green (LSU)18.5
Kickoff return averageMichael Waddell (South Florida)31.7

The NCAA’s official leaders. From Wikipedia’s yearly NCAA leader lists for passing, rushing, receiving, scoring, total offense and returns.

Conference champions

Division I-A

Atlantic Coast Conference
Florida State
Big 12
Kansas State
Big East
Miami and West Virginia (shared)
Big Ten
Michigan
Conference USA
Southern Miss
Mid-American Conference
Miami (OH)
Mountain West Conference
Utah
Pac-10
USC
Southeastern Conference
LSU
Sun Belt Conference
North Texas
Western Athletic Conference
Boise State

Division I-AA

Atlantic 10
Delaware and Massachusetts (shared)
Big Sky
Montana, Montana State and Northern Arizona (shared)
Big South
Gardner-Webb
Gateway Football Conference
Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois (shared)
Ivy League
Pennsylvania
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Duquesne
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
North Carolina A&T
Northeast Conference
Monmouth and UAlbany (shared)
Ohio Valley Conference
Jacksonville State
Patriot League
Colgate
Pioneer Football League
Valparaiso
Southern Conference
Wofford
Southland Conference
McNeese
Southwestern Athletic Conference
Southern

Division II and below

Gulf South Conference
North Alabama
North Central Conference
North Dakota

From each program’s Wikipedia article, with the conference’s name that season. Titles come from the articles of today’s FBS and FCS programs, so a title shared with a school outside them lists only one champion.

Consensus All-Americans

26 playersAll 9 selectors’ teams

Players picked by enough of the major selectors to count as consensus, shown in bold in Wikipedia’s 2003 All-America article. Every selector’s teams, first to last, are on the 2003 All-America teams page.

The 2003 awards

Every award

Player of the year

By position

Defensive player of the year

Scholarship and character

Coaches

The champions’ staffs

Every title staff

LSU 36 on the staff list

  • Nick Sabanhead coach
  • Jimbo Fisheroffensive coordinator, quarterbacks
  • Will Muschampdefensive coordinator
  • Kirk Dolllinebackers, Asst. head coach
  • Derek Dooleyrunning backs, special teams
  • Stan HixonAsso. head coach, wide receivers
  • Travis Jonesdefensive line
  • Stacy Searelsoffensive line
  • Lance ThompsonAsst. head coach -- tight ends, recruiting Coord.
  • Tim Waltondefensive backs
Support staff (26)

Strength and conditioning

  • Tommy Moffitt strength & conditioning coordinator
  • Bo Davis assistant strength and conditioning coordinator
  • Scott Gadeken Asst. strength & conditioning Coord.
  • Will Jones strength & conditioning assistant
  • Scott Cochran assistant strength and conditioning coach
  • Mike Collins intern with the LSU football program during the 2003 national championship season

Operations and recruiting

  • Scott Scherer administrative Intern
  • Chad Walker recruiting Intern
  • Charles Baglio coordinator of high school football relations
  • Dr. Sam Nader assistant athletics director – football
  • Sharon Mangum coordinator of recruiting operations
  • Ya’el Lofton coordinator of football operations
  • Faye Spradley offensive Secretary
  • CC Thompson defensive Secretary
  • Lois Stuckey Receptionist

Sports medicine and nutrition

  • Jack Marucci director of athletic training
  • Andy Barker senior associate Atheltic trainer
  • Shelly Mullenix senior associate Atheltic trainer

Equipment

  • Jeff Boss equipment manager
  • Ferrell Shillings Asst. athletic equipment manager
  • Greg Stringfellow Asst. athletic equipment manager
  • Mike ‘Bones’ Boniol Olympic sports athletic equipment manager

Video, communications and other staff

  • Doug Aucoin Videography director
  • Brandon Fairburn assistant Videographer
  • Steve Franz staff Photographer, Photography coordinator, LSU athletics
  • Michael Bonnette sports Information director (chief media contact for LSU football)

USC 26 on the staff list

Support staff (16)

Strength and conditioning

  • Chris Carlisle STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH
  • Aaron Ausmus ASSISTANT STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACHES
  • Jamie Yanchar ASSISTANT STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACHES
  • Charr Gahagan assistant coach, strength & conditioning
  • Gary Uribe assistant coach, strength & conditioning

Operations and recruiting

  • Mark Jackson DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL ADMINISTRATION
  • Greg Bukowski recruiting and operations assistant
  • Christy Valine recruiting assistant
  • Lindsay Gillman assistant to the head coach
  • Joyce Hirayama administrative assistant to football coaches
  • Irene Puentes football Receptionist
  • Christie Valine recruiting assistant

Equipment

  • Tino Dominguez football equipment coordinator
  • Greg Allen assistant football equipment coordinator

Video, communications and other staff

  • John Soldate associate director (football Counselor)
  • Allah-mi Basheer assistant director (football Counselor)

The staff as the school listed it that season, roles in the source’s words (students and graduate assistants left out). Names link to coach pages where we have one, else to Wikipedia. Staff lists: Drew Hoover’s how-many-rings (MIT), from the schools’ media guides and staff pages.

