Coming back after knee surgery and a burger binge, guard Baron Davis leads the best cast of young players in the land

In Athens they're talking of dethroning SEC king Kentucky, and thanks to one super sophomore, they very well might

If you listen to coach Rick Majerus, his depleted Utes don't stand a chance this season. Don't listen to him

The Cowboys may be small, but they figure that by season's end they'll be standing tall as Big 12 champs

Fresh from its first NCAA bid in nearly a decade, Knoxville's "other basketball team" is ready to turn heads on campus

If everything goes right, a trio of promising juniors could hand Jim Boeheim his most balanced team in more than a decade

The Rams are loaded with talent—and much of it belongs to Lamar Odom, who at 6'10" has the skills of a point guard

James Posey is ready to leave his sixth-man role and join the distinguished fraternity of Musketeers power forwards

Kenny Thomas, a.k.a. Baby Shaq, is 25 pounds lighter and eager to shed his reputation as a postseason folding act

How long is Bob Knight likely to keep his new cool? Until his undersized squad, led by A.J. Guyton, comes up short

Nolan Richardson says he wants to turn his smallish Hogs into nasty little dogs. Then he can unleash his devilish plan

The Jayhawks appear destined for another early exit from the NCAAs. This year, though, their fans won't be so shocked

Last year the RedHawks waited for the other shoe to drop (it did); this year they're ready for Cinderella's slipper

With high-scoring Lee Nailon returning after a near jump to the NBA, Billy Tubbs is dreaming of a 200-point game

Deep, balanced and free of the off-the-court distractions of the past, these unrebellious Rebels are up and running again

[This article contains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine or PDF.]

Imagine that the best players from all the top colleges magically came together to decide which program had the greatest team of all. We did, and we'll tell you who won

After two banner recruiting classes in a row, Florida's hotshot young coach Billy Donovan has this to say to the skeptics: I'm no outlaw

November 29, 1976

Despite an opening-week loss on Purdue's home court, the mighty Lady Vols are still SI's pick to roll to their fourth straight title, in San Jose

In becoming an instant star for Tennessee, Tamika Catchings also became a role model for the hearing impaired

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Super LeagueAfter three years the Big 12 has finally lived up to big expectations

Alan Borges, offensive coordinator, UCLAHis high-flying Bruins offenses have averaged 40 points a game over the last two seasons.

•Michigan (8-2) at Ohio State (9-1)Best game: 1969, when the Wolverines and first-year coach Bo Schembechler ended the Buckeyes' 22-game winning streak and beat a team Woody Hayes considered to be...

Unexpected JoltA rejuvenated Wendel Clark has brought electricity to the Lightning

DIRK GRAHAMCoach, BlackhawksWhen rookie coach Graham, Chicago's former rugged captain, was hired in June, his mandate was to galvanize the listless Hawks. But in its first 16 games under Graham,...

Oilers forward Bill Guerin (below), who led the NHL with 12 goals at week's end, is the perfect example of a talented player who excels when the restraints of a rigid system are taken off. The...

The Little ThingsDetail-oriented Chan Gailey is making a big difference in Dallas

1. Peyton ArrivesIn the same week that fellow rookie Ryan Leaf lost his starting job in San Diego, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning enjoyed his finest hour in a 24-23 win over the Jets. Down 23-10...

Through Monday three kickers who had at least 30 combined field goal and extra point attempts this season—the Vikings' Gary Anderson (above), the Broncos' Jason Elam and the Saints' Doug...

Philadelphia owner Jeff Lurie, after his Eagles were blown out by Washington 28-3 on Sunday: "We were pitiful. I'd rather see paint dry than watch our team play. Pitiful."

Mating DanceElite free agents and rich teams approach each other warily

The Pirates have entertained several offers for second baseman Tony Womack, including one from the Indians. Cleveland also would get lefthanded reliever Ricardo Rincon in a deal that would send...

Picabo Street, the Olympic downhiller, is scared. "I'm just not sure I can be fearless anymore," she says.

Kelly Williams, Kansas City, Kans.FencingWilliams, 33, was named the U.S. Fencing Association's Female Athlete of the Year after coming in second in women's sabre at the world championships, the...

DON'T MISS

3.6Fox NFL Sunday's average rating for the season's first 10 weeks. Its noncable pregame competitor, The NFL Today on CBS, averaged a 2.5.

On Turkey Day give thanks that Kirk Herbstreit, analyst for ESPN College GameDay, cares more about doing a solid job than getting off a rim shot; that CNN/SI anchors Vince Cellini and Fred...

