Aggies Are Rolled Over Into the Top Spot : THE COLLEGES

How lightly do the Associated Press’ pollsters view New Mexico State? When top-ranked Florida scored 70 points against the Aggies, the pollsters were so disgusted at the meager output that they dropped the Gators to No. 2 in the top-25 rankings. That, of course, was reason enough to move New Mexico State to No. 1 in the slightly less prestigious Bottom Ten.

Chasing the Aggies was another team with a laugh-a-minute defense--Minnehaha--which moved up to No. 2 on the heels of a 3-56 beating by Penn State. Or, rather, under the heels.

No. 4 Wake Forest, meanwhile, showed that it’s in midseason form with a stunning 14-35 loss to Vanderbilt.

And No. 18 Virginia chalked up a 17-41 loss to Florida State in a game that was held up several times because, officials claimed, Florida State players were accepting illegal gifts from boosters in the huddle.

The rankings:

School, Record Last Loss Next Loss 1. New Mexico State (0-1) 21-70, Fla. Arizona 2. Minnehaha (0-1) 3-56, Penn State Pacific 3. Houston (0-1) 13-35, Kansas La. Tech 4. Wake Forest (0-1) 14-35, Vanderbilt Appalachian St. 5. Iowa State (0-1) 14-28, N. Iowa Iowa 6. Northwestern (0-1) 15-42, Notre Dame Stanford 7. Maryland (0-1) 16-49, Duke Fla. State 8. SMU (0-1) 14-34, Arkansas UCLA 9. Stanford (0-0) Idle Northwestern 10. Pigskin Classic (0-5) 28,513 fans Curtains

11. University of Texas at El Wobbly Paso (0-1); 12. Oregon State (0-1); 13. Pentagon (Navy, Air Force) 0-2); 14. Ole, Ole Miss (0-1); 15. LSU (0-1); 16. The Holtzes (Lou, N.D; Skip, U. Conn.) (1-1); 17. New Mexico (0-1); 18. Virginia (0-1); 19. Idle (0-1); 20. Tie Washington (0-1) and Tennessee (0-1).

Crummy Game of the Week: No. 6 Northwestern vs. No. 9 Stanford.

Rout of the Week: UCLA (1-0) over SMU (0-1).

THE PROS

Funny thing about those Arizona Cardinals. They resemble one of the NFL’s 1993 teams--the Phoenix Cardinals.

A few more exhibitions of Buddy Ball, such as Sunday’s debacle against the L.A. Lambs, and the team might be demoted to the Flagstaff Cardinals. Rookie Coach Buddy Ryan has one of the largest collections of castoff Raider quarterbacks, ranging from Steve Beuerlein to Jay Schroeder. Gee, what could be wrong with his offense?

Ryan, by the way, is the man who told a group of fans before the season began: “These players are going to win eight games. And I’m going to win three games. And my assistants are going to win two. That means you (fans) have to win three.” Fat chance.

But enough negative stuff. Congrats to retired Seattle receiver Steve Largent, who extended his remarkable streak to 65 games in which he has not caught a pass.

The rankings:

BOTTOM TEN SIX-PACK

Team, Record Last Loss Next Loss 1. Buddy Ball (0-1) 12-14, Rams Giants 2. Cincinnati (0-1) 20-28, Cleveland San Diego 3. Washington (0-1) 7-28, Seattle N.O. 4. New Orleans (0-1) 17-30, K.C. Washington 5. Houston (0-1) 21-45, Indy Dallas 6. Raiders (0-1)* 14-44, S.F. Seattle

* Psychologically eliminated from Super Bowl contention.

PLAYERS OF THE WEAK

Dud, Team Disaster 1. T. Thomas (Buffalo) 7 carries, 5 yards 2. H. Shuler (Wash) 3-8 passes, 14 yards 3. J. Bettis (Lambs) 21 carries, 52 yards

Quotebook: Denver Coach Wade Phillips, after the team’s come-from-ahead 34-37 loss to San Diego: “I do think it’s good to get rid of some of this Super Bowl (talk).” (Not some, Coach. That should get rid of all of the Super Bowl talk regarding the Broncos).