The 2006 season
Florida finished No. 1 in the final AP poll, 13–1 under Urban Meyer, after it beat Ohio State 41–14 in the BCS National Championship. The biggest game by the rankings: No. 1 Ohio State 24, No. 2 Texas 7 (Sep 9, 2006). One FBS team finished unbeaten. 46 ranked teams lost to unranked or lower-ranked opponents. Share
Heisman Trophy: Troy Smith, QB, Ohio State, who also won the Walter Camp and Davey O’Brien.
The Heisman vote: Troy Smith 2,540 points, Darren McFadden 878
| Player | Points | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Troy Smith QB, Ohio State | 2,540 | 801 | 62 | 13 | |
| Darren McFadden RB, Arkansas | 878 | 45 | 298 | 147 | |
| Brady Quinn QB, Notre Dame | 782 | 13 | 276 | 191 | |
| Steve Slaton RB, West Virginia | 214 | 6 | 51 | 94 | |
| Mike Hart RB, Michigan | 210 | 5 | 58 | 79 | |
| Colt Brennan QB, Hawaii | 202 | 6 | 44 | 96 | |
| Ray Rice RB, Rutgers | 79 | 1 | 16 | 44 | |
| Ian Johnson RB, Boise State | 73 | 1 | 13 | 44 | |
| Dwayne Jarrett WR, USC | 47 | 1 | 11 | 22 | |
| Calvin Johnson WR, Georgia Tech | 43 | 1 | 8 | 24 |
First-, second- and third-place votes (3, 2 and 1 points), from the season’s Wikipedia article, as published.
Scoreboards
Final AP poll
| 1 | Florida (64) | Southeastern Conference |
| 2 | Ohio State | Big Ten |
| 3 | LSU | Southeastern Conference |
| 4 | USC | Pac-10 |
| 5 | Boise State (1) | Western Athletic Conference |
| 6 | Louisville | Big East |
| 7 | Wisconsin | Big Ten |
| 8 | Michigan | Big Ten |
| 9 | Auburn | Southeastern Conference |
| 10 | West Virginia | Big East |
| 11 | Oklahoma | Big 12 |
| 12 | Rutgers | Big East |
| 13 | Texas | Big 12 |
| 14 | California | Pac-10 |
| 15 | Arkansas | Southeastern Conference |
| 16 | BYU | Mountain West Conference |
| 17 | Notre Dame | FBS Independents |
| 18 | Wake Forest | Atlantic Coast Conference |
| 19 | Virginia Tech | Atlantic Coast Conference |
| 20 | Boston College | Atlantic Coast Conference |
| 21 | Oregon State | Pac-10 |
| 22 | TCU | Mountain West Conference |
| 23 | Georgia | Southeastern Conference |
| 24 | Penn State | Big Ten |
| 25 | Tennessee | Southeastern Conference |
Biggest upsets
| Oct 7, 2006 | Arkansas 27, 2Auburn 10 |
| Dec 2, 2006 | UCLA 13, 2USC 9 |
| Oct 28, 2006 | Oregon State 33, 3USC 31 |
| Nov 11, 2006 | Kansas State 45, 4Texas 42 |
| Nov 11, 2006 | Georgia 37, 5Auburn 15 |
| Nov 18, 2006 | Cincinnati 30, 7Rutgers 11 |
| Nov 25, 2006 | South Florida 24, 7West Virginia 19 |
| Nov 11, 2006 | Arizona 24, 8California 20 |
| Sep 16, 2006 | Clemson 27, 9Florida State 20 |
| Oct 26, 2006 | Virginia Tech 24, 10Clemson 7 |
| Nov 24, 2006 | Texas A&M 12, 11Texas 7 |
| Sep 2, 2006 | 23Tennessee 35, 9California 18 |
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
Climbed
- Boise Stateunranked → No. 5
- Wisconsinunranked → No. 7
- Rutgersunranked → No. 12
- Arkansasunranked → No. 15
- BYUunranked → No. 16
Fell
- Notre DameNo. 2 → No. 17
- Florida StateNo. 11 → unranked
- MiamiNo. 12 → unranked
- TexasNo. 3 → No. 13
- IowaNo. 16 → unranked
From the season’s first AP poll (the preseason poll) to the final one.
