By Keith Whitmire
November 2, 2009

BCS RANKINGS: TEXAS DOES A DO-SI-DO
The BCS rankings right now are like a wedding cake. Everyone looks at the ornate top, but all the good stuff is down below.

So Texas took advantage of an Alabama bye week to move ahead of the Tide and into second place overall. This is merely shuffling the deck chairs because if Alabama wins out, it will be in the championship game.

Same goes for No. 1 Florida – win out and the Gators will play for the national title. If both Florida and Alabama keep winning, they’ll eventually have to meet each other in the SEC title game.

Texas also has a date in Pasadena if the Longhorns keep winning. Saturday night’s 41-14 thumping of Oklahoma State was apparently impressive to the human voters as Texas also jumped up to No. 2 in the AP and USA Today polls, but as long as the Longhorns keep winning, they will be in the BCS title game.

Now, here’s where it starts to get a little interesting. Iowa is cemented at No. 4 as the undefeated Big Ten leader. The Hawkeyes are ready to swoop in if one of the top three stumbles, but Iowa has been nearly tipped over itself in recent weeks. These late comebacks and near losses are remindful of when Ohio State took a nail-biter tour on the way to the 2002 national title.

After that, often-overlooked Cincinnati is looking more solid at No. 5, although the Bearcats still have to face Connecticut and West Virginia before finishing the season at Pittsburgh. But who woulda thunk beating Syracuse would give anyone a BCS boost?

TCU is hanging on to the No. 6 spot, just ahead of Boise State in the battle of non-automatic bid schools. The Horned Frogs have a big date with Utah in two weeks. Barring an upset, a win over the Utes should solidify the Frogs for a BCS bowl.

LSU is again a BCS darling at No. 9. If the Tigers find a way to win this week at Alabama, who knows where that could launch them into the national title mix?

Speaking of BCS boosts: Oregon didn’t get much of one despite knocking off USC on Saturday. The Ducks rose two spots to No. 8, but are still far from the national title picture. That season-opening loss to Boise State, and Boise State’s otherwise week schedule, seem to be holding the Ducks back – they actually dropped in the computer rankings.

It’s not too early for teams without automatic berths – TCU, Boise State and conference runners-up – to keep an eye on Notre Dame. The Irish (6-2) are No. 22 in the BCS rankings and have a manageable remaining schedule.

Notre Dame gets an automatic bid if it finishes in the top eight, and can be considered for an at-large bid if it finishes in the top 12 (a more likely scenario).  Other than for a national title scenario, there isn’t a BCS bowl director alive who would turn down a chance at Notre Dame.

During his 12-year stint with The Dallas Morning News Keith Whitmire was a Big 12 and national college football columnist. He resides in Dallas.