Texas Gains Ground on USC

Second-ranked Texas picked up two more first-place votes in the Associated Press Top 25 on Sunday, gaining on No. 1 USC. The Trojans are on top of the rankings for a record 27th consecutive poll.

USC received 55 first-place votes and 1,615 points. The Longhorns, coming off a 52-17 victory over previously unbeaten Texas Tech, received the remaining 10 first-place votes and 1,569 points in the media poll.

“I didn’t move USC down as much as I moved Texas up,” said Joe Giglio of the News & Observer of Raleigh, N.C., one of two voters to switch Texas and USC this week. “I feel [the Longhorns] have a more complete resume, and I’m really impressed with how they’ve handled their business.”

The top nine teams held their positions in the poll. Virginia Tech is No. 3, followed by Georgia, Alabama, Miami, Louisiana State, UCLA and Notre Dame.

Texas Tech was the only top-10 team to fall. The Red Raiders dropped seven spots to No. 17 after their first loss. That leaves six unbeaten teams -- USC, Texas, Virginia Tech, Georgia, Alabama and UCLA.

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Joe Ayoob completed a nine-yard touchdown pass to Lavelle Hawkins with 1:50 left, and No. 25 California defeated Washington State, 42-38, Saturday night at Berkeley.

Hawkins caught the pass in the back of the end zone and California (6-2 overall, 3-2 Pacific 10) avoided its first three-game losing streak in Coach Jeff Tedford’s four-year tenure.

Jason Hill caught three long touchdown passes in the second half from Alex Brink on the way to a career-high 240 yards receiving for the Cougars.

Brink passed for 423 yards and five touchdowns, and Jerome Harrison ran for 162 yards for his 10th consecutive 100-yard game. But the Cougars (3-4, 0-4) lost their fourth in a row.