National leaders
| Passing yards | Colt Brennan (Hawai’i) | 5,549 yds |
|---|---|---|
| Passing touchdowns | Colt Brennan (Hawai’i) | 58 TD |
| Passer rating | Colt Brennan (Hawai’i) | 186.0 |
| Rushing yards | Garrett Wolfe (Northern Illinois) | 1,928 yds |
| Rushing touchdowns | Ian Johnson (Boise State) | 25 TD |
| Yards per carry | Anthony Alridge (Houston) | 10.1 |
| Receptions | Davone Bess (Hawai’i) | 96 catches |
| Receiving yards | Chris Williams (New Mexico State) | 1,425 yds |
| Yards per catch | Terry Moss (Ball State) | 25.4 |
| Receiving touchdowns | Jarett Dillard (Rice) | 21 TD |
| Points | Ian Johnson (Boise State) | 152 pts |
| Points per game | Ian Johnson (Boise State) | 15.2 |
| Total offense | Colt Brennan (Hawai’i) | 5,915 yds |
| Total offense per game | Colt Brennan (Hawai’i) | 422.5 |
| Punt return average | DeSean Jackson (California) | 18.2 |
| Kickoff return average | Marcus Thigpen (Indiana) | 30.1 |
The NCAA’s official leaders. From Wikipedia’s yearly NCAA leader lists for passing, rushing, receiving, scoring, total offense and returns.
Conference champions
FBS
- Atlantic Coast Conference
- Wake Forest
- Big 12
- Oklahoma
- Big East
- Louisville
- Big Ten
- Ohio State
- Conference USA
- Houston
- Mid-American Conference
- Central Michigan
- Mountain West Conference
- BYU
- Pac-10
- California and USC (shared)
- Southeastern Conference
- Florida
- Sun Belt Conference
- Middle Tennessee and Troy (shared)
- Western Athletic Conference
- Boise State
FCS
- Atlantic 10
- Massachusetts
- Big Sky
- Montana
- Big South
- Coastal Carolina
- Gateway Football Conference
- Youngstown State
- Great West Conference
- North Dakota State
- Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
- Hampton
- Northeast Conference
- Monmouth
- Ohio Valley Conference
- Eastern Illinois and UT Martin (shared)
- Pioneer Football League
- San Diego
- Southern Conference
- App State
- Southland Conference
- McNeese
- Southwestern Athletic Conference
- Alabama A&M
Division II and below
- Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
- North Carolina Central
- Gulf South Conference
- North Alabama
- North Central Conference
- North Dakota
- Northeast 10
- Merrimack
- Northeast 10 Conference
- Bryant
- Northeast-10 Conference
- Long Island University
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
- QBTroy Smith, Ohio State
- RBDarren McFadden, Arkansas
- RBSteve Slaton, West Virginia
- WRCalvin Johnson, Georgia Tech
- WRDwayne Jarrett, Southern California
- TEZach Miller, Arizona State
- OLSam Baker, Southern California
- OTJoe Thomas, Wisconsin
- OLJake Long, Michigan
- OLJustin Blalock, Texas
- CDan Mozes, West Virginia
- DEGaines Adams, Clemson
- DEJustin Hickman, UCLA
- DELaMarr Woodley, Michigan
- DTQuinn Pitcock, Ohio State
- LBPatrick Willis, Mississippi
- LBJames Laurinaitis, Ohio State
- LBPaul Posluszny, Penn State
- DBLeon Hall, Michigan
- DBDante Hughes, California
- DBReggie Nelson, Florida
- SEric Weddle, Utah
- DBLaRon Landry, LSU
- KJustin Medlock, UCLA
- PDaniel Sepulveda, Baylor
- APBDeSean Jackson, California
Players picked by enough of the major selectors to count as consensus, shown in bold in Wikipedia’s 2006 All-America article. Every selector’s teams, first to last, are on the 2006 All-America teams page.
