Independents Preview

By Tommy Dutch
Don Best Associate Editor

The vast majority of seasons, Notre Dame is head and shoulders above the rest as the most talented team among college football's Independents. Last season was an exception when Navy defeated the Irish for the first time in 43 seasons.

The Midshipmen went on to win eight games and qualified for the Poinsettia Bowl. Navy has slipped a bit and the vastly improved Irish will once again be the best of the bunch. Army is still not very good and Western Kentucky has one more season until it joins the Sun Belt.

Notre Dame
Projected Record (9-3)
Last season's debacle is finally in the rear view mirror and the Irish are a likely candidate to be the most improved team in the country. Quarterback Jimmy Clausen added nearly 20 pounds in the offseason and appears ready to take over as the team leader. Clausen battled injuries throughout his freshman season but was healthy for the final three games. The Irish went 2-1 in those games, with Clausen throwing six touchdowns and one interception. The Notre Dame schedule is not as demanding as most seasons. The season ends with a difficult trip to USC, but all other road games (Michigan State, North Carolina, Washington and Boston College) are winnable. Notre Dame has only had 13 losing seasons in the history of the program and is likely to recover nicely from one of the most embarrassing seasons on record. A BCS game is not out of question for the Fighting Irish.

Navy
Projected Record (6-6)
First-year coach Ken Niumatalolo takes over a suddenly proud program. The Midshipmen have won five straight Commander-in-Chief's Trophies with one of the most dynamic rushing attacks in college football. The 1997 team set a team record with 511 points, while rushing for an astounding 349 yards per game. The combination of a new coach and the offense losing significant talent will result in the worst Navy team in the past five years. However, the Midshipmen will be competitive and could win enough games to qualify for their sixth consecutive bowl game.

Western Kentucky
Projected Record (5-7)
WKU is often thought of as a basketball school but the football program has been put on the map in the last decade. The Hilltoppers have reeled off 12 consecutive winning seasons and have made the 1AA playoffs five times since 2000. Last season was the first the Hilltoppers competed in 1A and it was a success. However, half of the schedule was against 1AA opponents and WKU dominated the inferior competition. This season the schedule is difficult. WKU faces five teams that were bowl eligible as well as the preseason favorites in the Sun Belt and the MAC. This is a competitive team and an improving program but the streak of consecutive winning seasons stops at 12.

Army
Projected Record (2-10)
The Black Knights will likely continue their streak of not winning more than four games in a season since 1996. The team has recently been competitive at times and will benefit from a weak schedule, but an overall lack of talent will lead to plenty of losses. Just four starters return from an offense which averaged 266 yards per game and four starters return from a defense which allowed 424 yards per contest. Army is 7-14-1 against the number during the past two seasons.

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