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Show 6 Oklahoma, Nebraska are Miami fourth in BCS standings 1-- Associated Press Special for the Sun Miami, No. in the AP media poll and the coaches' poll, was fourth in rankings that determine which teams will play for a national championship at the Rose Bowl in January. lf (6-0- ). 2; going to fall," Miami coach Larry Coker said. "The month of November is as critical as December. We saw three undefeated teams fall last week. The only thing we can control is to make sure we're not one of them." The BCS rankings are based on a formula that incorporates the AP poll plus the USA TodayESPN coaches' poll, eight comand puter rankings, number of losses. New this year are bonus points for a win over a team in the BCS' top 15. Final standings will be released Dec. 9, with the top two teams playing in Pasadena on Jan. 3. With the standings out a week later than originally planned, the timing couldn't be better for the BCS - the Sooners (7-visit the Comhuskers (8-on Saturday. Oklahoma and Nebraska are ranked in the AP poll and coaches' poll this week. 3 Virginia Tech is fifth in the BCS strength-of-schedu- The Hurricanes, thanks to a first-haschedule ranked 92nd of 7 teams, were behind Oklahoma, Nebraska and UCLA in the first Bowl Championship Series standings released on Monday night. Unbeaten Miami is on the outside looking in because its first five opponents have a combined record against major schedule gets colleges. The second-hal- f tougher, with season-endin- g games against and Virginia Tech Washington (5-"I don't need a computer. Teams are le -- 2-- Eagles nip Giants on McNabbs late TD pass Associated Press Special for the Sun - EAST RUTI IERFORD, N.J. The Philadelphia Eagles couldn't do much against New York's defense. So they took advantage of the Giants' stodgy offense instead. Donovan McNabb threw an touchdown pass to James Thrash with 1:52 left in the game to give Philadelphia a 10-- 9 victory over the Giants on Monday night. It was a game New York controlled for three quarters but couldn't put away because it settled for field goals. "It came to the point where we weren't getting it done, we weren't getting it done, we weren't getting it done," Eagles offensive tackle Jon Runyan said. "So we did it." was Philadelphia's first win over the Giants in 10 games and gave the Eagles e (3-a lead over New York (3-in an NFC East where no other team seems likely to challenge. "We knew we had to continue to keep them out of the end zone," Philadelphia linebacker Ike Reese. "Everyone was yelling in the locker room at halftime that we had taken their best punch and we were only down by nine. We just continued to stick together and keep fighting and made plays. The game's only touchdown followed a punt by Rodney Williams after his first punt to the Philadelphia 38 was negated by a holding penalty on New York's Thabiti Davis. So Philadelphia had a first down at the New York 40 with 5:52 left. Six plays later, McNabb rolled to his right, bought time and found Thrash in the left corner of the end zone with Will Peterson chasing in futility. "I saw Donovan scrambling. As a receiver, you have to stay alive, especially It half-gam- 27-ya- OCTOBER 24,; WEDNESDAY, THE SUN with him running around," Thrash said.. "I was in the right place at the right time." Much of the credit goes to the Philadelphia defense, which held New York to four straight series of three downs and out and just three first downs in the second half. After the TD, it forced a fumble by Giants quarterback Kerry Collins when Jeremiah Trotter stripped the ball and Brandon Whiting managed to recover before it went out of bounds. "They kept fighting and we played stupid and they grabbed the game, said New York coach Jim Fassel, whose team took a 0 lead on three long first-hadrives, none of which found the Giants in the end zone. New York controlled the ball for 24:35 of the first 30 minutes. But it settled for field goals of 24, 21, and 24 yards by Morten Andersen. The defense, meanwhile, sacked McNabb six times, two by Michael Strahan, who now has 10 12 in his last four games. It was the second loss for the Giants, 4 who lost in St. Louis last week in a game in which the Rams forced a fumble as New York was driving for the winning field goal. It was the first time since 1930 the Giants lost consecutive games. "It was a little disconcerting. We should have won both games," Collins said. "We could have put the game away in the first half, but we didn't." New York had 13 first downs in the first half to two for the Eagles. The Giants took a 0 lead on Andersen's field goal at the end of a drive that consumed 8:17 on the clock. It was helped by three offside penalties on the Eagles. New York made it 0 on Andersen's 2:04 into the second period. It was set up by Shaun Williams' interception standings, followed by Texas, Michigan, Maryland, Tennessee and Washington State. Rounding out the top 15 are Florida, Washington, Oregon, Stanford and South Carolina. Oklahoma still has games left against Tulsa, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State before a Big 12 title game, where a rematch with Nebraska is possible. "With our schedule, if we win out we don't have to worry about what the BCS is doing," Sooners coach Bob Stoops said. "We just put our emphasis on winning." Says Nebraska coach Frank Solich: "If you're able to play great football and win every game, you'll be there in the end." Expect lots of shuffling in next week's standings. on Besides Oklahoma-Nebrask- a visits Stanford Saturday, UCLA (6-in JackFlorida (5-plays Georgia (5-is at Tensonville, Fla.; South Carolina (6-nessee at Florida State Maryland (7-and Oregon (6-at Washington State (4-1- ); (4-1- ); (4-2- ); (7-0- computer-ran- k average, 0.56 for stren schedule, zero for losses and a deduction for its win over Texas on 0c The bonus award it based or. ing scale from 1.5 points for beating, place team down to . 1 for a win over th place team. Nebraska had 6.40 points -poll average, 3 for computer rank a .40 for zero for and no bonus-poideduction. UCLA had 8.34 points, Miami and Virginia Tech 13.88. The Sooners are first in four strength-of-schedul- e, nt eight computer rankings; Nebrask. UCLA split the four remaining Miami is second in two com with a low ranking of 13th from anothe The BCS, chaired again bj commissioner John Swofford, was years ago to create a national title without instituting a playoff. ). Oklahoma had 3.06 points in the 2 for poll average, 1.50 for BCS standings and return. Then it was 0 on Andersen's second that followed another plodding drive. That march covered 61 yards on 13 plays and ate up another 8:28. Late in the third quarter, the Eagles reached the New York 7 with the help of two penalties against the Giants. But McNabb's n pass was out of the end zone and 20-ya- 9-- David Akers' field goal cut it toc But the defense held and the Ea. finally beat the Giants after losing to nine straight times, including the game : knocked them from the playoffs last seas "People talked about the streak much," McNabb said. "We didn't think ab it. We just wanted to win the game." 25-ya- tli third-dow- 9-- lf one-poi- True or False: Fazoli's Restaurants offer free soft drink refills when you dine in. If you said true, you aced this quiz. 8 So pop in for free refills on pop. Or do you call it soda? 15-1- one-poi- vvzoxjy 24-ya- 6-- fu- sspots. AMERICAN FORK: ST. GEORGE: 852 East State Street corner of River Road and 100 South OPENING OCTOBER 2001 OREM: 1055 South State Street |