Big Ten is in a boring State

The top 10, for the second straight Saturday, produced little chaos.

No. 1 Texas held on to beat No. 7 Oklahoma State, 28-24, in Austin, Texas, and the moral of that story is: These things happen.

"I heard somebody say this week that this game would be a blowout," Texas Coach Mack Brown said, "and they were fools."

You can't bring your "A" game to Austin every week, and Texas didn't.

But so what?

Texas quarterback Colt McCoy had a pass intercepted and fumbled too. He had seven incomplete passes -- the nerve of this kid.

Every national title winner can look back on a close call or three. Just ask, um, Texas, which won the big BCS sombrero three seasons ago, 41-38, but only because the Longhorns stopped USC on fourth and two.

Two years ago, Florida escaped a near-loss experience against South Carolina and went on to win the national title.

USC went wire to wire as No. 1 in 2004, but that didn't mean the Trojans didn't nearly lose to California or get all they wanted from cross-town rival UCLA.

Everyone remembers Ohio State finished 14-0 and won the national title in 2002 with a shocking win over Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.

Most people don't remember the Buckeyes won games that year by six points (Penn State), five points (Michigan) and four points (Cincinnati and Purdue).

What about 1997, when Nebraska won a share of the title because a ball bounced off Shevin Wiggins' foot into Matt Davison's diving arms for a game-saving touchdown against Missouri?

Texas (8-0) survived -- and advanced.

"When the No. 1 team is playing No. 6, I don't count that as a scare," Brown said. "I call that a close game."

Alabama (8-0) survived Tennessee and Penn State survived Ohio State, setting up a possible November to remember.

Texas, in consecutive weeks, has beaten Oklahoma, Missouri and Oklahoma State and now gets to visit No. 8 Texas Tech next week in Lubbock.

Have a nice trip.

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chris.dufresne@latimes.com