My B/R Top 25 (Oct. 19)

1. Texas (previous: 1) 7-0; beat No. 14 Missouri 56-31

Another shootout? Yup. Colt McCoy is proving himself to be quite the gunslinger. Missouri gamely hung in there, but the smell of smoked Tiger at the end was undeniable. The ‘Horns handled the pressure of being on the top and “didn’t eat the cheese” (nice one, Coach Brown).

2.  Alabama (previous: 2) 7-0; beat Mississippi 24-20

Hey, ‘Bama, what’s with these three-point and four-point margins? Don’t the Fighting Sabans know that in today’s high pressure college football climate, style points are de rigeur?

Honestly, though, in the FBS (I-A) world, where quality is decided in a beauty contest—and don’t deceive yourselves, dear readers, that’s what any poll is—Alabama is at risk of falling further behind the leader.

3.  Penn State (previous: 3) 8-0; beat Michigan 46-17

The JoePa farewell tour continues (I think he and Bobby have made a secret pact to retire after this season), as the Nittany Lions destroy all that comes before them. So far. Next week at No. 8 Ohio State is the acid test.

If these top three teams win out (what are the chances? Ten percent? Five percent?) then we have ourselves another BCS controversy, and yet another reason for a *cough* playoff *cough*.

4.  Utah (previous: 4) 8-0; beat Colo. St. 49-16

Untill the Utes lose, they deserve to be here. Period.

But after TCU's upset of previously No. 5 BYU, the Nov. 22 Utah-BYU game is no longer the Mountain West Conference decider. Instead, the new MWC "Game of the Season" is on Thursday, Nov. 6, as No. 4 Utah hosts No. 15 TCU.

It’s conceivable that all three of these MWC teams could finish 11-1 (and all miss out on the BCS), which would be cruel justice of a sort.

5.  Oklahoma (previous: 6) 6-1; beat No. 24 Kansas 45-31

The highest-ranked team with a loss, the Sooners recovered well by outscoring a determined Jayhawks team. Although they will need help to make it to the promised land of the Big XII conference championship, it’s still within the realm of possibility.

But Oklahoma’s conference destiny is no longer in their own hands; they have to hope for an upset of Texas. Another postseason possibility is to land a BCS berth if Texas beats the Big XII North champion.

6.  USC (previous: 8) 5-1; beat Wash. St. 69-0

The Trojans benefit from Florida's struggle vs. BYE, and leapfrog the Gators into sixth place.

"Hey, let’s make up for our weak conference by pulverizing one of our conference opponents into dust! Yeah, that’s the ticket!" This, though, may not do the trick in terms of getting the Trojans into the BCS title game. Especially as it was Washington State.

Now, were the Big XII and SEC conference championship games to yield upsets, and were the Trojans to beat Notre Dame and UCLA by similarly obscene margins, their “style points” might get them back in the title picture. That's a lot of conditionals, but stranger things have happened...

7.  Florida (previous: 7) 5-1; BYE

Spanking LSU a week ago must have taken a lot of energy. The Gators had the week off, so they stay put, and miss out on the opportunity move up after BYU’s loss.

Next week at home to Kentucky is the appetizer for the main course: the Cocktail Party vs. No. 9 Georgia on Nov. 1.

8.  Ohio State (previous: 9) 7-1; beat No. 17 Mich. St. 45-7

The Buckeyes continue to improve, and Terrelle Pryor is looking less like a true freshman (no redshirt!) with each passing game. And that’s the key: If Pryor can throw the ball effectively, it takes pressure off Wells and the running game.

Next week’s game at home vs. No. 3 Penn State will almost certainly determine the Big  “11” championship.

9.  Georgia (previous: 11) 6-1; beat No. 21 Vanderbilt 24-14

The 'Dawgs are making sure that the Alabama game is well and truly out of their minds, and they seem on a mission to make it to the SEC championship game for a possible rematch. Vanderbilt are tougher opponents than they seem, and UGA did a good job to come away with the win. They leapfrog Texas Tech into the No. 9 spot.

Now for the double crunch: next Saturday night, Georgia travels to "Death Valley" to face No. 12 LSU. Then, on Nov. 1, comes "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" in Jacksonville, at which a football game vs. the Florida Gators is rumored to be on the bill.

