21.   The Fiesta Bowl matchup also should jump from a year ago because the winner could be the eventual national champ if Miami loses.

22.   The season opened with a nationally televised rout of defending national champ Arkansas, followed by a string of impressive victories.

23.   The Wildcats were national champs.

24.   Williamson said he and his teammates perceive some lack of respect toward the national champs because of their earlier struggles.

25.   Without a doubt, Elise Ray, the national champion, and two-time national champ Kristen Maloney will anchor the team.

26.   Ray, the reigning national champ who had easily won the first round of the trials, fell off the balance beam while doing an aerial front somersault.

27.   As the two-time defending national champ and winner of the bronze medal at the last two world championships, Michael Weiss should be all the rage.

28.   But on Monday, when she held the microphone at Gampel rally for the NCAA national champs, she struggled through tears.

29.   Grentz said her young team, which starts three freshmen, will be better for having played the defending national champs.

30.   Last season, UConn lost by wide margins to Syracuse and eventual national champ Michigan State.