Carson Palmer

'That's the fun part of coaching college football -- you don't have a Steve Young for 10 years. You have to have another guy ready.' Norm Chow, USC offensive coordinator, on replacing Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer

DAVIE, Fla. -- Carson Palmer, USC quarterback, 23-year-old Heisman Trophy winner, is a romantic. He surprised Shaelyn Fernandes with dinner at an outdoor table at a cliff-top restaurant overlooking Dana Point. This on a day he had football practice, on a day NFL scouts had come by to poke, prod, time and weigh him. He was frazzled and running late, and it was in the middle of his most fabulous season, but Palmer, from Laguna Niguel, never lost his poise, never varied from his plan.

The postseason awards cavalcade continued Wednesday for USC quarterback Carson Palmer. Palmer was selected as the winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award, presented annually to the nation's top senior quarterback. Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr called Palmer to deliver the news. Palmer is the second USC player to win the Unitas award, joining 1988 winner Rodney Peete.

With No. 15 USC playing No. 22 Penn State, the Kickoff Classic in East Rutherford, N.J., is the only one of six college games this weekend that features two ranked teams. Not that rankings mean much to the players. The Penn State players think they have been underestimated in the polls because they lost 15 starters from last season. "With all the people who left, everyone's counting us out," fullback Mike Cerimele said. "That's fine. Let them go to sleep on us."