It was another big weekend for Bottom Ten co-leaders Washington and Washington State, which lost their games by a combined score of 114-0, ratcheting up interest for their annual Apple Core Cup game (date: Nov. 22; fewer than 50,000 tickets still available).

But the Bottom Ten selectors, exhausted by all the fumbles, dropped passes and missed tackles they've had to watch, are taking the week off. Instead, they've handed off the ball to their colleagues at the Middle Ten, a little known group that honors the teams that are neither good nor bad, just mediocre.

Leader of this easy-going gang is Auburn (4-5), once a top-10 team, believe it or not, whose very ordinary season is symbolized by its thrilling 3-2 win over Mississippi State. Yes, 3-2. It was the most boring game since Oregon and Oregon State tied, 0-0, in 1983 in what is fondly remembered as the Egg Bowl.

Then there's Marshall, which was rated No. 4 partly because it ranks 97th in the nation in penalties. Yes, Marshall's players are among the most polite in the nation.

Wreck/Record/Last Loss/Next Loss

1. Auburn/4-5/7-17, Miss/Tennessee Martin

2. Clemson/4-4/21-27, B.C.-x/Florida St.

3. Houston/4-4/23-37, Marshall/Tulane

4. Marshall/4-4/Def. Houston, 37-23/East Carolina

5. Nevada/4-4/Idle/Fresno St.

6. Duke/4-4/30-33, Wake Forest/NC State

7. Louisiana Tech/4-4/Def. Fresno St., 38-35/San Jose St.

8. Arkansas St./4-4/0-35, Alabama/Florida Inter.

9. Fordham/4-4/def. Marist, 45-21/Holy Cross

10. Bucknell/4-4/17-34, Holy Cross/Lafayette

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11. Drake (4-4); 12. Wisconsin (4-5); 13. Kansas State (4-5); 14. Colorado (4-5); 15. Virginia (5-4); 16.Nebraska (5-4); 17. Illinois (5-4) 18. Colorado State (4-5); 19. Declined to State; 20. BYU (8-1, masquerading as Top 25 team with a one-point win over Washington, seven-point win over UNLV and three-point win over Colorado State).

Average game of the week: Marshall (4-4) vs. East Carolina (4-3).