Brigham Young (10-2) remained at No. 18.

However, national interest was far from the BCS-busting Utes or the Cougars, as the big question Sunday was which Big 12 South team that finished in a three-way tie - Oklahoma, Texas or Texas Tech - would have the best BCS rating.

Turns out, it is Oklahoma, which edged Texas by a hair for the second spot behind No. 1 Alabama and will play Missouri on Saturday in the Big 12 championship game in Kansas City, Mo. The Sooners - instead of No. 3 Texas, which beat OU 45-35 - now have an inside track to the BCS national championship game.

The new BCS rankings and the weekend's games were not without interest to the idle Utes, however.

Oregon State's loss to Oregon took the Beavers out of a BCS game and means USC will now go to the Rose Bowl if it beats UCLA on Saturday.

The Fiesta Bowl, where most observers figured USC was headed, could now potentially take the Utes and match them against Texas. If the Fiesta passes on the Utes (and takes Ohio State), the Sugar Bowl is expected put Utah against the SEC Championship game loser (Florida or Alabama).

There are now four teams from outside the six BCS conferences in the top 12. Only one non-BCS team is guaranteed a berth, however, so No. 9 Boise State, No. 11 TCU and No. 12 Ball State can only hope a bowl committee favors them over No. 10 Ohio State for an at-large selection.

That's not likely, although the New York Post on Friday said Fiesta Bowl officials are "considering" a Utah-Boise State matchup of unbeatens.

drew@sltrib.com