Chris Dufresne

Yeah, it's the same old teams at the top. This season has been as sleepy as Texas quarterback Colt McCoy's tiny hometown of Tuscola, Texas, where it's always Friday night lights (out at 9) and the joke is the hunting gets better the closer you get to city center. Maybe this is the weekend some dust gets kicked up. Auburn, Florida State, Nevada, Texas A&M -- any of you guys have it in you to make this a November to remember for you and a November to forget for your Thanksgiving weekend opponents?

The Times' Chris Dufresne talks to Cinesport's Noah Coslov about the victories for Kentucky and Kansas in the NCAA Final Four on Saturday in New Orleans. Among Dufresne's observations: Kentucky proved in its 69-61 victory over Louisville that the Wildcats are the team to beat. Biggest reason: Anthony Davis, who had 18 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots in the victory. Kansas has yet to put together a full 40 minutes of solid play, yet the Jayhawks had plenty of talent to overcome a 13-point deficit in beating Ohio State, 64-62.

Five things to watch for this week: 1The status of senior quarterback Tim Tebow will be the question when top-ranked Florida plays at No. 4 Louisiana State in the biggest SEC game so far this season. Tebow had a bye week to recover from the concussion suffered Sept. 26 against Kentucky, but you have to worry about risking a player whose style is so headstrong. 2USC and Notre Dame, both 4-1, have the week off to rest up for the Oct. 17 game in South Bend. Since the classic "Bush Push" game of 2005, USC has won three games by a total margin of 120-27.

South Regional I picked Kentucky to win the South shortly after picking up a bucket with biscuits from KFC. This choice has mostly to do with freshman center Anthony Davis' enormous wing span and a feeling this might finally be Coach John Calipari's year. Kentucky's path is paved with bluegrass as the Wildcats need only two wins to get from Louisville to Atlanta. Wichita State is coached by Gregg "two Gs" Marshall, which is good this year for two tournament wins before a bow-out against Kentucky.

No. 3 Texas (5-0) vs. No. 20 Oklahoma (3-2) Saturday, 9 a.m., ABC Texas has been fuming since last year, when it lost the Big 12 South tiebreaker against an Oklahoma team it defeated. Early losses to Brigham Young and Miami have likely doomed the Sooners' national title hopes, so ruining Texas' hopes becomes the next best thing. The pick: Texas No.8 Cincinnati (5-0) at No. 21 S. Florida (5-0) Thursday, 4:30 p.m., ESPN Led by star coach Brian Kelly and quarterback Tony Pike, Cincinnati is lingering on the fringes of a serious national title push and can make a statement on the eve on the weekend of the first BCS standings.

From New Orleans — The year in college football should have been blindfolded, handed a cigarette and walked off the end of a plank. In many cases it was the grown-ups, not the kids, who proved irresponsible with their audaciousness, shamelessness and recklessness. The Fiesta Bowl corruption case looked like the low-life story of the year until Ohio State, Miami and Penn State came along. The season ended with the lowest title-game rating ever. Our top/bottom 10 moments: 1. Say it ain't so, Joe Penn State was not just the biggest news story in college football this year; it was one of the biggest stories in any sport, in any year.

Someone or body or person or entity or coaching tower needs to step up and stand up to the Southeastern Conference in 2012. The SEC's six-year reign as national champions is starting to become embarrassing and annoying to other playing-football conferences such the Pac-12, Big 12 and Atlantic Coast. The school we're pushing into the ring next year to take on the champion is USC. USC as No. 1? Maybe, and this could change over the course of a summer. But rather than aggravating the SEC monster, which already has a Lane Kiffin issue, let's make USC our early, as in real early, preseason No. 2 behind a school from the Sun Belt.

Unbuckling the mailbag: Question: Has anyone mentioned Jim Tressel as a possible UCLA candidate? Martin De Wan Torrance Answer: So far it's you and Mrs. Tressel. There were actually Internet rumors Tressel was seen on UCLA's campus. My sources say it was only to take advantage of a close-out sale on Rick Neuheisel sweater vests. The idea of Tressel coaching UCLA while he awaits word from the NCAA infractions committee is about as unlikely as USC hiring Lane Kiffin while he was being investigated by the NCAA.

Unbuckling the mailbag: Question: Is Mike Sherman now a candidate for the UCLA job? Jared Gibson Answer: Yes, have him get in line behind Pee-wee Herman. If UCLA tried to hire Mike Sherman, recently fired by Texas A&M, Bruins Athletic Director Dan Guerrero would have to make the announcement in a Sherman tank. Q: Why are you looking so far away? U-DUB Husky Coach Steve Sarkisian is perfect. He was born just five minutes away from UCLA. He coached at USC and will be a natural rival to Kiffin.

Unbuckling the mailbag: Question: The SEC isn't really that strong? Only five of the top 12 teams are SEC members. There would probably be more if they didn't beat up on each other. The SEC and Big 12 are the crème de la crème. The others can't hold a candle. Barry A. Rose Answer: You would think someone named "Rose" would have a little more respect for the conferences that play in the Granddaddy of All Bowl Games every year. I would expect this sort of stuff from Barry A. Sugar, or Barry A. Chick-fil-A.

Unbuckling the mailbag: Question: Who are you to decide whether or not Penn State should be allowed to play in the postseason? Report the news and keep your opinions to yourself. Boyd R. Zumwalt III Answer: It is not my decision to decide on Penn State's bowl fate. I have merely stated my opinion after talking with bowl representatives who indicated they would be uncomfortable having to host Penn State. And what about potential opposition from corporate sponsors?

Unbuckling the mailbag: Question: Why the glee over the self-immolation of a coach, a program, a university? Is Penn State (Paterno) that universally reviled? I am stunned at the happiness expressed over a tragic downfall. Brian Murphy Moorpark Answer: You could not be more wrong. Where is the happiness in any of this? Nobody in the media writing about this wants to be writing about this. I'd much rather be doing this mailbag about Oregon at Stanford on Saturday or Texas Christian at Boise State.

Unbuckling the mailbag: Question: Isn't everyone getting ahead of themselves? What if the winner of the Alabama-Louisiana State game wins by a couple of touchdowns or even more? John Schow Chicago Answer: Exactly. How can people be talking title-game rematch before kickoff? What if it ends up 30-0 or 3-0? If you want to watch the game objectively, though, I suggest turning down the volume on the CBS broadcast because I have yet to hear a Southeastern Conference game on CBS that wasn't considered a "classic.