Best individual seasons of the last 20 years: No. 7 - Terrell Suggs in 2002

Over a two-week period, theScore's NCAAF editors will be taking a look at the best individual seasons across the college football landscape over the last 20 years, focusing specifically on players from the Power 5 conferences.

Each day, we will be counting down the top 10 that college football has had to offer over the last two decades.

No. 7 - Arizona State DE Terrell Suggs' 2002 season

Heading into the 2002 season, Suggs was already one of the top pass-rushers in the Pac-10. He posted 10 sacks as a true freshman in 2000, won the conference's Freshman of the Year award and earned a spot on a number of Freshman All-American teams.

Suggs broke out in a huge way in 2002, propelling the 8-6 Sun Devils to their first winning season since 1997. The junior defensive end amassed an incredible 24 sacks, shattering the previous FBS record of 17.5 (the NCAA did not start collecting official defensive statistics until 2000). The record stands to this day, and is seen as one of the most unbreakable records in college football.

After his incredible campaign, "T-Sizzle" entered the 2003 NFL Draft. He was selected No. 10 overall by the Baltimore Ravens, where he has spent his entire career to date. In 15 seasons, the edge-rusher has gone to seven Pro Bowls and won Super Bowl XLVII.

The stats

What made the season so special?

Simply put, Suggs dominated the competition every time he stepped onto the field. The dominant defender astoundingly notched at least one sack in 11 of his 14 contests, following each shutout with a dominant performance in the next game. He recorded three or more sacks on four separate occasions: against Eastern Washington, UCF, North Carolina, and Washington.

Suggs' pass-rush talent was unlike anything opposing offensive tackles saw during the year. He could beat you with speed around the edge, quick hands, and a powerful bull-rush. Even if linemen knew what was coming, Suggs could not be stopped. In addition to breaking Syracuse pass-rusher Dwight Freeney's single-season sack record, the "ball so hard university" alum also collected more tackles for loss and forced fumbles than any other player in one college football season. Suggs finished his career with 44 sacks, another FBS record yet untouched.

Not surprisingly, the accolades followed Suggs after his incredible campaign. He was named the 2002 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, in addition to claiming the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (Football Writers' Association of America's best defender), Hendricks Award (best defensive end), and Lombardi Award (top college football lineman or linebacker).

The Moments

Suggs dominated rival Arizona in 2002's "Dual in the Desert," giving Arizona State the Territorial Cup. He accumulated eight tackles, and three tackles for loss against the Wildcats, including two sacks.

Suggs set a new NCAA sack record against California in the Sun Devils' 11th game of the season.

Top 10

• No. 10 - Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh
• No. 9 - Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel
• No. 8 - Auburn QB Cam Newton
• No. 6 - USC RB Reggie Bush
• No. 5 - Clemson QB Deshaun Watson
• No. 4 - Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree
• No. 3 - Texas RB Ricky Williams
• No. 2 - Stanford RB Christian McCaffrey
• No. 1 - Florida QB Tim Tebow