Pikes Picks

It looks like the race for number two in the BCS is going to come down to Texas and Oklahoma. Both teams have identical records, but Texas beat Oklahoma earlier this season. So where's the debate? Does an on-field result no longer carry any weight just because the loser likes to run up the score on teams later in the season? If that's the case, why bother playing the games in the first place?

If we're going to discount the head-to-head meeting (which is completely ridiculous), then the debate is about which team is better at this juncture of the season. Okay, let's have that discussion.

Oklahoma scores a lot of points. Sam Bradford leads an impressive offense that can seemingly score points at will on anybody (except Texas). The national media wants to praise them for their poise and ability to answer every opponent's score with a touchdown of their own. I seem to remember a Texas team doing that in the Cotton Bowl a month and a half ago.

Oh yeah, there's also two other phases of the game: defense and special teams. Maybe if the Sooners were a little better in those two areas their offense wouldn't have to score so many points. Oklahoma State ran up and down the field to the tune of 41 points. That was the second time this season the Oklahoma defense gave up 40 or more points (the first time was against Texas).

The Cowboys also returned a kick for a touchdown - the FOURTH time that has happened against Oklahoma this season (you guessed it - one was by Jordan Shipley of the Longhorns). At the end of the day, Oklahoma still has the same weaknesses that were on display in the Cotton Bowl. So don't give me that garbage that they are the "hotter" team right now. They just haven't had to play another team of Texas' caliber lately.

It's a no brainer to me - there is no argument. No matter how you want to look at the two teams, Texas is better than Oklahoma. They were better on October 11th, and they are better right now.

Without further ado, here's the latest JP Top 25:

1. Alabama	1	12-0
2. Texas	2	11-1
3. Oklahoma	3	11-1
4. Florida	4	11-1
5. USC	5	10-1
6. Penn State	6	11-1
7. Utah	8	12-0
8. Texas Tech	7	11-1
9. Ohio State	10	10-2
10. Oklahoma State	11	9-3
11. TCU	12	10-2
12. Boise State	14	12-0
13. Cincinnati	16	10-2
14. Georgia Tech	17	9-3
15. Georgia	9	9-3
16. Boston College	18	9-3
17. California	19	7-4
18. Oregon	23	9-3
19. Michigan State	21	9-3
20. Ball State	25	12-0
21. Missouri	13	9-3
22. Ole Miss	24	8-4
23. Virginia Tech	--	8-4
24. Oregon State	15	8-4
25. Pittsburgh	--	8-3

Others Receiving Consideration:
Nebraska (8-4), BYU (10-2), North Carolina (8-4), Northwestern (9-3), Iowa (8-4), West Virginia (7-4), Florida State (8-4), Rice (9-3), Western Michigan (9-3)

Dropped Out:
Florida State (20), West Virginia (22)