5-Letter Word for Longhorns Could Be K-a-r-m-a

Mack Brown might not want to hear this.

Only hours after the Texas coach celebrated one of his most important wins -- against Oklahoma on Saturday -- a late-night score from State College, Pa., may have wreaked havoc on his dream season.

A week before the first bowl championship series standings are to be released, there are rumblings that could equal last year’s BCS fiasco.

How could Texas lose when it won?

Because Penn State beat Ohio State, 17-10, undermining what might be the most important victory Texas scores this season -- a Sept. 10 win at Columbus.

Now, the Buckeyes have two losses and Texas has only two ranked teams left on its schedule: No. 13 Texas Tech and No. 24 Colorado.

If Texas beats Texas Tech and Colorado and knocks those two out of the rankings, will the Longhorns be able to hold on to the No. 2 BCS spot to earn a bid to this season’s Rose Bowl, host of the national-title game?

The possible ironies here are rich and almost diabolical.

Last year, California finished fourth in both human polls ahead of No. 5 Texas, yet Texas ended up No. 4 in the BCS standings and knocked Cal out of a Rose Bowl bid.

You may recall this created a controversy that involved the Associated Press’ pulling its poll out of the BCS.

The tumult unfolded because Cal lost total points in the human polls and its No. 4 ranking went from “strong” to “weak,” allowing Texas to pass California based on stronger computer numbers.

Well, what went around might come around for Texas, which may not have the BCS power to hold on to No. 2 even if the Longhorns finish 12-0.

There is a long way to go before this becomes a full-bore BCS mess, but in these matters we like to forewarn fans who may be making travel plans.

Two years ago, it was brought to the midseason attention of a BCS official that USC could finish No. 1 in both polls and not qualify for the BCS title.

“That can’t happen,” the official said, before pausing to add, “... can it?”

It did.

Let’s consider the possibilities here.

Virginia Tech is No. 3 in both polls, and there are those in Blacksburg who are already wondering what might happen if USC, Texas and Virginia Tech finish the season unbeaten.

If Virginia Tech goes 12-0, it would have beaten Boston College, Miami and probably Florida State -- in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game.

How could Texas match that in the BCS computers?

Other teams on the prowl might also have a case.

What if No. 4 Florida State wins out and two of those wins are against Florida and Virginia Tech?

Can Texas match that?

What if No. 5 Georgia runs the table in the Southeastern Conference, with wins against Auburn and Florida?

What if No. 6 Alabama wins out after defeating Tennessee, Louisiana State and Auburn?

Would the SEC secede from the BCS if, for a second year in a row, one of its unbeaten teams didn’t qualify for the title game?

You will know there is a BCS god, or gremlin, if Texas gets knocked out of the Rose Bowl the same way it got knocked in last year. If this happens, a “this is justice” pep rally might spontaneously erupt in Berkeley.

This is no time for Texas fans to panic. Savor that win over 2-3 Oklahoma for a few more hours. A lot can happen between now and Dec. 4 ... really.

It’s just time to pay attention.

Funny, in the past, heart-breaking losses to Oklahoma have cost Texas chances to win the national title.

In a cruel twist, could this be the year that a win over Oklahoma kills Texas?

Weekend Wrap

It was a tough day for the Stoops brothers, Mike and Bob, whose teams were outscored, 87-33, by the nation’s top two teams. Arizona Coach Mike Stoops lost to No. 1 USC, 42-21, and Oklahoma’s Bob lost to No. 2 Texas, 45-12.

Welcome back, Penn State and UCLA, sort of. The Nittany Lions are No. 8 in the Associated Press poll and No. 10 in the coaches’ poll, and UCLA is No. 12 in both polls.

Now for the bad news. Unless a lot of the teams ahead of them lose, it is hard to conceive how either one of these unbeaten schools, unranked in the preseason, can make up enough ground to get to No. 2 in the BCS -- even if UCLA defeats No. 1 USC on Dec. 3. It is one of the ongoing injustices of college football that teams are penalized because voters don’t know how good they are before the season.

In terms of computer punch, Penn State is hurt by the fact that Michigan, next week’s opponent in Ann Arbor, has three losses and Wisconsin and Michigan State also have been defeated. UCLA misses Oregon, which is ranked again, but now faces an Arizona State team that has been knocked out of the polls by losing to Oregon.