THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

*--* No. School (Rec.) Comment 1 MIAMI (7-0) Three Hokies on horseback will lead team from airport to Blacksburg. 2 OKLAHOMA (8-0) One of the top teams in the country, “or so we’re told.” 3 USC (7-1) QB is putting up Palmer-like numbers ... and we’re not talking Arnold. 4 LOUISIANA STATE (7-1) Hopes to star in sequel “How the SEC West Was Won.” 5 FLORIDA STATE (7-1) Bowden thinks he may have once played in a golf scramble with Rockne. 6 WASHINGTON STATE (7-1) No truth that five of Kegel’s telephone calls this week were intercepted. 7 GEORGIA (7-1) With seven starters out, Uga told he may have to hold on kicks. 8 OHIO STATE (7-1) The most forgotten national championship team Rankman can recall. 9 MICHIGAN STATE (7-1) Spartans’ spread offense appears to be team’s bread and butter. 10 VIRGINIA TECH (6-1) Hokies probably won’t have West Virginia game tape copied to DVD. 11 TEXAS CHRISTIAN (8-0) Blue-ribbon panel says team would finish fourth in Big Ten. 12 NEBRASKA (7-1) It’s Lincoln vs. Austin this week in a intriguing showdown of state capitals. 13 IOWA (6-2) Coach says team must keep its “I” on Illinois this week. 14 MICHIGAN (7-2) Loser of Michigan State game must move campus to Kalamazoo. 15 OKLAHOMA STATE (7-1) Going for the “Cowboy” hat trick after two wins over Oklahoma. 16 TEXAS (6-2) Headed toward another meaningless, disappointing, 10-win season. 17 PURDUE (6-2) Coach Tiller takes kids out for ice cream to get over Michigan loss. 18 TENNESSEE (5-2) Coach swears his program isn’t crooked, only slightly slanted. 19 BOWLING GREEN (7-1) Fined $25,000 by non-BCS for wrecking Northern Illinois season. 20 NORTHERN ILLINOIS (7-1) Gave it all a non-BCS team from DeKalb could give. 21 MISSISSIPPI (6-2) Eli Manning’s stealth Heisman campaign ... seems to be working? 22 MIAMI (OHIO) (7-1) Can’t wait for team’s next big game, um, next Tuesday. 23 UCLA (6-2) Bruin game film being used to treat patients with insomnia. 24 FLORIDA (5-3) Gators secure world’s largest olive for this week’s Georgia cocktail party. 25 MISSOURI (6-2) Needs week off after scoring 62 points against Texas Tech.

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