HOW THE AP TOP 25 FARED

1. Miami Denied a spot in last season’s championship game, the Hurricanes are determined not to leave anything to chance--beating their last two opponents, 124-7.

Defeated No. 12 Washington, 65-7

Record: 10-0. BCS: No. 2

Next: at No. 16 Virginia Tech, Sat.

2. Nebraska Cornhusker nation is still in shock over getting Boulder-ed over by the Buffaloes. Hey, even Colorado’s basketball team would have trouble putting up 62 points on the scoreboard.

Lost at No. 14 Colorado, 62-36, Friday

Record: 11-1. BCS: No. 1

Next: Bowl game, TBA

3. Florida Steve Spurrier, while pleased with the weekend’s sudden turn of BCS events, probably wishes he was the coach who ran up 62 points against Nebraska.

Didn’t play

Record: 9-1. BCS: No. 4

Next:

No. 7 Tennessee, Saturday

4. Oklahoma How ‘bout them Cowboys? After almost taking out the Sooners at Stillwater last season, Oklahoma State corrals them at Norman--allowing no yards rushing to boot.

Lost to Oklahoma State, 16-13

Record: 10-2.

BCS: No. 3

Next: Bowl game, TBA

5. Texas Longhorns, once in danger of getting left out of the BCS mix, are back in the national championship picture in college football’s crazy, mixed up world.

Won at Texas A&M;, 21-7

Record: 10-1. BCS: No. 6

Next: No. 14 Colorado in Big 12 championshp game, Saturday

6. Oregon The Ducks are still in good standing in the BCS. but must keep from flapping their jaws too much as the Civil War game approaches.

Didn’t play

Record: 9-1. BCS: No. 5

Next: Oregon State, Saturday

7. Tennessee Shutting out a Woody Widenhoffer-coached team is one thing. Trying to not get spread thin by a myriad of Steve Spurrier sets will be another matter for the Volunteer defense.

Defeated Vanderbilt, 38-0.

Record: 9-1. BCS: No. 7

Next: No. 3 Florida, Saturday

8. Maryland Terrapin double: a Final Four appearance by the basketball team followed by the football team earning a berth in a BCS bowl game.

Didn’t play

Record: 10-1. BCS: No. 12

Next:

Bowl game, TBA

9. Brigham Young The Cougars are down the BCS pecking order, but cut through all the computer mumble-jumble and you’ve got one of the remaining two unbeaten major college teams.

Didn’t play

Record: 11-0. BCS: No. 13

Next: at Mississippi State, Saturday

10. Illinois Winning a Big Ten championship seemed like a longshot after a 25-point loss to Michigan in its conference opener, but the Illini cashed in with the Wolverines’ loss Saturday.

Defeated Northwestern, 34-28, Thursday.

Record: 10-1. BCS: No. 8

Next: Bowl game, TBA

11. Michigan First-year Buckeye Coach Jim Tressel served notice that things were going to be different in this rivalry the day he was hired. The Wolverines took notice Saturday.

Lost to Ohio State, 26-20

Record: 8-3. BCS: No. 10

Next: Bowl game, TBA

12. Washington Things only got worse for the Huskies after quarterback Cody stumbled and was tackled on fourth and goal on team’s first possession of the game.

Lost at No. 1 Washington, 65-7

Record: 8-3. BCS: No. 11

Next: Bowl game, TBA

13. Stanford On night when the Cardinal offense could make little headway against driving wind and rain, the defense came up with perhaps its best effort of the season.

Defeated Notre Dame, 17-13

Record: 8-2. BCS: No. 9

Next: at San Jose State, Saturday

14. Colorado Backup tailback Chris Brown did something that even a Heisman Trophy-winning Buffalo couldn’t do--score six touchdowns against Nebraska.

Defeated No. 2 Nebraska, 62-36, Friday.

Record: 9-2. BCS: No. 15

Next: No. 5

Texas, Saturday

15. Washington St. Cougars appear bound for the Sun Bowl in El Paso, so Marty Robbins CDs or cassettes would seem to be appropriate socking suffers for players

Didn’t play

Record: 9-2. BCS: No. 14

Next: Bowl game, TBA

16. Virginia Tech Last season, the Hokies had their 19-game regular-season winning streak ended by the Hurricanes as Michael Vick hobbled through the game on a bum ankle.

Didn’t play

Record: 8-2

Next: No. 1 Miami, Saturday

17. Louisville The Cardinals had already clinched a bowl berth but shouldn’t have been surprised on the game’s first play when TCU’s Casey Printers threw an 80-yard touchdown pass.

Lost to Texas Christian, 37-22

Record: 10-2

Next: Liberty Bowl, Dec. 31

18. South Carolina While the Bob Davie Era grinds to a halt at Notre Dame, the Gamecocks continue their turnaround under Lou Holtz from 0-11 three seasons ago.

Didn’t play

Record: 8-3

Next: xBowl game, TBA

19. Georgia Senior Verron Haynes, a blocking back most of his career for the Bulldogs, looked more like Hershel Walker in rushing for 207 yards.

Defeated No. 21 Georgia Tech, 31-17.

Record: 8-3

Next: Houston, Saturday.

20. Marshall The Thundering Herd needed three fourth-quarter touchdown passes from Byron Leftwich to dispose of its former Divison 1-AA rival.

Defeated Youngstown State, 38-24

Record: 10-1

Next: at Toledo, Friday.

21. Georgia Tech The Yellow Jackets’ season is in a tailspin, as indicated by safety Chris Young’s comment: “We’ll take any bowl we can get.”

Lost to No. 19 Georgia, 31-17

Record: 7-4

Next: at Florida State, Saturday

22. Syracuse Talk about a turnaround. The Orangemen, a week after losing 59-0 to Miami, get 575 total yards against team that lost by only 11 points to the Hurricanes three weeks ago.

Defeated No. 25 Boston College,

Record: 9-3

Next: Bowl games, TBA

23. Fresno State The Bulldogs’ reward for beating San Jose State--a return trip to the Silicon Valley Bowl at Spartan Stadium.

Defeated San Jose State, 40-21

Record: 10-2.

Next: Utah State, Dec. 1

24. Arkansas The Razorbacks were involved in two of the SEC’s wildest games, beating Mississippi, 58-56, in six overtime possessions, and losing Friday’s shootout to the Tigers.

Lost to Louisiana State, 41-38, Friday

Record: 7-4

Next: Bowl game, TBA

25. Boston College William Green bettered his nation-leading rushing average by 29 yards but that wasn’t enough to put the Eagles over the top.

Lost at Syracuse, 39-28

Record: 7-4

Next: Bowl game, TBA