Only a major upset or a dramatic shift by voters can prevent a rematch between LSU and Alabama in the BCS national championship game.
The Tigers and Crimson Tide held down the top two spots for the second straight week, and by a wide margin over third-place Oklahoma State , after the BCS poll was released Sunday night. Stanford is fourth and Virginia Tech fifth.
LSU (1.000 BCS average) is a unanimous No. 1 in both the coaches' poll and the Harris poll, and is top-ranked in the computer ratings. Alabama (.9551) is an overwhelming No. 2 across the board.
Oklahoma State (.8712), with one game left against Oklahoma on Saturday, is third in the computer ratings and fifth in the polls.
LSU (12-0) plays Georgia in the Southeastern Conference championship game Saturday. Win that, and the Tigers earn a spot in the BCS title game Jan. 9 in New Orleans. If the Tigers lose to the Bulldogs , they still have a chance to remain in the BCS top two and play for the national title.
Alabama is done with its season.
Oklahoma State plays Oklahoma on Saturday, with the chance for another statement victory against a good team. But with the Cowboys fifth in both polls, it would take an enormous swing by voters to push them past either SEC team.
Houston, the only other undefeated team in the nation, can clinch its spot as this year's BCS buster by beating Southern Mississippi at home in the Conference USA championship game. The Cougars are sixth in the latest standings.
Rose Bowl berths will be determined this weekend with Michigan State and Wisconsin playing in the Big Ten championship game and Oregon and UCLA meeting in the Pac-12 title game Friday night.
Illinois coach Ron Zook was fired after the Illini followed a 6-0 start this season with a six-game losing streak. Athletic director Mike Thomas said defensive coordinator Vic Koenning will be the interim head coach. Zook finished 34-51 at Illinois. He took the 2007 team to the Rose Bowl and lost to USC. Last season's squad beat Baylor in the Texas Bowl.
Dennis Erickson , 64, is out as Arizona State coach, a university official told The Associated Press. The Sun Devils lost their final four games of the regular season to go 6-6. Erickson was 31-30 in five seasons . . . Kansas fired coach Turner Gill after two losing seasons (5-19) and with three years remaining on a contract that still owes him about $6 million.-- AP
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