BYU football: Cougars slip a spot in rankings

PROVO — A week after soaring three and four spots, respectively, in the rankings without even playing a game, BYU slipped back one position in the Associated Press and USA Today coaches' polls released Sunday.

The Cougars, who defeated Utah State, 34-14, on Friday night, fell to No. 9 in the AP poll and No. 8 in the coaches' poll. They remained No. 9 in the Harris Interactive poll.

In the AP poll, BYU switched places with Southern California, which bounced back from last week's stunning loss to Oregon State to crush Oregon, 44-10. In the coaches' poll, Texas Tech, which blasted Kansas State, 58-28, moved into the Cougars' position at No. 7, bumping BYU back one spot.

The Bowl Championship Series releases its first rankings of the season on Oct. 19. The BCS standings formula consists of three components, each weighted equally — the coaches' poll, the Harris Interactive poll and an average of six computer rankings.

Prior to the 2008 season, the last time BYU was ranked in the top 10 in both polls was 2001, when the Cougars were ranked as high as No. 7 in the coaches' poll and No. 8 in the AP poll. The last time BYU was ranked in the top 10 and fell after winning was Dec. 2, 2001, when the Cougars slid from No. 7 to No. 8 in the coaches' poll after edging Mississippi State, 41-38, in overtime in Starkville, Miss. That same year, BYU dropped from No. 8 to No. 9 in the AP poll after beating Utah, 24-21, in Provo.

BYU returns to Mountain West Conference play Saturday when it hosts New Mexico. The Lobos blanked Wyoming, 24-0, on Saturday. The Cougars, the two-time defending MWC champions, know they have a target on their back.

"Every team we play is out there to beat us. They want to win against us," wide receiver Austin Collie said after the victory over Utah State. "For a team to start hooting and hollering and start shouting when they're down by (34) just because they scored a touchdown, that means something. Every team in our conference is out to beat us. We're the king and they want to take us off our throne."

New Mexico opened the season with losses to TCU and Texas A&M before handing Arizona its only loss of the season. The Lobos were blown out at Tulsa, then beat New Mexico State and Wyoming.

"We can't take them lightly. They're a good football team," Collie said. "They've always been a good football team in our conference. It's very important that we come out to practice this week and prepare even harder than we did this last week."

"We're looking forward to conference play," said quarterback Max Hall. "I think we're going to really bear down and focus this week and make sure we have a great week of practice. New Mexico is next."

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