Colleges

Texas surpasses USC in BCS

By wire services
Published October 25, 2005

NEW YORK - Texas passed Southern Cal for first place in the Bowl Championship Series standings Monday, a swap that shouldn't worry the Trojans because the two remain favored to play for the BCS title Jan.4 at the Rose Bowl.

Thanks to the computer rankings, Texas leads by the slimmest margin between Nos.1 and 2 in the eight-year history of the BCS. Texas' score of .9763, of a possible 1.000, is .0007 more than Southern Cal.

"It's a compliment because it's a place we haven't been in a long time and it sets our standard even higher," Texas coach Mack Brown said.

Southern Cal is No.1 in the coaches' and Harris poll, which comprise two-thirds of a BCS score. Texas is second in both and has steadily closed the deficit against Southern Cal in the coaches' polls. Since the preseason poll, the Longhorns have added six first-place votes while the Trojans have lost seven, including one this week after Texas beat then-No. 8 Texas Tech 52-17. Southern Cal beat Washington (now 1-6) 51-24 on Saturday.

A compilation of six computer rankings account for the other third of a BCS score. Texas was first in all but one of those. Southern Cal was atop one, second in three, fourth in one and fifth in the other.

"I still don't know how the BCS rankings really work except that computers are involved," Trojans coach Pete Carroll said. "And I don't know how you get mad at a computer."

BCS analyst Jerry Palm said the gap between Southern Cal and No.3 Virginia Tech in the polls is so big that the Hokies would have to be at least four spots ahead of the Trojans in each of the six computer rankings to catch them.

"One and two are as solid as we've ever seen in the BCS at this point in the season," he said.

Vols lose leading rusher

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee's leading rusher, Gerald Riggs Jr., will miss the rest of the season after injuring his right lower leg and ankle against Alabama on Saturday. Details were not disclosed.

The senior has scored three touchdowns, leads the Vols with 530 yards and is seventh in the SEC at 88.3 yards per game. He had 1,107 yards last year while splitting time with then-senior Cedric Houston.

Riggs, the son of the ex-NFL running back and a preseason All-SEC pick, was hurt while being tackled at the end of a 24-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Redshirt freshman Arian Foster likely will start Saturday against South Carolina.

Basketball

Softball

Four of 2005's eight College World Series teams are on Florida's schedule, which was released Monday. DePaul and national champion Michigan will be part of the GRU Classic, hosted by Florida on Feb. 17-19. And the Gators' SEC schedule includes three games at Alabama on March 7-8 and three games at Tennessee on April8-9. Florida's home opener will be against USF on Feb.15. The teams meet in Tampa on March 1, and Florida and Florida State play a doubleheader April5 in Tallahassee.

[Last modified October 25, 2005, 03:00:29]