The 2006 awards
Every awardPlayer of the year
- HeismanTroy Smith, QB, Ohio State
- MaxwellBrady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame
- Walter CampTroy Smith, QB, Ohio State
By position
- Davey O’BrienTroy Smith, QB, Ohio State
- Unitas Golden ArmBrady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame
- ManningJaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
- Doak WalkerDarren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
- BiletnikoffCalvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech
- MackeyMatt Spaeth, TE, Minnesota
- RimingtonDan Mozes, C, West Virginia
- OutlandJoe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin
- LombardiLaMarr Woodley, DE, Michigan
- HendricksLaMarr Woodley, LB, Michigan
- ButkusPatrick Willis, LB, Ole Miss
- ThorpeAaron Ross, CB, Texas
- GrozaArt Carmody, K, Louisville
- Ray GuyDaniel Sepulveda, P, Baylor
Defensive player of the year
- NagurskiJames Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State
- BednarikPaul Posluszny, LB, Penn State
Scholarship and character
- Campbell TrophyBrian Leonard, FB, Rutgers
- WuerffelJoel Penton, DT, Ohio State
The champion’s staff
Every title staff
Florida 55 on the staff list
- Urban Meyerhead coach
- Charlie Strongassistant head coach; co-defensive coordinator; linebackers
- Greg Mattisonco-defensive coordinator; defensive line
- Dan Mullenoffensive coordinator; quarterbacks
- Chuck Heaterrecruiting coordinator; cornerbacks
- John “Doc” Hollidayassociate head coach; safeties
- Steve Addaziooffensive line, tackles; tight ends
- John Hevesyoffensive line, centers and guards
- Billy Gonzaleswide receivers
- Stan Draytonrunning backs
Support staff (45)
Analysts and quality control
- Zach Smith special teams quality control coach
Strength and conditioning
- Mickey Marotti director of strength and conditioning
- Matt Balis assistant director of strength and conditioning
- Frank Piraino coordinator, strength and conditioning
- Mark Campbell coordinator, strength and conditioning
Operations and recruiting
- Bob LaCivita director of football operations
- Jon Clark administrative assistant, football
- Betty Ling senior administrative assistant
- Dave Houts director of video services
- Brian Voltolini director football video, Software operations
- Katie Plageman staff assistant
- Alecia Pynn staff assistant
- Nancy Scarborough Office manager
- Mark Pantoni recruiting assistant
- Jeremy Foley director of athletics
- Greg McGarity executive senior associate athletics director (Internal Affairs; supervises football with the AD)
- Chip Howard associate athletics director – operations and Facilities (football game operations, team travel)
Sports medicine and nutrition
- Chris Patrick assistant athletic director for sports Health
- Anthony Pass head athletic trainer, football
- John Dean assistant athletic trainer, Physical Therapist
- Marty Huegel coordinator of Physical Therapy
- Tim Shay Physical Therapist
- Susan Tillman Physical Therapist
- Brad Patterson Massage Therapist
- Bob Seebohar coordinator of sports nutrition
- Maureen Mason sports nutritionist
- Kyle Johnston Graduate assistant (athletic training)
- Meghan Fornoff Graduate assistant (athletic training)
- Spencer Thomas Intern (athletic training)
- Gerald Hazouri, MD team Ophthalmologist
- Cheryl Zonkowski director, sports nutrition
Equipment
- Jason Baisden football equipment manager
- Van Stuckey director of athletic equipment
- Jeff McGrew assistant equipment manager
- Mike Spiegler associate athletics director – Auxiliary services (athletic equipment operations, football team travel)
Video, communications and other staff
- Hiram de Fries football staff
- Ross Dewitt director of Aviation
- Anthony Meacham Academic Counselor for football and Softball
- Jason Storch Academic Counselor for football and Women’s Soccer
