After Oklahoma's 38-17 win over No. 1 Missouri in the Big 12 championship game on Saturday, coach Bob Stoops started lobbying, albeit indirectly, for a spot in the BCS national title game.

"Like everybody, I hear it all the time, 'Who is playing the best today? Who played the best right now?' Heck, I don't see anyone else playing No. 1 in the country, beating them on a neutral field by 21," Stoops said.

Our fearless leader has a good point. Who is the best team in the country right now? Who should be playing for a national title.

Unfortunately, in this era of the BCS, a national championship game is weighted far too much on the here and now, instead of an unencumbered look at the whole season. Frankly, I think there should be a federal, criminal investigation into college football to find out who's getting the kickbacks necessary to keep a playoff away.

However, why get all worked up over something over which you have no control?

Nevertheless, if I had a vote in today's Associated Press Top 25, my Top 10 would look like this:

1. USC - If there were an eight-team playoff, these guys would win.

2. Hawaii - I'm telling you right now: The Warriors will win their BCS game. Heck, being undefeated has to mean something, and the WAC schedule isn't as soft as you'd think.

3. Ohio State - Their non-conference schedule is terrible. Their conference stinks. However, I still say Ohio State has the defense to win a title.

4. Oklahoma - When their defense is "on," the Sooners are unbeatable.

5. LSU - I would have put Virginia Tech here because I think the Hokies are a better team than LSU right now, but you can't ignore that the Bayou Bengals beat them 48-7 earlier in the year.

6. Virginia Tech - This team found its stride probably a little too late. However, a national title game chance would be a huge story, just months after the tragic campus shooting.

7. Illinois - The Illini performance in Columbus was very impressive, and I think Ron Zook's team would give virtually anybody in the country a run for their money.

8. Florida - Tim Tebow is the likely Heisman winner, and like Illinois, the Gators would give anybody a run for their money on neutral ground.

9. Georgia - If the Bulldogs would have just won their division, they would be playing for a national title. This presumes they could have beaten LSU in an SEC title game, but at least the Dawgs would have had a chance.

10. Kansas/Missouri - Really, if I'm being perfectly frank, neither the Jayhawks nor the Tigers are that good. Listen to me. I'd like Kansas to lose on a neutral field to each of the rest of the AP Top 25, except maybe South Florida.

And, as much as I'd love to claim Oklahoma whipped a formidable No. 1, Missouri was probably the weakest No. 1 college football has seen in 25 years. Chase Daniel was exposed as a fraud, and worse yet, he came off looking like a spoiled whiner on national television.

As much as anything, the fact that Kansas and Missouri were so highly ranked helped the Sooners out immensely in the long haul. However, that they were so weak relative to perception is a killer, too.

Yet, it's the inconsistency of Oklahoma's defensive game-planning that sits as the primary reason we won't go to New Orleans for a shot at Ohio State. What Brent Venables put together in San Antonio on Saturday was masterful.

Tons of new guys contributing. Aggressive and aggressive early, able to sniff out trick plays. Tremendous helmet-to-chest tackling.

At one point during the first quarter on Saturday, I said, "Whoa! Who are these guys, and what have they done with OU's defense?"

It was a tremendous game plan and execution, and Venables should be applauded. It should be his defensive game plan for this rest of his career here, and he shouldn't overthink it. Rush the quarterback. Tackle like madmen.

Oh, I also found it humorous how well our secondary played without Reggie Smith on the field. I'll cut him a break though.

Nevertheless, if we merely implement this game plan against Colorado and Texas Tech, even with the loss of Bradford in the latter, we win both.

That's in the past, though, and I have to admit that for the second season in a row, Oklahoma has actually exceeded expectations. We bitch and we moan and call for coaches heads, and in the end, we end up 11-2 with a chance to finish the year No. 2.

I'd say No. 1, but we're not going to get that chance. That's fine, too. Until this BCS system devolves into a fraud so unacceptable that somebody, somewhere does something about it, I won't get too worked up over a BCS title game snub.

But I'm sure hoping against hope that we don't have to play Hawaii.