TIME TO DROP BCS HY-PATHETIC-ALS.

Byline: SCOTT WOLF College Football

One positive of a college football playoff would be that it would eliminate a ridiculous nuance that always occurs in the first weeks of the season.

This is the time that brings out the sport's worst elements: the Internet geeks, zealots and so-called boosters unable to last a day without worrying about a hypothetical problem.

For Pacific-10 Conference fans, it goes something like this: What happens if USC (3-0) and Oregon (3-0) go undefeated the rest of the season?

Do people really need to waste time on such a superfluous topic just three or four games into the year? Can't they worry about something really important like the baseball playoff races or Women's World Cup?

Easy, easy. We're just joking. Nothing could be as low as following those sports.

But seriously, let's review a little Bowl Championship Series history to end all these notions of what happens if this team or that team goes undefeated, and more importantly, who supposedly will get shafted in the process.

The quick answer is no one.

That's because no BCS-conference team ever has gone undefeated and not made the championship game. In the five years of the BCS, seven teams have gone undefeated in the regular season, and all made the championship game.

Does that end the debate? Please.

For the record, if USC and Oregon go undefeated, the tiebreaker is the final BCS ranking. According to BCS expert Jerry Palm, USC would have the edge due to poll status and strength of schedule.

Before worrying about that, however, be assured that at least one of those teams will lose before it even becomes a relevant question.

Now everyone can go back to worrying about what actually happens on the field. Thank you.

--Tough crowd: Who said football players can get away with anything at Florida State? Consider how quarterback Chris Rix was busted for using a handicapped-parking placard.

Students recognized Rix and heckled him, then left a note on his windshield and called university police, who put a boot on his tire.

``The placard belongs to a close friend of my family who lives here in Tallahassee, she's in her mid-70s, and I help her out sporadically to get her medicine from the hospital and that's what I did Thursday morning,'' Rix said. ``Following that, I got to class right on time. ... I parked right out front of the building; I thought I'd be OK for an hour.''

--Mr. Injury: North Carolina State tailback T.A. McLendon has been either unlucky or brittle. In 16 career games, he has had a broken hand, two bad shoulders, a groin injury, a bad knee and now a hamstring strain.

--Late-night kickoff: The Big 12 Conference announced Monday what school officials have known since August: Texas A&M and Texas Tech will kick off their annual meeting at 9 p.m. CST on Oct. 4 at Jones SBC Stadium.

The late kickoff might irritate fans of both schools. But Tech athletic director Gerald Myers said moving the start time was worth getting on national television (Fox Sports Net). Both schools will receive about $150,000 for the late-night clash.

Perhaps that will pay off some of Bobby Knight's salary.

--Back in black: Purdue players walked into the dressing room before Saturday's game against Arizona and found black jerseys hanging in their lockers.

The Boilermakers switched from black to gold jerseys before the 2002 season, one of their worst in recent history (7-6).

Purdue responded Saturday by routing Arizona 59-7.

``You won't see us in gold again,'' Purdue coach Joe Tiller said.

The players ran onto the field with AC/DC's ``Back In Black,'' blaring over the loudspeakers.

``When you wear black, it brings a swagger to you,'' linebacker Niko Koutouvides said. ``You feel good, you look good and you play good.''

--No argument here: Colorado coach Gary Barnett didn't mince words after a 47-7 loss to Florida State.

``We are not ready for prime time,'' Barnett said. ``That was a butt-whipping. We played a half and that was it. We couldn't hold up.''

CAPTION(S):

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(1) LEADERS

(2) FOOTNOTES

(3) Daily News/CBS 2/KCAL 9 SPORTS CENTRAL POWER RANKINGS

- Scott Wolf