Last week: Texas-Oklahoma. Saturday: Miami-Florida State. Not a bad two weeks. I can't tell you how fortunate I feel to stand ringside for rivalry games like these.

The atmosphere in Dallas fulfilled everything I'd imagined about the Red River Shootout. The game itself was a tense, tough, thing of beauty -- if you enjoy a game in which each yard is precious, each first down huge. The hitting was fierce.

	Clinton Portis is one reason why Miami is a complete team.

Now, the renewal of the best rivalry of the early 1990s, is back near the top of the list after Miami's classic comeback win last season ended an FSU series win streak at five. OK, it's not one of those epic showdowns fueled by trash talk.

Remember the days before the 1991 game, when notorious rapper and Canes' fan Luther (Luke) Campbell treated Miami players to a screening of a homemade video shot weeks earlier? It featured FSU's Marvin "Shade Tree" Jones and William Floyd spouting noise about the Canes. Classic stuff. The inspired Miami posse escaped Tally with a win in Wide Right I.

These days, Luke is nowhere to be seen. Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, and the Wu-Tang Clan have not filled the void. No inflammatory videos will be shown. But the backdrop this time is as fascinating as it's ever been -- FSU a home underdog with a 54-game home unbeaten streak. This is an unprecedented situation. The most dominant home field team in a decade is being given little chance, as noted by Bobby Bowden.

In Tallahassee, the usual feeling of assurance and confidence has almost been replaced by dread. Even FSU leader Chris Hope is admitting that Miami is the better team.

A Seminole surrender is hardly what I expect. In the words of veteran Bradley Jennings, they'll "fight to the end." Miami still hasn't been tested, its starters spending each fourth quarter thus far on the bench. The Canes' victims are 3-14, as most people know. What you may not realize is that the only teams beaten so far by the teams Miami has beaten are Buffalo, East Tennessee State, and Nichols State.

Still, I'm one of the people voting the Hurricanes No. 1. They are a complete team. Any offense featuring the best pair of bookend tackles, one of the nation's top guards, probably the nation's best tight end, and the top NFL prospect at fullback will be real good. And that's without mentioning quarterback Ken Dorsey, tailback Clinton Portis and future NFL receiver Andre Johnson.

Florida State will be hard-pressed to get Dorsey's pants dirty. He hasn't been sacked by the overmatched defenses and although FSU is a big step up, top pass rusher Alonzo Jackson is out for a few weeks with an MCL sprain. Even Noles Jamal Reynolds and David Warren were non-factors last year.

The Noles are basically hoping for a sack or two with blitzes, but the aforementioned fullback, Najeh Davenport, picks them up well. Dorsey will get time and then it's just a matter of pitching and catching, mixing in runs, and watching the scoreboard change. It'll be interesting to see how ex-Miami tight end Rob Chudzinski, who inherited Larry Coker's title of offensive coordinator, does in his first big game. He's been lauded for his aggressiveness early in games, as Miami comes out smoking. Florida State's Jeff Bowden has already taken heat in his first year as play caller. He'll likely take more after Saturday.

Quarterback Carousel
Washington's backup QB Taylor Barton will start at UCLA, with Cody Pickett's third-degree shoulder separation limiting him to holding on kicks. Barton has an interesting tale. As a high schooler, he was signed by then-Colorado coach Rick Neuheisel. Barton was an avid follower of recruiting news and when the call came, he asked Neuheisel, "What, did Carson Palmer turn you down?" Yes, in fact, Palmer had chosen USC. Cory Paus also decided to stay in state, signing with UCLA over CU.

	Washington backup QB Taylor Barton followed Rick Neuheisel to Washington.

So, Barton went to Boulder and was left in the lurch when Gary Barnett replaced Neuheisel. He transferred to City College of San Francisco, living five to an apartment and eating cereal five days a week to withstand the huge cost of living. In the weirdest QB rotation I've ever heard of, Barton played every other game. Then, given a chance to reunite with Neuheisel, he went north to Washington, losing a starting battle with Pickett.

In Saturday's twist, Barton recovered from a case of nerves (and three fumbles) to rally past the team QB'd by Palmer, of all guys. Now, he starts against Cory Paus, who wears Neuheisel's old number 10 at UCLA. In another twist, Barton is backed up by the younger Casey Paus.

Barton has something in common with Peyton Manning and Chris Simms. His dad played QB in the NFL. You don't remember Greg Barton? He was a Detroit Lion in 1969. Attempted one pass. Did not complete it. But Greg used to quiz the 10-year-old Taylor on schemes and coverages and the kid has gotten the most out of his ability. He's a capable, "move the chains" kind of quarterback.

Trouble Bruin?
Talking to UCLA's All-American shoo-in LB Robert Thomas, he indicated the Bruin defense would "rattle" and confuse Barton, as they have more experienced quarterbacks this season. "He won't know what's coming and we'll get some hats on him," said Thomas.

Playing the same eleven defenders most downs, the Bruins can always use freshness as a weapon and Thomas says they feel great after a bye week. Bruin opponents Alabama and Oregon State have hardly panned out, but that doesn't detract too much from their defensive prowess.

Most impressive, is their "sudden change" defense. That's the code word for taking the field suddenly, following a turnover. It's something coordinator Phil Snow makes them practice each day. It's working.

UCLA's offense has coughed it up eight times, but only Kansas has turned one of the miscues into points, and that game was out of hand. When a turnover occurs, the Bruin defenders yell "sudden change" as they take the field. Then, Thomas says, they play with more emotion.

Unless Barton and the Huskies are very sharp and very lucky, UCLA should handle them Saturday.

