BYU Cougars enter rankings: No. 23 in AP, 25 in BCS

NEW YORK — Kansas' improbable climb has the unbeaten Jayhawks ranked higher than ever and preparing to play their biggest game ever.

And for the first time this season, the BYU Cougars have landed in the top 25 at No. 23. BYU, which finished last season ranked No. 12, secured a share of the Mountain West title with its win in Laramie, Wyo.

Kansas was No. 2 in The Associated Press Top 25 released Sunday behind top-ranked LSU. Next up for the Jayhawks — No. 3 Missouri.

The Tigers and Jayhawks meet Saturday in Kansas City. In a rivalry that dates to 1891, the stakes have never been this high. The winner takes the Big 12 North and will go to the conference championship game with national title aspirations.

The Jayhawks moved up two spots this week and Tigers jumped three places after Oregon and Oklahoma both picked up their second losses of the season.

The Jayhawks had never been ranked higher than No. 3, which they did for three straight weeks in 1968, the year of their last conference title.

Missouri has its highest ranking since the Tigers were No. 1 on Nov. 14, 1960.

Oregon fell from No. 2 to No. 9 after losing 34-24 at unranked Arizona on Thursday night. Oklahoma dropped from No. 3 to No. 10 after losing 34-27 Saturday night at unranked Texas Tech. Eleven times this season a top-five team has lost to an unranked opponent.

LSU received 60 first-place votes Sunday out of a possible 65 from the media panel. Kansas got three first-place votes, Missouri had one, as did No. 4 West Virginia.

Ohio State (11-1) moved up two spots to No. 5 after finishing its regular season with a 14-3 victory over Michigan. The Wolverines fell out of the rankings for the second time this season after ending the season with two consecutive losses.

LSU and Kansas also held the top two spots in the Bowl Championship Series standings released Sunday. West Virginia, Missouri, Ohio State and Arizona State were next.

No. 6 Georgia, No. 7 Arizona State and No. 8 Virginia Tech join Oregon and Oklahoma in the top 10.

Georgia has wrapped up its Southeastern Conference season and plays rival Georgia Tech on Saturday. The Bulldogs can still earn a spot in the SEC title game if No. 19 Tennessee loses at Kentucky.

Arizona State (9-1) now controls the Pac-10 race and plays No. 11 Southern California on Thanksgiving.