And the Longhorns make a move past the Trojans!

Texas edging USC is huge, but there’s very little movement otherwise. Texas Tech dropped out of the top ten (after losing to Texas), and the Florida State Seminoles take up position No. 10. LSU dropped a few spots, and UCLA and Miami both moved up and switched places with each other.

The Tennessee Volunteers drop out of the top 25 altogether after losing to the Crimson Tide. The Vols are now officially more than just mostly dead; they are really most sincerely dead.

At least in the Race to the Rose Bowl. But I’m one of those that can enjoy my team even when there are no championships on the line, and I’m not bailing.

Plus, the Race can still be exciting even if your horse has come up lame. Just pick another horse! I’m going with the Hokies.

Upcoming games with the potential to radically impact the Race include:

• Georgia at Florida, October 29, 2005 (3:30, CBS)
• Virginia Tech v. Miami, November 5, 2005
• USC at California, November 12, 2005
• LSU at Alabama, November 12, 2005 (3:30, CBS, maybe)
• Texas at Texas A&M, November 25, 2005 (12:00, ABC)
• Florida State at Florida, November 26, 2005 (3:30, CBS)
• UCLA at USC, December 3, 2005 (4:30, ABC)

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See the Race to the Rose Bowl from the beginning:

• Week Seven
• Week Six
• Week Five
• Week Four
• Week Three
• Week Two
• Week One
• Preseason

Jeffrey Stewart of Scout.com has penned the best line of the season:

Defending Tennessee’s offense is like encountering a drunk on a shooting spree with a high-powered rifle: you know he will do more damage accidentally than he will intentionally, and if you patiently keep your distance he will eventually shoot himself.

Hilarious.

Gerald Riggs is finished as a Volunteer. UTSports.com is reporting that the “lower leg and ankle injuries” Riggs suffered during the 4th quarter of Tennessee’s loss to Alabama Saturday are serious enough that Riggs will “definitely” miss the remainder of the season.

“I’m going to allow the UT Sports Medicine staff and team of orthopedic surgeons to continue directing my care,” Riggs said. “I think that gives me the best opportunity to return successfully from this injury.”

It’s not yet clear just how severe this injury is and whether it is career-threatening. Ditto the Thoughts and Prayers for Jason Allen post, this time for Gerald.

GoVolsXtra’s Mike Strange has a message for Volunteer fans considering bailing out on the season:

You’re the fan. Nobody’s paying you. You can come and go as you like.

No doubt, a lot of folks are ready to bail out on the ’05 Vols after a touchdown-less 6-3 defeat at Alabama on Saturday. Some of you probably beat the rush and bailed two weeks ago after the loss to Georgia.

* * *

I think I’ll stick around. Let’s not spin the Vols’ season as anything other than a major breakdown, but even a breakdown has its fascination.

How will the leaders handle the reality of crushed goals? Which young players will emerge from the rubble?

Now that Alabama has thrown off the yoke, anybody else up to it? And the old standby, Clausen or Ainge?

I’m the type to stay in my seat and watch the final futile shot of a 101-40 basketball game. The verdict is long since over, but the human pageant isn’t.

So I’ll be there when the credits roll on the 2005 Vols.

I’m with Mike. There’s more reason to watch football than just winning. More on that later, hopefully.