- Keith Carodine associate athletics director, Academic Affairs, Office of Student Life (football academic support)
- Norm Carlson assistant athletics director – communications, Historian
- Steve McClain associate athletics director for communications (football media contact)
- Susan Swiderski Learning Specialist, Office of Student Life (football support staff)
- Buddy Wellman assistant coordinator, Compliance and Student services (football support staff)
- Bryan Patterson Career Counselor, Life Skills coordinator, Office of Student Life (football support staff)
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
| 1 | Ohio State | 12–0 |
| 2 | Florida | 12–1 |
| 3 | Michigan | 11–1 |
| 4 | LSU | 10–2 |
| 5 | USC | 10–2 |
| 6 | Louisville | 11–1 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | 11–1 |
| 8 | Boise State | 12–0 |
| 9 | Auburn | 10–2 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | 11–2 |
| 11 | Notre Dame | 10–2 |
| 12 | Arkansas | 10–3 |
| 13 | West Virginia | 10–2 |
| 14 | Wake Forest | 11–2 |
| 15 | Virginia Tech | 10–2 |
| 16 | Rutgers | 10–2 |
| 17 | Tennessee | 9–3 |
| 18 | California | 9–3 |
| 19 | Texas | 9–3 |
| 20 | BYU | 10–2 |
| 21 | Texas A&M | 9–3 |
| 22 | Oregon State | 9–4 |
| 23 | Nebraska | 9–4 |
| 24 | Boston College | 9–3 |
| 25 | UCLA | 7–5 |
The last standings of the season, released December 3: 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
ScoreboardRule book changes
Every rule bookThe 2006 NCAA rule book against the one before: 22 new, 7 changed and 2 retitled articles.
Rule 1: The Game, Field, Players and Equipment
- Changed Rule 1-4-9 Prohibited Field Equipment (Players and Playing Equipment)
Rule 2: Definitions
- Changed Rule 2-2-7 Catch, Interception, Recovery (The Ball: Live, Dead, Loose)
- Changed Rule 2-10-3 Batting (Fumbling, Muffing, Batting, Touching or Blocking a Kick)
- Changed Rule 2-18-2 Offside (Encroachment and Offside)
Rule 3: Periods, Time Factors and Substitutions
- Changed Rule 3-2-5 When Clock Starts (Playing Time and Intermissions)
- Changed Rule 3-3-6 Violation Timeouts (Timeouts)
Rule 8: Scoring
- Retitled Rule 8-3-3 Fouls During a Try Before a Change of Team Possession (Try Down)
- Retitled Rule 8-3-4 Fouls During a Try After a Change of Team Possession (Try Down)
- Changed Rule 8-3-5 Fouls After a Try (Try Down)
Rule 12: Instant Replay
- New Rule 12 Instant Replay
- New Rule 12–1 Definition (Definition)
- New Rule 12-1-1 Definition (Definition)
- New Rule 12–2 Eligibility for instant replay (Eligibility for instant replay)
- New Rule 12-2-1 Participation (Eligibility for instant replay)
- New Rule 12–3 Reviewable Plays (Reviewable Plays)
- New Rule 12-3-1 Side Line, Goal Line, End Line (Reviewable Plays)
- New Rule 12-3-2 Passes (Reviewable Plays)
- New Rule 12-3-3 Miscellaneous (Reviewable Plays)
- New Rule 12-3-4 Plays Not Reviewable (Reviewable Plays)
- New Rule 12–4 Instant Replay Personnel, Equipment and Location (Instant Replay Personnel, Equipment and Location)
- New Rule 12-4-1 Personnel (Instant Replay Personnel, Equipment and Location)
- New Rule 12-4-2 Equipment (Instant Replay Personnel, Equipment and Location)
- New Rule 12-4-3 Location (Instant Replay Personnel, Equipment and Location)
- New Rule 12–5 Initiating the Replay Process (Initiating the Replay Process)
- New Rule 12-5-1 Game Stop (Initiating the Replay Process)
- New Rule 12-5-2 When to Stop a Game (Initiating the Replay Process)
- New Rule 12–6 Reviewing an On-field Ruling (Reviewing an On-field Ruling)
- New Rule 12-6-1 Procedures (Reviewing an On-field Ruling)
- New Rule 12-6-2 Time Restrictions (Reviewing an On-field Ruling)
- New Rule 12–7 Reversing an On-Field Ruling (Reversing an On-Field Ruling)
- New Rule 12-7-1 Criterion for Reversal (Reversing an On-Field Ruling)
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).