T-10.  Texas Tech (previous: 10) 7-0; beat Texas A&M 43-25

The Red Raiders are hardly distinguishable from Big XII South rivals Oklahoma State at this point, so it's quite understandable to have them tied for 10th, on the cusp of being legitimate, but with a few more tests to pass before they are seen as the "real deal".

Tech did nicely to recover from the scare vs. Nebraska last week, and the A&M Aggies are just what Dr. Pepper (a Texas product, natch) ordered. There is no doubt that the Raiders' offense is running smoothly, and they should be able to compete well next week @ Kansas.

The question remains, though, whether they will survive the inevitable shootouts vs. No. 1 Texas on Nov. 1, or @ No. 5 Oklahoma on Nov. 22.

T-10.  Oklahoma State (previous: 13) 7-0; beat Baylor 34-6

Good? Without a doubt. Great? The jury's still out.

The road win over Missouri still impresses, but otherwise the Cowboys have yet to meet a particularly challenging foe. And no, Texas A&M doesn't count (at least not this season).

Still, credit to the 'Pokes for focusing on the game at hand, and beating Baylor easily. Next week, however, represents the 2000-lb. steer in the road, as OSU travels to Austin to face the Mack Brown Express, with Engineer McCoy at the controls. It should be a good game to watch—in the same way Texas vs. Missouri was a good game to watch.

12.   LSU (previous: 12) 5-1; beat S. Carolina 24-17

Credit to the Bayou Bengals for coming out of Columbia with the win, and for putting the smackdown in the Swamp behind them. For a while there, the Ol' Ball Coach appeared to have the hoodoo on them.

However, the Tigers still have something to prove before they're seen as challengers again for the SEC title. Unless they rack up a big win or two, they'll have trouble breaking into the Top Ten.

But the meaty part of the season in the SEC never lacks for opportunities to rack up those big wins, and next weekend the Georgia Bulldogs come to Baton Rouge. Then, following Tulane for a palate-cleanser, the Tigers host Alabama on Nov. 8 in what is sure to be the key game for the SEC West.

13.   Boise State (previous: 15) 6-0; beat Hawaii 27-7

The Broncos are now the au courant choice to bust the BCS. They never really faced any danger against Hawaii last Thursday, and only Fresno State at the end of the season is likely to present a meaningful test.

While BSU has a possibility of reaching a BCS berth, I would say that on the basis of conference affiliation alone, Utah stands a better chance if both teams finish undefeated. It's too bad there isn't a MWC-WAC playoff at the end of the season; but then again, in my view it's too bad there isn't a *playoff* at the end of the season, period.

14.   Ball State (previous: 19) 7-0; BYE

Ordinarily, I wouldn't move teams up during their bye weeks. The exception comes when so many teams ahead of that team lose. So, Cardinals: send your thank-you cards and beverage of choice to the following schools: BYU, Missouri, California, Michigan State, and Virginia Tech.

A BCS berth is virtually impossible, however. The MAC schedule the Cardinals play is just not strong enough, and even if more teams ahead of BSU fall by the wayside, there are other BCS conference teams that will likely leapfrog Ball State. As I said last week about Boise State: "they really should start lobbying for a 16-team playoff, because otherwise it's not going to happen for them."

15.   TCU (previous: NR) 7-1; beat No. 5 BYU 32-7

With their one loss to Oklahoma, the "Horny Toads" are not likely to get a BCS berth. What they *can* do, and *have* done, is play spoiler for the other teams in their conference. BYU came crashing down last week; TCU travels to Utah on Thursday, Nov. 6 in what should be an entertaining game with the Mountain West title on the line.

What TCU brings to the table that distinguishes it this season is a *very* stingy defense. And with the exception of Oklahoma, the offense has been able to benefit from that defensive strength.

16.   Minnesota (previous: 21) 6-1; BYE

The Golden Gophers move up in the Top 25 only because of the bloodshed above them in the middle of the table. Similar to Ball State, they have a lot of teams to thank for that.

The Gophers are one of the "sleeper" teams in the Big "11" that can benefit in the unlikely event that both No. 3 Penn State and No. 9 Ohio State self-destruct. Their one loss is in conference, to Ohio State; but they don't have to play Penn State this season.

17.   South Florida (previous: 22) 6-1; beat Syracuse 45-13

Whether or not the Bulls have put the loss to Pitt behind them, it still hurts. Otherwise, they're a likely Top Ten team, with the inside run for the Big East title. As it stands, they still have a good chance, but they need help from other teams.