Final BCS standings

1Oklahoma12–⁠1
2LSU12–⁠1
3USC11–⁠1
4Michigan10–⁠2
5Ohio State10–⁠2
6Texas10–⁠2
7Florida State10–⁠2
8Tennessee10–⁠2
9Miami10–⁠2
10Kansas State11–⁠3
11Miami (OH)11–⁠1
12Georgia10–⁠3
13Iowa9–⁠3
14Purdue9–⁠3
15Florida8–⁠4
16Washington State9–⁠3
17Boise State12–⁠1
18TCU11–⁠1
19Ole Miss9–⁠3
20Nebraska9–⁠3
21Oklahoma State9–⁠3
22Utah9–⁠2
23Maryland9–⁠3
24Bowling Green10–⁠3
25Minnesota9–⁠3

The last standings of the season, released December 7: the Bowl Championship Series’ formula of polls and computer rankings that matched No. 1 and No. 2 in the title game, 1998–⁠2013. From Wikipedia’s season rankings article (CC BY-SA); records as it lists them.

Bowls and playoff

Scoreboard
Dec 16, 2003Memphis 27, North Texas 17New Orleans Bowl
Dec 18, 200314Miami (OH) 49, Louisville 28GMAC Bowl
Dec 22, 2003NC State 56, Kansas 26Tangerine Bowl
Dec 23, 200318Boise State 34, 19TCU 31Fort Worth Bowl
Dec 24, 2003Oregon State 55, New Mexico 14Las Vegas Bowl
Dec 25, 2003Hawai’i 54, Houston 48Hawai’i Bowl
Dec 26, 200320Bowling Green 28, Northwestern 24Motor City Bowl
Dec 26, 2003California 52, Virginia Tech 49Insight Bowl
Dec 27, 2003Virginia 23, Pittsburgh 16Continental Tire Bowl
Dec 29, 200323Nebraska 17, Michigan State 3Alamo Bowl
Dec 30, 2003Texas Tech 38, Navy 14Houston Bowl
Dec 30, 200315Washington State 28, 6Texas 20Holiday Bowl
Dec 30, 2003Fresno State 17, UCLA 9Silicon Valley Football Classic
Dec 31, 2003Auburn 28, Wisconsin 14Music City Bowl
Dec 31, 200325Minnesota 31, Oregon 30Sun Bowl
Dec 31, 2003Utah 17, Southern Miss 0Liberty Bowl
Dec 31, 2003Arkansas 27, Missouri 14Independence Bowl
Dec 31, 2003Boston College 35, Colorado State 21San Francisco Bowl
Jan 1, 200412Iowa 37, 16Florida 17Outback Bowl
Jan 1, 200424Maryland 41, 21West Virginia 7Gator Bowl
Jan 1, 20045Georgia 34, 11Purdue 27Capital One Bowl
Jan 1, 20042USC 28, 4Michigan 14Rose Bowl
Jan 1, 200410Miami 16, 9Florida State 14Orange Bowl
Jan 2, 200417Ole Miss 31, 22Oklahoma State 28Cotton Bowl
Jan 2, 2004Clemson 27, 7Tennessee 14Peach Bowl
Jan 2, 20048Ohio State 35, 13Kansas State 28Fiesta Bowl
Jan 3, 2004Georgia Tech 52, Tulsa 10Humanitarian Bowl
Jan 4, 20043LSU 21, 1Oklahoma 14Sugar Bowl

Rule book changes

Every rule book

The 2003 NCAA rule book against the one before: 13 changed, 1 removed and 1 renumbered articles.

Rule 1: The Game, Field, Players and Equipment

  • Changed Rule 1-1-5 Team Captains (General Provisions)

Rule 2: Definitions

  • Renumbered Rule 2-7-3 Invalid Signal (Fair Catch) was Rule 2-7-4
  • Removed Rule 2-7-3 Illegal Signal (Fair Catch)
  • Changed Rule 2-28-1 (Tripping)

Rule 3: Periods, Time Factors and Substitutions

  • Changed Rule 3-2-5 When Clock Starts (Playing Time and Intermissions)

Rule 6: Kicks

  • Changed Rule 6-1-3 Free Kick Recovery (Free Kicks)
  • Changed Rule 6-1-4 Forced Touching Disregarded (Free Kicks)
  • Changed Rule 6-3-3 All Become Eligible (Scrimmage Kicks)
  • Changed Rule 6-3-6 Catch or Recovery by Kicking Team (Scrimmage Kicks)
  • Changed Rule 6-3-9 Touching Ground On or Behind Goal Line (Scrimmage Kicks)
  • Changed Rule 6-3-11 Loose Behind the Goal Line (Scrimmage Kicks)
  • Changed Rule 6-5-1 Dead Where Caught (Fair Catch)
  • Changed Rule 6-5-2 No Advance (Fair Catch)
  • Changed Rule 6-5-3 Invalid Signals (Fair Catch)
  • Changed Rule 6-5-4 Illegal Block or Contact (Fair Catch)

Only the first sentence of each article is compared, so a change deeper in an article (most penalty clauses, the overtime procedure) doesn’t show here, and a change that shows may be rewording. No rule text is kept: only numbers and headings. Rule books: NCAA, via Pierce’s provision dataset (Zenodo, CC BY 4.0).