By Mark Walters

Note: My coverage was once broader, but now will be trimmed down, likely only focusing on 3-5 games each week. Let’s face it folks, Auburn and West Virginia this Thursday isn’t what it would’ve been during week one.

The BCS rankings are among us, and there aren’t many surprises… yet. Just like back in the gold ole’ days of college football, Texas, Alabama, and Penn State rule the nation, and the three sit respectively atop the computer-generated, yet most important poll in the nation. (There are at least three others off the top of my head, but that’s far from important.)

What is important this week is No. 3 Penn State traveling to the Horseshoe to take on No. 9 Ohio State and their quarterback who could be wearing blue and white, or maize and blue for that matter, but spurned Happy Valley and Ann Arbor for Columbus.

True freshman Terrelle Pryor has been playing phenomenally for the Buckeyes, and he will have to continue his production if his team is to knock off the unbeaten Nittany Lions, who have not won at Ohio State since joining the Big Ten conference back in 1993.

Penn State was almost tripped up against Michigan last weekend, but took control in the second half, scoring 32 unanswered points after the break. With the win, Penn State snapped a 9-game losing streak to Michigan that had spanned for more than a decade. Phew! But it’s no rest for the weary, at least not this week.

Ohio State just romped No. 20 Michigan State 45-7. Pryor was 7-for-11 with 116 yards, a modest line for a QB if not for his 72 rushing yards, including a touchdown run from 18 yards out. Defensively the Bucks were stifling, holding Spartan running back Javon Ringer – an underrated Heisman hopeful of mine – to just 67 yards and no touchdowns, easily his worst performance of the season.

For Penn State to win, they’re going to have to neutralize Pryor. I’m pretty sure stopping him is close to impossible, so they’re just going to have to get physical and hit him in the mouth early and often. Sure, he’s a great player, but he’s one guy. Collectively Penn State is the better team, ranking 7th nationally in scoring offense and 10th in rushing yards, two categories in which they lead the Big Ten. Ohio State has two solid defenders, Malcolm Jenkins and Kurt Coleman, who have three interceptions apiece. The Lions won’t have to be perfect, but to beat Ohio State they’re going to have to be the next best thing. In a year of Penn State getting monkey’s off its back, Terrelle Pryor walks away wishing he stayed in PA.

Another hot ticket this week is No. 8 Oklahoma State at No. 1 Texas. This is the Big XII’s version of Penn State-Ohio State, and has all the makings of an offensive thriller. Okie State has been averaging 46.4 points per game, while churning out just over 500 yards. Texas scores about 48 a game but gains a more modest 484 yards.

Both teams beat Missouri, but Texas did it more convincingly. A surprising stat for the Longhorns is that QB Colt McCoy leads the team in rushing with 371 yards a game and six touchdowns. Of course, he can just as easily air it up to WR Jordan Shipley, who has reached the end zone at least once every game and has 569 receiving yards, good for second on the team behind Quan Cosby – 612 total yards.

The Cowboys seem to have a better and more balanced attack, but only on the ground. RBs Kendall Hunter and Keith Toston have nine and seven touchdowns, respectively. Hunter has 955 yards while Toston only has 487, but it’s a two-man attack to take into account, not easy for any defense. In the air though, most passes will likely end up in Dez Bryant’s hands, as he has 11 of the Cowboy’s 14 touchdown catches. In a poor-man’s Red River Rovalry – I had to call it something – Texas walks away still unbeaten.

For the Big XII Sideshow, take a look at No. 8 Texas Tech traveling to No. 23 Kansas, in my mind the most dangerous 2-loss team in the country. If Rock Chalk can knock off the undeafeted Red Raiders, the season gets that much more interesting.

Of course, the only other conference left to care about is the SEC, so that leaves us with No. 7 Georgia at No. 13 LSU. This is a battle of one-loss teams that are trying to claw back into the BCS title picture. With the way this season has been going, it’s not as long of a shot as one might think.

For the Dawgs, it’s about two things: (1.) not overlooking what lies ahead, which is the nation’s biggest cocktail party against Florida next week, and (2.) getting Knowshon Moreno the ball. Aside from his eight-carry game against Georgia Southern in which he still ran for three touchdowns, the only other time he touched the ball less than 18 times, Georgia lost to Alabama, a nine-carry, 34-yard performance for the sophomore.

LSU is a team whose stock is in a bear state, as after a loss to Florida, it only beat South Carolina by a touchdown. If anyone saw that game, it’s obvious LSU had some help from a certain Kentucky-alum ref. But I digress. It’s tough to win in Tiger Stadium, a.k.a. Death Valley, but I don’t like the way LSU has looked lately. Moreno runs for 100+ and Georgia keeps its title hopes barely alive.

There ya have it, the Big 4, which may be 3 or 5 in the future pending what the weekly menu looks like. Elsewhere, just for fun, Virginia and Virginia Tech are both sitting pretty and due for upset wins. Watch for the Cavaliers to beat No. 18 Georgia Tech and the Hokies to take down No. 25 Florida State. Oh, and No. 2 Alabama is at Tennessee. The Tide had better not take the Vols lightly.

If only it were basketball? Boston College at North Carolina and Cincinnati at Connecticut.