Beariffic!

College basketball is now officially awesome.

Cruising the AP top 25 and I scroll to the bottom and, lo and behold, those lovable losin' Baylor Bears. For the first time in a trillion years, the men's basketball team ekes into the top 25 with a 15-2 record and starting 3-0 in conference. Who in the state is not rooting for this team?

No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks (18-0, 3-0)

On a weekend when the top 10 took a giant hit, the Jayhawks survived with a big whooping of the Sooners and a narrow defeat of Mizzou.

The real game to watch: Jan 30 against Kansas State who beat up on poor A&M and are sitting at 2-0 in conference. Never underestimate an OK team with a great player in a in-state rivalry game.

No. 12 Texas Longhorns (15-3, 2-1)

You'd think a 2-0 sweep of Oklahoma State and Colorado would've righted a sea-weary ship. Uhhh, no. Barely defeating two of the worst teams in the conference bodes very poorly for the Longhorn with Tech, A&M, Baylor and Oklahoma looming. This is a one-headed team, which is dangerous in the heart of conference play.

No. 18 Texas A&M Aggies (15-3, 1-2)

Honeymoon's over for that head coach after getting pounded by two seemingly lesser opponents (Oklahoma and Kansas states). But if the Ags can settle down a little, take care of business with Baylor, they can hit a stretch of some really easy opponents. Gain a little steam heading into the UT game.

No. 25 Baylor Bears (15-2, 3-0)

My only worries are that their two losses were against a ranked Washington State and Arkansas -- the two teams that were halfways good on their non-conference sked; and in their next seven, they play four ranked teams plus the always-tough Oklahoma and Texas Tech, either team could bite anyone in the ass. We shall see what the Bears' mettle is made of.

North Texas (12-6, 3-4)

If your as good as the Mean Green thought they were, you beat teams like New Orleans and Florida Atlantic. I just don't think the Mean Green are very good.

UTA (12-4, 2-2)

Another ordinary local team.

TCU (12-4, 3-1)

What a great week for those Horned Frogs. Using two clunker wins (Wyoming, Colorado State) with a mild upset of New Mexico was a great way to start conference play. Wins at Utah and UNLV seem impossible, but who's to say?

SMU (6-10, 0-3)

Are SMU alum willing to sit through an awful basketball season amid the hubbub hovering around their football program? Change is in the air on the Hilltop. How much patience do they have with Doherty who's never done a cotton-pickin' thing?

Stephen F. Austin State University Lumberjacks (15-2, 3-0)

The Jacks are atop the Southland Conference standings. Clearly, the team to beat at this point.