TOP 25: HOW THEY FARED

1. OHIO STATE (6-0) BEAT MINNESOTA, 45-15

It might be time to throw some support Joe Germaine’s way after the Buckeye quarterback threw for 339 yards and two touchdowns. It’s hard to throw any support toward Gophers at Ohio Stadium--they haven’t won there since 1949. Next: at Northwestern.

2. UCLA (5-0) BEAT OREGON, 41-38 (OT)

Sail on Sailer: Bruin kicker follows a lame-duck effort in regulation with a game-winner in overtime. McNown completes 20 of 36 passes for 395 yards and three touchdowns but is probably just O’Cade by Daily Bruin standards. Next: at California.

3. TENNESSEE (5-0) DID NOT PLAY

Speaking of sailing, it should be smooth from here on out for the surprising Volunteers. After the Alabama game, Tennessee finishes against South Carolina, Alabama Birmingham, Arkansas, Kentucky and Vanderbilt.Next: Alabama.

4. KANSAS STATE (6-0) BEAT OKLAHOMA STATE, 52-20

OK, so scatter-armed might be a good way to describe Michael Bishop, but he makes up for eight-of-23 games like the one he had Saturday by making big plays. He averaged nearly 36 yards a completion against Cowboys. Next: Iowa State.

5. FLORIDA (6-1) BEAT AUBURN, 24-3

Now that Gator Coach Steve Spurrier doesn’t have shuffle quarterbacks, he can spend quality time designing offensive formations. Saturday, he brought back a version of the Emory & Henry formation he has used in the past. Next: Georgia (Oct. 31).

6. FLORIDA STATE (6-1) BEAT CLEMSON, 48-0

Computers have a problem with year 2000 and so does Clemson--that’s the next time it plays an away game against Florida State. Hey, it only seems like a millennium since Clemson scored a touchdown at Tallahassee, Fla. Next: at Georgia Tech.

7. VIRGINIA (5-1) LOST TO GEORGIA TECH, 41-38

Cavalier Coach George Welsh was probably fit to be tied--or at least be fitted for a straitjacket--after his team had 600 total yards against the Yellow Jackets and still managed to a blow a 21-point lead. Next: at North Carolina State.

8. NEBRASKA (6-1) BEAT KANSAS, 41-0

The sight of the Jayhawks probably brought the Cornhuskers back to their senses. Nebraska, which had only 214 yards in its previous two games, rolled to 466 in defeating Kansas for the 30th consecutive year. Next: Missouri.

9. WISCONSIN (7-0) BEAT ILLINOIS, 37-3

Ron Dayne, college football’s “Bus,” took on extra passengers in carrying the ball 39 times for 190 yards and three touchdowns. “He had a lot of yards after contact. He moved the pile a lot,” Badger Coach Barry Alvarez said. Next: at Iowa.

10. TEXAS A&M; (6-1) BEAT BAYLOR, 35-14

Halloween is two weeks away but the Aggies treated themselves to three touchdowns as the result of trick plays that they probably intended to use--but didn’t have to--in the victory over Nebraska last week. Next: Texas Tech.

11. OREGON (5-1) LOST TO UCLA, 41-38 (OT)

The Ducks showed a lot in fighting back from 24-7 deficit to take a 31-24 lead into the fourth quarter. Oregon defensive backs, though, seemed to be working a high-wire routine without a net. Next: USC.

12. PENN STATE (5-1) BEAT PURDUE, 31-13

They’re going McCoo Coo in State College, Pa., over a freshman running back. Eric McCoo had 163 yards rushing to pump some life into a Nittany Lion offense that was hardly a roaring success the last three games. Next: Illinois (Oct. 31).

13. GEORGIA (5-1) BEAT VANDERBILT, 31-6

The Bulldogs are feeling better about themselves after this victory, which followed a horrid effort against Tennessee. Of course, playing Vanderbilt is a feel-good thing around the SEC. The Commodores have lost 22 conference games in a row. Next: Kentucky.

14. VIRGINIA TECH (5-1) LOST TO TEMPLE, 28-24

The Hokies should put themselves on probation after getting trapped in a Temple of Doom. Better yet, maybe the Rose Bowl can start courting Temple. If Northwestern can make it to Pasadena, why not Temple?Next: at Alabama Birmingham.

15. WEST VIRGINIA (4-1) DID NOT PLAY

If the Mountaineers are going to climb in the rankings, they’ll have conquer Miami, Virginia Tech, and Syracuse in consecutive weeks. Of course, they cleared their biggest hurdle last week in defeating Temple. Next: Miami.

16. ARIZONA (6-1) BEAT OREGON STATE, 28-7

The Wildcats, who couldn’t seem to run a lick in the second half against UCLA last week, broke through the Beavers’ dam for 228 yards rushing. It was all upstream for the Beavers, who had only 21 yards rushing. Next: at Northeast Louisiana.

17. ARKANSAS (6-0) BEAT SOUTH CAROLINA, 41-28

If the Razorbacks keep this up, they might be stealing headlines from a certain former state governor. Coach Houston Nutt’s team figures to be a hot ticket on the SEC campaign trail until it hits Knoxville on Nov. 14. Next: at Auburn (Oct. 31).

18. NOTRE DAME (4-1) DID NOT PLAY

The Irish didn’t exactly have first-class accommodations in last week’s victory over Arizona State at the Sun Devil desert resort in Tempe. Hope the players didn’t have to use quarters for those cold showers afterward. Next: Army.

19. COLORADO (6-1) BEAT TEXAS TECH, 19-17

Mike Moschetti isn’t exactly John Elway, but that state of Colorado magic must have rubbed off as he guided an eight-minute 37-second, 18-play 91-yard drive in the fourth quarter that gave the Buffaloes some Mile-High breathing room.Next: at Kansas

20. MISSOURI (5-1) BEAT OKLAHOMA, 20-6

The Tigers ended a losing streak against the Sooners at 12. The teams had not met since 1995, when Oklahoma still had a semblance of a football program and Missouri was in the second year of its Reconstruction under Larry Smith. Next: at Nebraska.

21. LOUISIANA STATE (3-3) LOST TO KENTUCKY, 39-36

It wasn’t too long ago that the Tigers were unbeaten and ranked No. 6. Now they’ve lost three consecutive SEC games, been eliminated from title contention in the West Division, and will probably lose their Top 25 stripes. Next: Mississippi State.

22. TEXAS TECH (6-1) LOST TO COLORADO, 19-17

No confusion on the Ricky Williams front this week. Longhorn Ricky Williams didn’t play Saturday, but Red Raider Ricky Williams gave a shorthorn performance, with his 142 yards being 29 less than his season average. Next: at Texas A&M.;

23. SYRACUSE (4-2) BEAT BOSTON COLLEGE, 42-25

Donovan McNabb certainly knows how to spot a good thing. With leading receiver Quinton Spotwood sidelined the rest of the season, McNabb found Jeff Lowe, who only had two receptions before Saturday, twice for touchdowns. Next: Pittsburgh (Oct. 31).

24. TULANE (5-0) BEAT LOUISVILLE, 28-22

Quarterback Shaun King was on a first-name basis with his receivers--throwing touchdown passes to guys who go by JaJuan, Jamaican and O’Kie. The Green Wave is off to its best start since 1974. That ’74 team finished 5-6. Next: at Rutgers.

25. GEORGIA TECH (5-1) BEAT VIRGINIA, 41-38

Flashback: Georgia Tech defeated Virginia by the same score in 1990, knocking the unbeaten Cavaliers out of the No. 1 spot in the rankings. The Yellow Jackets went on to share the national title with Colorado. OK, back to reality. Next: Florida State.