Ball Coach's Beef of the Week
I'm having fun watching Steve Spurrier's press conferences each Tuesday on ESPNEWS at 12:30 ET. He always seems to find something about which to nitpick. In past weeks, Spurrier lamented that he just couldn't coach Rex Grossman to fall on his fumbles a little better. Before last week, he mentioned that "Rexie" was not scrambling forward like he wished he would.

	Call him "Rexie."

After the awesome, school record 464-yard, five TD performance at LSU, not even Spurrier could find anything to flog Grossman with.

Now, the Ball Coach's Beef of the Week is that with the endless series of touchdowns, well, some of the snaps for the PATs and field goals are a bit high. The result, Jeff Chandler hit the upright from 38 yards and missed a 40-yard PAT. His "leg swing" is a bit off, says Steve, comparing it to a hack's golf swing.

Voting Irregularities
Let me preface this by saying that I don't usually pay much attention to the polls. Especially not after four or five weeks. There are so many loopy aspects to the voting from slots 14 to 28 in the coaches poll that it's hard not to comment, though. The voting in the bottom half of the poll has virtually no impact on the eventual BCS standings, so it serves only the purpose of hyping games as involving "ranked opponents." You have to laugh at:

1. Tennessee being ranked 13 spots ahead of Georgia, after a home field loss to the Dawgs, who remain unranked, 27th in the voting, with only a narrow loss to No. 9 South Carolina. Unless they blow it at Vandy or home versus Kentucky, the Dawgs will be 5-1 heading to Jax for the cocktail party.

2. Clemson is ranked three spots behind Georgia Tech, following an overtime win on the Jackets' field. The Tigers' loss was to Virginia, on a last second TD created by an unflagged piece of offensive pass interference.

3. Kansas State is ranked 21st after a second straight loss, five spots higher than unranked Colorado, after the Buffs controlled KSU in a 16-6 win at Manhattan. Colorado is one ill-advised end zone interception in the fourth quarter vs. No. 10 Fresno State away from being 5-0 and probably ranked about 12th. Should one play make a 13 or 14 slot difference in a team's ranking? That's a problem I frequently have with polls.

4. Most unbelievably, Ohio State sits one spot behind Northwestern, in 25th. Did any of the coaches voting notice the Buckeyes' 38-20 win over the Wildcats? It was not as close as the 18-point margin suggests, either. Amazing.

Items No. 1 and 2 are also true in the AP poll, but not on my ballot.

The Quiet Top 20 Team
Quick, name one player on BYU.

Time's up. If you're not from Mountain West territory or a true hard core follower of the national scene with a well-worn Blue Ribbon guide on your nightstand, you couldn't come up with one, could you? Even you are a hardcore, you probably came up with tailback Luke Staley, then ran out of steam.

Can you name the new head coach? You know, the guy that replaced ol' LaVell Edwards. His offense has scored 70, 52, 44, 35, and 54 points in his first five games.

OK, easy there. This is not a pop-quiz designed to embarrass. It's just a fact that BYU is certainly the least publicized team in the top 20. Maryland has gotten much love for the turnaround in Ralph Friedgen's rookie head coach season. Even MAC-daddy Toledo, with Tom Amstutz taking over, has gotten more national pub for its excellent backfield.

	“	Even MAC-daddy Toledo, with Tom Amstutz taking over, has gotten more national pub than Gary Crowton and BYU. ”

The job Gary Crowton is doing has been unnoticed outside of his time zone. One reason: BYU's lowly parade of victims so far. Tulane, Nevada, Cal, UNLV, and Utah State have something in common -- they are all winless. No BYU opponent has won a game yet. The Cougs' matchups have not been TV friendly, either. Last year they were on TV all the time. Losing big, mostly.

But, allowing for some poor competition, it's still valid to salute Crowton and his staff. They have invigorated and energized Provo, brought new camaraderie and enthusiasm. Being given a lot of credit is new strength coach Jay Omer, brought from Georgia Tech. BYU's guys are much stronger and fitter than before and it's showing up in far fewer injuries than in recent years.

One Cougar you might want to learn about it QB Brandon Doman. He's 7-0 as a starter, first earning respect by mopping up well in the Thursday night debacle at Colorado State last year best remembered for Lee Corso's rant about CSU rubbing it in. After that game, Doman keyed wins over New Mexico and the stirring drive to beat Utah in Edwards' finale.

Doman almost became a safety, or a wideout like big brother Bryce. He's a good athlete, but his heart and knack for making winning plays are most needed at QB. He's hardly Classic BYU. Then again, Ty Detmer looked ragged, too, until he made play after play. Doman is no Detmer, but he's a decent enough passer and runner that Crowton has "customized" his offense to include some option.

BYU's defense is going to have get serious now. After Saturday's game at (2-3) New Mexico, BYU hosts Air Force, visits San Diego State, then hosts Colorado State. It's hardly a gauntlet, but much tougher than the group they've faced so far.

Nobody is saying "BCS" at BYU just yet. But the Cougars are capable of running the table, becoming another non-BCS conference unbeaten to muddy the picture, along with Fresno State and Toledo. December 1st is their makeup game at Mississippi State, which is now reeling and may have very little to play for, except a tiny bowl bid.

By the way, regardless of whether his offense shatters any records, Crowton does hold one unofficial record for a Division I-A head coach -- his seventh child with wife Maren is due in February.

Hope you'll join us on GameDay from the field at Doak Campbell, as we count down to kickoff for the big tussle, beginning at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Chris Fowler is the host of ESPN's College GameDay.