Is there a more overlooked team in college football than Boston College? The Eagles have won 32 games since 2002, including their share over top-25 teams (West Virginia, Virginia Tech and the last Notre Dame team that was supposed to be the second coming), and have won five straight bowl games. What is it going to take for Kiwi and the boys to get the respect that they deserve from the national media (including a certain columnist who issues power rankings on this site)?
-- Matt Fitzpatrick, Brookline, Mass.

Simple -- beat Virginia Tech on Thursday. Those are some nice accomplishments you listed, Matt, but they don't exactly scream national power. Tom O'Brien is a good coach, but his teams never finished higher than third in the Big East prior to Miami and Virginia Tech's departures last season. Those bowl wins you speak of came against the likes of Colorado State and Toledo. This year's 6-1 team certainly looks like the best of O'Brien's tenure, and a strong record in the loaded ACC would certainly help BC's credibility, but as of now the teams it has beaten are a combined 16-27. All that considered, I'd say a No. 13 ranking in this week's AP poll shows considerable respect, but if it's not enough for your liking, beat the No. 3 team in the country on national television and I don't think you'll be hurting for respect the rest of the season.

I have an interesting question about the BCS. I know you don't want to answer those, but it needs to be asked. What happens if UCLA stays undefeated and beats USC, while Texas and a third team also go undefeated? Does UCLA automatically become No. 1, or do they get shut out?
-- Forest W. Worgum, Wenatchee, Wash.

I know I said I wasn't going to start fielding BCS doomsday questions until the teams involved got to 8-0 ... but this one is just too intriguing. Obviously, it would come down to whether the pollsters simply move the Bruins up a spot or actually bump them ahead of the other undefeated teams. I can't speak for other voters -- not to mention my AP vote doesn't actually count for anything -- but if a 10-0 UCLA team handed an 11-0 USC team its first loss in two-and-a-half years, I know I would vote the Bruins No. 1. No other candidate would have a victory like that on its resume, plus they would have won every other game on their schedule. How could you possibly vote anyone else higher?

I'd like your opinion on where Northwestern's Brett Basanez ranks among the nation's top quarterbacks?
-- Dave, Cherry Hill, N.J.

Basanez is having a tremendous senior year, and he's the perfect example of a great "college" quarterback. Is he 6-foot-5? No. Does he have a cannon arm? No. But he knows exactly what he's supposed to do on every play, makes the right reads, can make plays both running and passing and is the unquestioned leader of his team.

Where does he rank? There are a lot of great ones out there, but my list right now (based solely on college performance, not NFL potential) would be:

1. Matt Leinart, USC
2. Vince Young, Texas
3. Brady Quinn, Notre Dame
4. Drew Olson, UCLA
5. Brodie Croyle, Alabama
6. Basanez

What on earth are we supposed to make of UNC this year? Any year? We give up 69 to Louisville, then hold Virginia to 5 (5!). Is this just the way it's going to be under John Bunting? Is the program on its way up? Are we just playing to beat N.C. State every year and maybe go to the Tire bowl? For the life of me, I can't figure this team out.
-- Michael Bacon, Durham, N.C.

I'm as stumped as you are, Michael, but wild inconsistency is a staple of the ACC these days. How does Clemson beat Miami one week and lose to Duke the next, as it did last year? How does N.C. State go to Georgia Tech and pull out a last-second victory one Thursday night, then get crushed at home by Clemson the next? I think the reality of the new ACC is that it's so competitive that second-tier programs, such as UNC, Clemson and Georgia Tech, are going to have an awful hard time achieving much sustained success. Even Miami and Florida State are going to find it difficult to dominate year-in, year-out like they did in the past. I'm not saying Tar Heels fans should be content with the Tire Bowl every year, but if you think John Bunting or any other coach is going to lead you to nine- or 10-win seasons every year, you're living in a fantasy land.

Has Texas Tech become the new Kansas State: A flashy program that lives by weak scheduling only to be annihilated when its comes time to play a legit conference team? I bet if Texas Tech could find a way to get Texas off its schedule, it would.
-- Mike, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Hang on there just a second, Mike. First of all, you're selling Kansas State short. While the Wildcats have played more than their share of creampuffs under Bill Snyder, they also beat No. 1 Oklahoma in 2003 to win the Big 12 title, not to mention some pretty good Nebraska teams over the years. They've stunk the past two seasons, but before that they didn't spend a whole lot of time getting "annihilated" by conference opponents. Meanwhile, the Red Raiders haven't yet reached the level the Wildcats did through the late '90s and earlier this decade, so it would hardly be accurate to call them the "new Kansas State." This is the first year I can remember Tech playing such a ridiculous non-conference schedule. Recent seasons have included Ohio State, N.C. State and Ole Miss. Hopefully coach Mike Leach isn't making the Indiana State/Florida International routine permanent. If he does, Tech is going to have an even harder time getting taken seriously than it already has.

Geez, you seem to have five articles every week! You work too hard.
-- Mike, Leawood, Kan.

Actually, it's six. And I agree.

You reading this, boss?