17 Notre Dame.

Indiana's Notre Dame Fighting Irish ranked number 17 on a list of the top 25 college football teams in 2003. Middle linebacker Courtney Watson was fired up, and there wasn't even a trash-talking tailback in sight. On this recent afternoon he was agitated over the plight of Notre Dame's campus cafeteria workers, who are not unionized. A business major with aspirations of law school as well as the NFL, Watson is outspoken on issues ranging from workers' rights to diversity on campus. Last year, in coach Tyrone Willingham's debut season, Notre Dame exceeded expectations with a 10-3 record, but the defensive captain still broods about how punchless the team was late in the season, most notably in a close call against Navy and a Gator Bowl loss to N.C. State. A wide receiver turned running back at Riverview High in Sarasota, Fla., Watson switched to linebacker in 2000 and 2 1/2 years later was a Butkus Award finalist with a team-high 90 tackles, four interceptions, eight pass break-ups and three sacks.