THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

*--* No. School (Rec.) Comment 1 MIAMI (7-0) Jarrett Payton schedules book signing for “When Opportunity Knocks.” 2 OKLAHOMA (7-0) The perfect blend of talent, coaching and hay seed. 3 USC (6-1) Rankman thinks team pulled red-wool-shirt over Booty’s eyes. 4 WASHINGTON STATE (6-1) Oregon State offers to bring its own rain to Pullman. 5 LOUISIANA STATE (6-1) No. 1 rush defense set Tiger traps for Auburn tailbacks. 6 OHIO STATE (6-1) Sixth-ranked defense makes 114th-ranked offense do the dorm dishes. 7 GEORGIA (6-1) This week’s home game vs. UAB is fully supported by UAW. 8 FLORIDA STATE (6-1) Bowden and Paterno considered going out like Thelma and Louise. 9 NORTHERN ILLINOIS (7-0) Huskies’ road to BCS game must travel through Bowling Green, Ohio. 10 VIRGINIA TECH (6-1) Hokies give life to all one-loss teams. 11 PURDUE (6-1) Rankman trying to organize “Kyle Orton” day in West Lafayette. 12 MICHIGAN STATE (7-1) Smoker prepares speech for comeback-player-of-the-year award. 13 TEXAS CHRISTIAN (7-0) Played every military branch except Air Force and Coast Guard. 14 AUBURN (5-2) Engine running much better now that Cadillac’s out of the shop. 15 IOWA (5-2) Welcomes team whose coach is tied with Bowden on all-time win list. 16 MICHIGAN (6-2) Hasn’t lost to Purdue at home since Beatles released “Revolver.” 17 ARKANSAS (4-2) Team’s country singer pens, “We went from hog-heaven to hog-tied.” 18 OKLAHOMA STATE (6-1) Rock-solid defense “holds” Texas Tech to 49 points in two-point win. 19 TEXAS (5-2) No longer referred to as “Mack Brown and his team of Renown.” 20 WISCONSIN (6-2) Top quarterback is out, but luckily team is playing Northwestern. 21 TENNESSEE (4-2) Allegations flying as team turmoil train heads toward Tuscaloosa. 22 UTAH (6-1) Utes are tops in the Mountain West, but have they peaked? 23 NEBRASKA (6-1) Team protests being sandwiched between Mountain West and MAC. 24 BOWLING GREEN (6-1) Rankman wins prestigious cliche award for “Falcons Soaring” headline. 25 MIAMI (OHIO) (6-1) You Red it here: Redhawks averaging 46.6 points in team’s six victories.

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