College: No Easy Route to the Big Easy

Last year at this time nobody outside the Buckeye State was talking up a national championship for Ohio State. But OSU prevailed, relying on a trifecta of quarterback heroics, rock-hard defense and crazy luck all season long.

Well, that was last year. In 2003, look elsewhere - but not too far - for who ends up playing the final in New Orleans‚ at the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 4. Four teams to watch:

• Oklahoma might be the best team in the country, with the best coaching staff, but are the Sooners the best team in Oklahoma? They have to beat Oklahoma State, who whipped them the last two years. (They play Nov. 1 in Norman, Okla.)
• Texas annually claims to lasso the best recruiting class ever, but the Longhorns still lose the big games. That rap dies if UT beats Kansas State and Oklahoma back-to-back in October.
• Tennessee had all the rotten luck last year, with a slew of injuries. They've got a returning quarterback (senior Casey Clausen) and a beefy schedule - Florida, Auburn and Miami - to impress the skeptics. Better luck this time.
• Michigan knows it all comes down to the last game of the year against Ohio State - again (Nov. 22). Last year, the Buckeyes slipped by, 14-9. Look for a reversal of roles in 2003, with senior QB John Navarre supplying the heroics.

Prediction

National Championship: Oklahoma vs Michigan.
• Winner: Wolverines 23-17.

NFL: Passing the Bucs

Quick question: Who won the Super Bowl last year? The answer - Tampa Bay, but you knew that - still sounds strange after all those lousy Buccaneer seasons in those orange uniforms.

But that's life in the NFL. Salary caps, schedule tweaking and draft pick parity guarantee a rags-to-riches story every year. (Oh yeah, Tampa Bay had a crushing defense. That usually helps.)

So this year, as usual, nobody's dominating. That gives hope to fans in, say, Cincinnati and New Orleans. But watch for an old-fashioned return of some old guard teams - namely, Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Miami, and the New York Giants.

The Giants have Tiki Barber and a beefed-up defensive line, the Dolphins have Zach Thomas and something to prove, the Pack has Brett Favre and a tradition of confidence. And the Steelers have their Mount Rushmore of a coach, Bill Cowher.

If a couple of these squads can muster some defense through the cold days of the January playoffs, they'll find themselves in Houston Feb. 1, 2004, for Super Bowl XXXVIII.

Prediction

Super Bowl 2004:
• Green Bay vs. Pittsburgh.
• Winner: Packers 30-13.

Pigskin Patrol
Park at these TAs to catch your favorite games

College

University of Washington plays at Husky Stadium 3800 Montlake Blvd., Seattle, Wash.
Closest TA: Seattle East TA, I-90, Exit 94

University of Michigan plays at Michigan Stadium Main St. & Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor, Mich.
Closest TA: Ann Arbor TA, I-94, Exit 167

NFL

Tennessee Titans play in The Coliseum Nashville, Tenn.
Closest TA: Nashville TA, I-24, Exit 48 (walking distance to the stadium!)

Tampa Bay plays at Raymond James Stadium Tampa, Fla.
Closest TA: Tampa TA , I-4, Exit 10