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THE BIG PICTURE

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Until proved otherwise, Oklahoma remains the class of the bowl championship series field, holding onto its No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press poll with a 53-7 victory over unranked Iowa State.

Miami might have argued for inclusion as a rival to Oklahoma for top billing but barely escaped with a 22-20 victory Thursday over unranked West Virginia. The Hurricanes also lost running back Frank Gore for the season because of a torn knee ligament.

Gore’s injury casts a good deal of doubt on the status of No. 2 Miami’s matchup Saturday against No. 5 Florida State as “The Game of the Season.” Jarrett Payton, son of Walter Payton, the NFL’s No. 2 all-time rusher, is expected to start in Gore’s place.

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Each team is 5-0, which might otherwise guarantee a marquee matchup. But neither has looked like a championship-caliber team.

Running back Greg Jones might best symbolize the uncertainty about the Seminoles at this point in the season. Jones, a former Heisman Trophy candidate, says he’s fit after surgery last year to fix his torn knee ligament, but he has only 53 carries in five games and is hardly the workhorse many expected him to be. He’s frustrated and Seminole boosters are perplexed by the coaching staff’s unwillingness to use him more often.

What’s more, Florida State quarterback Chris Rix remains a mystery, zipping the Seminoles up and down the field at times but stuck in neutral at others.

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