What we know and what we need to find out about teams ranked in this week's initial Bowl Championship Series rankings.
-- 1. Florida (6-0)
What we know: QB Tim Tebow is really clutch ... the defense is really good ... Coach Urban Meyer always looks really serious.
What need to find out: What's Plan B if Tebow is ineffective or -- gasp! -- injured again? ... What happens when the defense faces a really good QB? ... Are the defending national champs up to repeating or simply a product of the nation's 66th toughest schedule?
-- 2. Alabama (7-0)
What we know: RB Mark Ingram is a serious Heisman contender (no Crimson Tide player has ever won it) ... Coach Nick Saban is almost as serious-looking as Meyer ... The wicked defense (leads the nation in total defense, third vs. the run, fourth in scoring) is loaded with playmakers.
-- What we need to find out: Is QB Greg McElroy's recent difficulties (combined 25-of-54, 237 yards passing, two ints. last two games) an ominous sign? ... Can someone free talented sophomore receiver Julio Jones (58 catches last year, 13 this year) from the federal witness protection program? ... Can Saban become first coach in SEC history to win league title at two different schools?
-- 3. Texas (6-0)
What we know: WR Jordan Shipley (51 catches, fourth in nation) earns our FLWG (fastest-looking white guy) award ... If not for loss at Texas Tech in final seconds last year, Longhorns would be riding 22-game winning streak ... QB Colt McCoy leads highest-scoring team in nation (42 ppg).
What we need to find out: Can an RB emerge to help take heat off McCoy as UT's run game ranks 41st in nation (169.5 ypg)? ... Can Mack Brown really be the most overrated and underrated coach in nation? ... Do cheerleaders risque chaps outfits cross the line?
-- 4. Boise State (6-0)
What we know: Combined record of Broncos' remaining seven foes (Hawaii, San Jose State, La. Tech, Idaho, Utah State, Nevada and New Mexico State) is 17-25. That won't help a schedule already rated 92nd ... No one takes better care of the ball than QB Kellen Moore (leads nation in QB rating) ... BSU hasn't lost in the regular season on their beloved blue turf since 2001 (53 straight wins).
-- What we need to find out: How awkward will it be for Broncos fans to root for the return of Oregon RB-punch-thrower LaGarrette Blount to help the Ducks, beaten by BSU in the opener, win the Pac-10 and boost the Broncos' strength of schedule? ... What would coach Chris Pedersen's amazing 41-4 record translate into if he coached in a BCS conference? ... Could the Nov. 14 game with upstart Idaho (6-1) really be huge?
-- 5. Cincinnati (6-0)
What we know: At the point of attack, arguably the nation's toughest team (second in the nation with 25 sacks, 16th in the nation with six sacks allowed) ... In winning 11 of their last 12 games since last season, the Bearcats (fourth in the nation 40.7 ppg) have been held under 24 points only once (a 20-7 Orange Bowl loss to Va. Tech) ... Exciting WR Mardy Gilyard (994 all-purpose yards) has run, caught and returned punt for TDs.
What we need to know: If senior QB Tony Pike (forearm), is out for an extended time, can sophomore Zach Collaros keep the offense humming? ... Will being last in the nation in time of possession (25:02) lead to the defense getting worn out? ... How long before a big-time school (Illinois, Florida State?) makes a push for coach Brian Kelly?
-- 6. Iowa (6-0)
What we know: The Hawkeyes' 11-game winning streak is school's longest since 1923 ... This despite an offense ranking 93rd in rushing, 81st in scoring and 79th in total offense ... The last team to beat the 'Hawks, Illinois a 16-13 winner last Nov. 1, hasn't won a game since vs. a D-I foe (0-8).
-- What we need to find out: Will the Big Ten's recent BCS bowl woes hurt Iowa in the polls? ... What will coach Kirk Ferentz do about UI's awful history vs. Ohio State (1-10 vs. 1992) come Nov. 14 in Columbus? ... Is the secondary's 15 interceptions (tops in nation) a sign of excellence or just crummy Big Ten QBs?
-- 7. USC (5-1)
What we know: The Trojans have won 27 straight games in November ... SC has been to a record seven straight BCS games, winning six of them ... The Coaches and Harris polls rank the Trojans fourth while no computer ranking has them higher than 13th.
What we need to find out: Was Saturday's 34-27 win at Notre Dame freshman QB Matt Barkley's coming-out party (19-of-29, season-high 380 yards passing, 2 TDs, int.)? ... Would an 11-1 USC team get the BCS title game nod over unbeaten Boise State or Cincinnati? Probably ... How much payback for last year's loss in Corvallis awaits Oregon State Saturday in Los Angeles?
UPSET PICK: Oklahoma and QB Sam Bradford's balky shoulder dropped us to 4-3. We'll stay above .500 when 3-point underdog Michigan State bumps off BCS contender Iowa Saturday in East Lansing.
COMPLETE 180: Schizophrenic team of the year award goes to Kansas State. A week after losing 66-14 at Texas Tech (the Wildcats' worst loss since 1991), KSU blasted Texas A&M, 62-14, on Saturday, the Wildcats' biggest Big 12 win since 2002.
(E-mail John Lindsay at lindsayj(at)shns.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
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