Upset alert: No big upsets

It can't be yank-your-hair-out every week.

Sometimes, instead of preposterous, you get predictable.

A day before the first release of the Bowl Championship Series standings, a big, giant status quo yawn party broke out.

Every top-10 team that played Saturday won. No. 5 Florida had an open date; No. 9 Brigham Young lost Thursday.

The schools projected to debut in the top five of the BCS standings -- Texas, Alabama, Penn State, USC and Oklahoma -- all made their consideration cases, while several others held on to their precious outside-looking-in hopes.

Two times this season the Nos. 1, 3 and 4 teams lost on the same weekend -- but not this weekend.

A look at the powers that are:

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1. Texas (7-0)

Screaming headline: "Is There Any Doubt!?"

A week after a win over Oklahoma lifted Texas to No. 1 for the first time in the regular season since 1984, the Longhorns proved it wasn't a one-week rankings rental by ripping the stripes off Missouri's Tigers, 56-31.

Missouri is now 0-11 against top-ranked teams.

It didn't used to be like this. Missouri owned Texas in Austin in the '90s . . . the 1890s. Missouri shut out Texas in 1894 and 1896, but since then it's been a dry well.

Texas, national champion three seasons ago, appears on a repeat track, although quarterback Colt McCoy will have to explain to coaches those three incomplete passes out of the 32 he threw against Missouri.

The Longhorns need to have short memories. Texas hosts No. 8 Oklahoma State next week and then travels to No. 7 Texas Tech, with "at" Kansas and a possible Big 12 title game looming further down the schedule.

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2. Alabama (7-0)

Screaming headline: "There's No Such Thing as an Ugly Win!"

Alabama has won its last two games, against unranked teams, at home, by a total of seven points.

Low Tide!

Two weeks ago, it was 17-14 over Kentucky. Saturday, it was 24-20 over Mississippi, the Crimson Tide nearly blowing a 24-3 halftime lead.

How to spin it: These close contests are simply proof of the tenacious top-to-bottom competitiveness of Southeastern Conference.

When Auburn beats Mississippi State, 3-2, well, defense wins championships in the SEC. When Florida thrashes Louisiana State, 51-21, well, how about that offensive firepower?

You can't have it both ways, except in the land of cotton. But we'll see how many close wins Alabama can absorb.