Oklahoma, Virginia Tech move up to 1-2 in new BCS standings

Oklahoma and Virginia Tech are the new top two teams in the Bowl Championship Series standings. <br><br>With its 31-14 win over Nebraska, Oklahoma moved from second to first place in the BCS standings

Tuesday, October 31st 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Oklahoma and Virginia Tech are the new top two teams in the Bowl Championship Series standings.

With its 31-14 win over Nebraska, Oklahoma moved from second to first place in the BCS standings released Monday, while Virginia Tech advanced into second ahead of Florida State.

The teams that finish 1-2 in the final BCS standings released Dec. 3 will play in a national title game in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 3.

The Sooners (7-0) and Hokies (8-0), 1-2 in the AP media poll and USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll, are two of the remaining three unbeaten teams among major colleges. The other unbeaten, TCU (7-0), is in ninth place because the Horned Frogs play one of the nation's weakest schedules _ 111th of 115 I-A schools.

Nebraska (7-1) fell from first to fourth place, with Miami in fifth place, down one spot after a 42-31 win over lightly regarded Louisiana Tech. Florida (7-1) remained in sixth place.

The BCS standings are based on a formula that incorporates the AP poll plus the coaches' poll, eight computer rankings, strength-of-schedule and number of losses.

There's sure to be more shuffling during the final month of the season, beginning Saturday with Virginia Tech at No. 3 Miami (6-1), and No. 10 Clemson (8-1) at No. 4 Florida State (8-1). On Nov. 11, No. 1 Oklahoma is at No. 24 Texas A&M, and the Sooners could end up playing No. 5 Nebraska in a rematch in the Big 12 title game Dec. 2. Florida State also has a game against No. 6 Florida (7-1) on Nov. 18.

Oklahoma had 2.48 points in the BCS standings _ 1 point for poll average, 1 for computer rank average, 0.48 for strength-of-schedule and zero for losses. In October, the Sooners beat then-No. 11 Texas 63-14, then-No. 2 Kansas State 41-31 and then-No. 1 Nebraska.

Virginia Tech had 7.15 points _ 2 for poll average; 4.43 for computer rank average; 0.72 for strength-of-schedule and zero for losses. The Hokies beat Pittsburgh 37-34 on Saturday.

Oklahoma was first in seven of the eight computer rankings, with Florida State first in the other.

In the computer ratings, the lowest ranking is discarded and the seven highest are used to come up with an average. For example, the Sooners have the best computer average based on seven firsts and one second. The second-place rating is tossed out.

The BCS was created two years ago to come up with a national title game without instituting a playoff. After the top two teams are decided, the remaining BCS games _ the Rose, Sugar and Fiesta bowls _ select from the remaining pool of qualified teams.

Champions of six conferences _ the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 and SEC _ qualify for a BCS game, and two at-large teams are selected to fill out the field.