Texas A M

The schools in this week's rankings are solid, but don't hold Rankman to any of the conference affiliations. By press time we could have one 120-team conference or, as the Louisiana State chancellor suggested, one league called "ESPN" and one called "Fox. " Oklahoma and Wisconsin losses last week discombobulated the top 10, and other trip-ups allowed fresh faces such as Penn State, Texas Tech, Georgia and Texas to bask in the glorious glow of a top-25 rankings system not used, endorsed, sanctioned or otherwise condoned by the AP, BCS, IRS, CIA or PETA.

The strangest half a season in memory is over and a lot of it was forgettable. The Big 12 Conference will be home for Christmas, just barely, but check back regarding the Big East Conference. Texas A&M followed through on plans to join the Southeastern Conference, the one big lead the Aggies haven't blown this year. The departure suspends a rivalry with Texas that started in 1894. Texas A&M called Texas about continuing the series but Texas said "let me check my schedule" and reported it was booked through 2018.

Break out the chips and cold drinks, but let Chris Dufresne handle the remote. Each Friday, The Times' national college football writer handicaps what's worth watching, and skipping, on Saturday's menu of games: MORNING No. 11 Michigan (6-0) at No. 23 Michigan State (4-1) 9 a.m., ESPN Maybe Brady Hoke should run for president, because this guy can turn anything around. Hoke made Ball State better, San Diego State better and has made instant winners at Michigan out of Rich Rodriguez's leftovers.

Ara Parseghian was honored before Miami (Ohio) played Army on Saturday when a statue of his likeness, along with those of John Pont, Bo Schembechler and Earl Blaik, was added to the school's "Cradle of Coaches" plaza. The plaza recognizes the accomplishments of eight Miami graduates who earned recognition as college or professional coaches of the year or have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The statues unveiled Saturday joined those of Weeb Ewbank, Paul Dietzel and Carmen Cozza that were dedicated last year.

It's not a city battle like UCLA against USC, or a state war like Auburn against Alabama. The Cotton Bowl isn't as pretty as the Rose Bowl, and you may even like your state fair better than theirs. When Oklahoma and Texas are both undefeated in football, though, there's no barbecue better. When everything is magnified, as it is this year, the cotton candy tastes sweeter and the livestock get livelier. Oklahoma-Texas, in its 106th incarnation, is what happens when rivalry meets revelry in the shadow of a carnival ride.

Morning No. 3 Oklahoma (4-0) vs. No. 11 Texas (4-0) 9 a.m., Ch. 7 There's nothing better than the smell of Cotton Bowl candy, deep-fried butter, the State Fair of Texas and two undefeated rivals. To think Bob Stoops said only weeks ago that the big Ferris Wheel Earth would still turn if the Texas-OU series were discontinued. But that was back when it appeared the Big 12 was headed toward divorce court. This is a series worth saving, and it's great to see the conference is sticking together for the kids.

Five things to watch this week in college football: 1. Texas vs. Texas A&M might be on last legs as a storied series, but it appears the Big 12 preservationists club will be able to save Texas-Oklahoma. This week's Red River Rivalry game at the Cotton Bowl gets cranked up a few deep-fried turkey legs as both teams enter undefeated. 2. Florida had the misfortune on this year's Southeastern Conference schedule to be the school designated to play Alabama and Louisiana State in consecutive weeks.

Europe won the Solheim Cup for the first time since 2003 on Sunday, finishing powerfully to beat the United States, 15-13, at Killeen Castle in Dunsany, Ireland. Norway's Suzann Pettersen turned the momentum Europe's way when she recovered from 1 down with birdies on the last three holes to beat Michelle Wie by one hole. Her win left Europe needing only one point from the last two singles to win the trophy, but the side captained by Alison Nicholas did even better.

There were better finishes than Oklahoma State at Texas A&M. Washington and Kansas State needed goal-line stands to hold off California and Miami. There were outcomes more shocking, namely Temple's 38-7 upset over Maryland's shocking uniforms. Temple had been 0-12 against Atlantic Coast Conference teams. The Owls were once so lowly they got booted out of the Big East Conference, which would now be stronger with Temple back in it. There were games with more pressure on coaches.

The Big 12 dumped its embattled commissioner Thursday and said nine schools had pledged to give their TV rights to the conference for the next six years, a step intended to preserve a fractured league that has lost two members in the last year and is expected to lose another by next summer. "The bottom line is we achieved substantial reforms," Oklahoma President David Boren said after school presidents met by telephone for more than an hour. "We feel extremely good. " No contracts had been signed yet, in part because some schools must get the approval of their governing boards, league spokesman Bob Burda said.