THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

*--* No School (Rec) Comment 1 OKLAHOMA (9-0) Stoops asks if anyone else wants to make any wiseacre Sooner cracks. 2 USC (8-1) Trojans get first-round bye before playing No. 16-seeded Arizona in first playoff round. 3 VIRGINIA TECH (7-1) Hokies boxing out nicely here to protect Miami from USC in BCS. 4 MIAMI (7-1) Coker at a loss to explain first regular-season loss as Hurricane coach. 5 FLORIDA STATE (8-1) The trick for father this week is how to beat son but not get him fired. 6 LOUISIANA STATE (8-1) Team thinks BCS schedule strength component is a real drag. 7 OHIO STATE (8-1) Clarett refuses to drop federal complaint against Buckeyes’ 99th-ranked offense. 8 MICHIGAN (8-2) To think Chris Perry almost transferred because he wasn’t getting enough carries. 9 WASHINGTON STATE (7-2) Rankman warned team about USC, but Cougars played game anyway. 10 TEXAS CHRISTIAN (9-0) Won another nail-biter on Wednesday, edging Louisville. 11 TEXAS (7-2) Nebraska win earns coach a well-deserved, five-minute contract extension. 12 GEORGIA (7-2) Another Florida loss causes straight-laced coach to use a “curse” word. 13 IOWA (7-2) Plays at Purdue this week in the annual “Horse Bit and Spit Bucket” bowl. 14 MICHIGAN STATE (7-2) Rose Bowl looking forward to possible Texas-Michigan State thriller Jan. 1. 15 NEBRASKA (7-2) No truth to rumor Steve Spurrier is pricing barns in Lincoln. 16 OKLAHOMA STATE (7-2) One of the best Texas teams Les Miles has ever seen, or so he’s told. 17 PURDUE (7-2) Iowa game means a lot to somebody or somebody who knows somebody. 18 FLORIDA (6-3) Win over Georgia assures Zook will not be fired between now and kickoff. 19 TENNESSEE (6-3) Volunteers feel their uniforms are a perfect match for Saturday game at Orange Bowl. 20 NORTHERN ILLINOIS (8-1) Seeks nine-win season for only sixth time in largely ignored 102-year history. 21 MISSISSIPPI (7-2) Archie Manning can’t decide which quarterback son he likes best. 22 MIAMI (OHIO) (7-1) Bowling Green win hailed as greatest game in history of Tuesday Night Football. 23 MISSOURI (6-2) Team thinks it can handle Kansas’ zone now that Roy Williams is gone. 24 PITTSBURGH (6-2) Hoping to catch Virginia Tech with a big Hokie Hangover. 25 MINNESOTA (8-2) Destined for to-be-determined bowl game that will give out gift bags.

*--*