Two important road games loom, @ Louisville next weekend, and @ Cincinnati on Thursday, Oct. 30. The toughest remaining game, however, is the season finale @ West Virginia on Dec. 6.

18.   Missouri (previous: 14) 5-2; lost to No. 1 Texas, 31-56

The highest-ranked team with two losses, the Tigers gave it their all against a Texas Longhorns team that resembles nothing so much as a steamroller. In the big picture, though, the loss to Oklahoma State a week ago is going to be more damaging for the Tigers' postseason hopes; as of now, a BCS berth seems highly unlikely.

But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? Yea, it is the weak sunshine of the Big XII North, where the closest competition—the Kansas Jayhawks—is quite beatable.

So, yes, Truman the Tiger: there is a Santa Claus, and you still have a (slim) chance at a BCS bowl. You just have to upset the Big XII South in the conference title game.

19.   BYU (previous: 5) 6-1; lost to TCU, 7-32

How far the mid-major mighty have fallen. Tripping up in conference before the end of the season (actually, at any point in the season) will do that.

The Cougars are still a quality team... they're just not BCS quality. They'll most likely end up in the Holiday or Las Vegas Bowl (again), and use it as motivation for kicking the bejeezus out of whichever mediocre Pac-10 or Big XII opponent is matched with them.

Please, let it NOT be UCLA again...

20.   Boston College (previous: NR) 5-1; beat No. 18 Va. Tech, 28-23

Um. Well. Uhh...the ACC is pretty competitive this year, apparently. Lots of parity.

Um... Yeah.

The Eagles have a slight edge over ACC Atlantic Division rival Florida State, and so they get the boost up into the Top 25. *Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz*

21.   Pittsburgh (previous: NR) 5-1; beat Navy 42-21

A pleasant surprise so far, Pitt is the "sleeper" in the Big East. The season-opening loss to Bowling Green is the only reason to keep them this low in the rankings. The win over South Florida gave the Panthers a big boost.

If Pitt can bottle that energy and keep it going through the rest of the season (including road games at Notre Dame and Connecticut, and a home game vs. West Virginia), they can capture the Big East title. And hopefully move into the Top Ten in the rankings, so as not to precipitate cries about whether they deserve the BCS berth.

22.   Georgia Tech (previous: NR) 6-1; beat Clemson 21-17

The Yellow Jackets have had a soft schedule; no excuses there. But they get the edge for the Top 25 spot over Florida State, which has an equally soft schedule and even less justification for it. Georgia Tech is the main beneficiary from the loss of ACC Coastal Division rival Virginia Tech.

23.   Michigan State (previous: 17) 6-2; lost to No. 9 Ohio St. 7-45

From contenders to pretenders. Well, not really; one of the losses is out of conference. But still, it's tough to get comprehensively beaten at home the way the Spartans were. As predicted, the Bucks brought their 'D' and Javon Ringer bore the brunt of it.

Next week MSU gets to go to the Big House, and kick in-state rival Michigan while the Wolverines are down. And boy, are they down. A bowl game still looks like a good bet for the Spartans, and even a New Year's Day game, if they can go into the Nov. 22 game at Penn State with a 9-2 record.

24.   Northwestern (previous: NR) 6-1; beat Purdue 48-26

Northwestern benefits from the decimation in the ACC, along with the flaming wreckage in the desert that is the California Bears. The Good News: like Minnesota, the Wildcats don't have to play Penn State. The Bad News: games @ Minnesota on Nov. 1, and at home vs. Ohio State on Nov. 8. The Wildcats are a long shot to remain in the Top 25, but are a good shot to make a bowl game.

25.   Tulsa (previous: NR) 7-0; beat UTEP, 77-35

The ninth of the nine remaining undefeated FBS teams, Tulsa is putting up basketball numbers that are all the rage on the Great Plains nowadays. The fact that their toughest test will be @ Arkansas (the Razorbacks have been pounded on by both Texas and Alabama) on Nov. 1 says enough about their strength of schedule.

Conference USA is probably better than the Sun Belt Conference. And conceivably it's about on a par with the Mid-American Conference. That's about all I can say, really.

That, and since when are there Hurricanes (Golden or otherwise) in Oklahoma? ;-)

Dropped out: No. 16 California (4-2), No. 18 Virginia Tech (5-2), No. 20 North Carolina (5-2), No. 21 Vanderbilt (5-2), No. 24 Kansas (5-2), No. 25 Wake Forest (4-2)