Buckeyes atop BCS; Boston College is 2nd

The Eagles’ next opponent is No. 8 Virginia Tech.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Be careful, Boston College.

The Eagles were the new No. 2 in the Top 25 released Sunday, a ranking that’s been more of a burden than a reward recently. The second-ranked team in The Associated Press poll has lost three consecutive weeks. BC faces its toughest test of the season Thursday night at No. 8 Virginia Tech.

Ohio State is No. 1 in the media poll for the second consecutive week, receiving 57 first-place votes.

BC was idle this week but moved up one spot after South Florida became the latest No. 2 to lose, joining Southern California and California.

The Bulls lost 30-27 at Rutgers last Thursday.

The Eagles received two first-place votes and 1,494 points, giving them a small lead on No. 3 LSU. The Tigers moved up two spots, hopping over No. 4 Oklahoma, and received two first-place votes and 1,479 points after beating Auburn 30-24 on a last-second touchdown. Auburn fell five spots to No. 23 after the loss.

Oregon was No. 5, up two spots, and No. 6 West Virginia moved up three places.

Ohio State, Boston College, LSU, Arizona State and Oregon were the top five teams in the second Bowl Championship Series standings released Sunday.

One slippery-handed minute almost cast a dark shadow over the rest of Ohio State’s season.

In the span of almost exactly 60 ticks of the game clock, the top-ranked Buckeyes threw an interception that was returned for a score, watched a fumble come back for another TD and then bobbled the ball again.

Still, the top-ranked Buckeyes held off Michigan State, 24-17.

But it certainly didn’t silence all the doubters who say that the Buckeyes (8-0, 4-0 Big Ten) are No. 1 more because everyone else has lost than because of who they’ve beaten.

At least one person says the Buckeyes have earned their status.

“We’ve been tested all year,” coach Jim Tressel said. “Everybody we play plays the best they can, so that’s a test in itself.”

Then again, Tressel presided over a 2002 season in which the Buckeyes went 7-0 in games decided by seven or fewer points. All those squeakers added up to the school’s first national championship in 34 years.

“They can’t penalize us if we don’t lose,” offensive tackle Kirk Barton said. “And so far we’re 8-0.”

By squirming out of trouble, the Buckeyes need only to win their final four games to clinch a third consecutive Big Ten title and a spot in their second straight Bowl Championship Series national championship game.

Of course, the Buckeyes and their detractors also have vivid memories of last year’s title game, when they got shellacked 41-14 by Florida.

“I wear a Big Ten [championship] ring,” Barton said. “But it reminds me of failure. I want the big one.”

To maintain a chance at erasing that shortcoming, the Buckeyes must tiptoe through four teams that are every bit as dangerous as Michigan State. They play at Penn State (6-2) on Saturday night, then host Wisconsin and Illinois before playing the annual grudge match at Michigan.

“We know there are some big tests coming up, but the tests we’ve taken so far we’ve passed,” Tressel said. “We’ve got a big one coming up this week.

“We’ll see how we can make it out of that one.”