THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

CHRIS DUFRESNE’S COLLEGE FOOTBALL RANKINGS WITH COMMENTS:

*--* Rk Team (Rec.) Comment 1 MIAMI (9-0) School is trying to clear out this year’s team before the 2003 models arrive in January 2 OHIO STATE (12-0) Either Confucius or Woody Hayes said, “No back in history has ever been worth two fumbles a game.” 3 WASHINGTON STATE (9-1) During off week in Pullman, quarterback Jason Gesser wins town’s punt, pass and pickle contest 4 OKLAHOMA (9-1) Stoops cancels subscription after team drops to No. 10 in New York Times computer rankings 5 IOWA (11-1) With six weeks off between games, several Hawkeye players consider joining the Peace Corps 6 USC (8-2) Here’s hoping the men out lobbying Trojans’ BCS bowl cause don’t come back with Astro Bluebonnet bid 7 GEORGIA (10-1) Give me a rental car, a long drive and Bulldog announcer Lester Munson on the radio to pass the time 8 ALABAMA (9-2) Rankman includes schools on probation so long as boosters provide “walking-around” money 9 NOTRE DAME (9-1) New loophole discovered in which Irish get BCS bowl bid if they pick up Rutgers from the airport 10 KANSAS STATE (9-2) School wonders if playing Nebraska every year will be a drag on BCS strength of schedule 11 MICHIGAN (9-2) Lloyd Carr to play role of himself against Ohio State in annual remake of “The Big Chill.” 12 TEXAS (9-2) It’s shaping up as another crummy 10-win season for Mack Brown and his band of renown 13 VIRGINIA TECH (8-3) Putting out sandbags now in hopes of creating last stand for top-ranked Hurricanes on Dec. 7 14 FLORIDA STATE (8-3) Bowden scrawls new goal on chalkboard: “Become the first school to make a BCS bowl with five losses.” 15 PENN STATE (8-3) Big Ten officials retaliate by hanging a bottle of wrinkle cream on Paterno’s doorknob 16 COLORADO (8-3) Bevo visits retirement home after hearing Ralphie received $41,000 trust fund from 96-year-old lady 17 MARYLAND (9-2) Still has a chance to claim the ACC’s BCS bowl bid, but explaining how would take about two or three weeks 18 COLORADO STATE (9-2) BCS pop quiz: The two teams to beat the Rams were ... UCLA, of course, and Fresno State 19 PITTSBURGH (8-2) Pitt Coach Walt Harris tells his team, “There is nothing to fear tonight except Miami itself.” 20 FLORIDA (8-3) Gator fans warming up to fact that Ron Zook may be the coach for another few weeks 21 LOUISIANA STATE (7-3) Rankman’s sure-fire tip of the week: Always bet against a team that wins on miracle play the week before 22 BOISE STATE (10-1) Rankman wonders if seagulls, mistaking blue field for lake, are still bobbing for fish on 50-yard line 23 UCLA (7-3) Tyler Ebell may not be very big or strong, but at least he’s small and doesn’t weigh much 24 TEXAS TECH (8-4) School selling tapes of Texas win for $19.95. What’s next, a Bob Knight Christmas album? 25 TEXAS CHRISTIAN (8-1) Found this team at bottom of Rankman’s top-25 sock drawer and thought it would match my Texas Tech sock

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