Finding serious news highly frivolous, Keith Olbermann returns to fun and games

Rage and irrational violence in the NFL—could it be related to steroid use? Gee, do ya think?—KATHY GARRETT, Wilmington, Del.

Letters to SPORTS ILLUSTRATED should include the name, address and home telephone number of the writer. They may be mailed to The Editor, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, Time & Life Building, New York,...

There's nothing right about baseball that a few fat contracts can't screw up

•That Tennessee's thank-you note to Arkansas is in the mail.

Karl Malone Sounds OffWhoa, Mailman!

10,000Fine, in dollars, handed down by the NFL to Vikings defensive tackle John Randle for using excessive eye black in a game.

Is there a less likely place for Bobby Bonilla to have landed than back in New York with the Mets? The team exiled him in 1995 after he hit only .278 over 3½ seasons, all the while alienating fans...

Awards handed out before a jumper has been drained might seem pointless, but don't tell Elton Brand of Duke, Mateen Cleaves of Michigan State, Richard Hamilton of Connecticut, Andre Millerof Utah...

Pumping iron or pedaling an Exercycle is passé. The latest health-club craze is the role-playing workout. A real drill sergeant puts a "platoon" of lycra-clad "recruits" through a make-believe...

The official magazine of Britain's Leeds United soccer club offers a George Graham Toilet Sticker, a photo of the team's former manager—who went to a rival club—meant to be placed at the bottom of...

CHARLIE SPOONHOUR

Quarterback Michael Bishop redeemed himself brilliantly after three early fumbles and kept K-State's perfect season alive with a historic win over Nebraska

The Falcons are now much tougher birds, as the 49ers found out in losing a battle for the NFC West lead

Much of Atlanta's success over the past two seasons can be attributed to an ability to stop the run, as the Falcons did in limiting the 49ers' Garrison Hearst (above) to 56 yards on Sunday. The...

Departments

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED and CNN team up on the Internet to offer up-to-the-minute sports news. Tip off the college hoops season with our blowout on-line preview: Check out all the newcomers to watch,...

A Real Head-turnerWhen Nebraska goes for it on fourth down late in its loss to Kansas State, Wildcat Travis Ochs (50) takes matters into his own hands and sacks Husker Eric Crouch by means the...

Got the NBA lockout blues? Relax, and let us count the ways that the college game is superior

Keep an eye on these five cosmic performers, four freshman and a junior college transfer, who are set to launch careers that could send their teams rocketing up the rankings

He might as well be on another planet given the scant attention he gets, but Miami of Ohio forward Wally Szczerbiak just may be the best player in the nation

In what promises to be a season of surprises, Stanford is the pick to take the title

There's only one thing in short supply for the deep, physical and experienced Cardinal: tickets

Last year the timid young Blue Devils ended their season in disastrous fashion; this year they're older, bolder and wiser

Gifted sophomore Khalid El-Amin has revised his priorities at the point: lead bypassing, especially to Richard Hamilton

Three top-flight starters are back for the Terps, but it may be a well-traveled newcomer who carries them to St. Petersburg

Where once was Earvin Johnson, there's now Mateen Cleaves, another Spartan guard sparking talk of magic in March

After an off-season rife with ugly incidents, what kind of season can the damaged Wildcats expect? Merely to repeat as champs

John Chaney has the talent to run his trusty three-guard lineup, which means hell to pay for somebody in the NCAAs

Mixing a sweet-shooting center with a sugar-shunning guard, the Huskies are anticipating a honey of a season

For the Tar Heels to reach a 25th straight NCAA tournament they'll have to turn to a less traditional source: freshmen

They're strong and deep, but if the Minutemen can't learn to hit the three-pointer, their Final Four hopes are a long shot

PGA

Greg Norman ended a seven-month layoff in style by teaming with Steve Elkington to win the Shark Shootout

School of Hard KnocksFor 169 pros, Q school '98 might be a final chance to make the grade

Whom would you most like to see in the Skins Game?

Which statistics add up to millions on the PGA Tour? Leading money winner David Duval finished first in two categories and was second in total driving and fifth in putting. Hal Sutton led in two...

329Distance, in yards, of Casey Martin's winning poke in the long-driving portion of the Nov. 9 Golf Skills Challenge in Ojai, Calif. Overall, Martin came in second to Nick Price to win $74,500,...

Oversized Is Downsized: Responding to golf's industrywide slowdown, the world's No. 1 equipment maker laid off 700 employees last week. In addition to axing almost a quarter of its workforce,...

Golfer and Caddie—it's a relationship. You hope it works out, but you never know. This has been the best year of my 15-year career, with a win at Milwaukee and more than $1.1 million in earnings,...

What do these players have in common?