Trojans climb past Texas to No. 1 in BCS standings

For the first time, the top two teams switched spots in consecutive weeks.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Southern California and Texas flip-flopped again, putting the Trojans back on top of the Bowl Championship Series standings.
USC jumped over the Longhorns Monday, returning to first place after a one-week stay in second. It's the first time in the eight-year history of the BCS that the top two teams in the standings switched positions in consecutive weeks.
The margin between USC and Texas is still small -- only .0038 -- though up from last week when the difference between first and second in the standings was the slimmest it's ever been.
Third-place Virginia Tech gained on the top two this week, but the Trojans and Longhorns remain on course for a Rose Bowl showdown.
The switch didn't faze Texas.
"The sun's going to come up tomorrow. We'll be all right," Texas tackle Justin Blalock said.
Coach Mack Brown said, "I don't care. I want to be one or two."
Title game is Jan. 4
The top two teams in the final BCS standings play in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 4 for the national title.
The first five teams in the latest BCS standings are unbeaten, with Alabama fourth and UCLA moving up a spot to fifth.
"If we let ourselves start worrying about this and that, that's the quickest way to get yourself beat," Alabama coach Mike Shula said.
Texas is tops in the computer rankings again this week, but USC's 55-13 victory over Washington State helped boost the Trojans' computer score enough for them to reclaim first. The Longhorns rallied from 19 points down to beat Oklahoma State 47-28 Saturday.
"It's the game of football and key is to win games and we won the game. Teams are going to struggle with teams, that's just going to happen," Texas defensive tackle Rod Wright said. "It's kind of like you have to blow everybody out and that's not realistic."
Top averages very close
Southern California's BCS average is .9767. The Trojans have won 30 straight games going into Saturday's home game against Stanford. Texas is at .9729 and plays at Baylor this week.
Virginia Tech is .0435 behind second-place. The Hokies get their best chance to change the minds of voters and up their computer grade Saturday at home when they face Miami, which is sixth in the BCS standings.
Notre Dame (5-2), which needs to finish the season with nine wins and a top-12 finish in the BCS standings to be eligible for the Sugar, Orange or Fiesta bowls, is 14th. The Fighting Irish have moved up one spot each of the last two weeks.
Penn State, LSU, Florida State and Ohio State round out the top 10.
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