Computers prefer Oklahoma over Auburn — and Southern Cal.

The Sooners held on to second place in the Bowl Championship Series standings Monday, staying ahead of third-place Auburn because of a stronger computer ranking.

USC is still first the BCS standings with a grade of .9808. Oklahoma’s grade is .9621, and Auburn’s is .9350. Last week, the Sooners led the Tigers by .0567. That lead is down to .0271.

The Trojans, Sooners and Tigers are all 10-0. Each has two games left and one loss by any of them would provide a simple solution to what is shaping up to be another BCS mess. The top two teams in the final BCS standings will play in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 4 for the national title.

Since the BCS’ inception in 1998, there’s never been three undefeated teams after the regular season in the six BCS conferences — Big East, Big 12, Big Ten, ACC, Pac-10 and Southeastern Conference.

The Tigers made up ground on the Sooners in the polls on Sunday, tying Oklahoma for second in The Associated Press Top 25 and pulling within two points of No. 2 in the coaches poll.

With the voters split on the Sooners and Tigers, the computers are breaking the tie. The polls each count for a third of a BCS grade. A compilation of six computer rankings make up the other third, and according to them Oklahoma is the best team in the country.

The Sooners are tops in five of the computer rankings and second in the other. USC is second by the computers and Auburn is third.

The BCS computers were responsible for putting Oklahoma in the national title game last season after the Sooners lost the Big 12 title game and dropped to No. 3 in the polls. A similar situation is developing.

Unless the Tigers can pull far away from Oklahoma in the polls, the computers will probably send an unbeaten Sooners team to the Orange Bowl to face an unbeaten Southern Cal.

California (.8522) is fourth and Texas (.8140) fifth, but unbeaten Utah (.8062) could keep one of them out of the BCS.

Callahan cursed OU fans

Lincoln, Neb. — While acknowledging he used a poor choice of words in a profane outburst directed at Oklahoma fans Saturday, Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said he was upset because a group of hecklers were allowed so close to his players during warmups and oranges were thrown onto the field late in the game.

As he walked toward the Nebraska locker room after a 30-3 loss, Callahan looked into the stands and called OU fans “——- hillbillies.”

According to The Oklahoman, Nebraska backup offensive lineman Darren DeLone assaulted a member of the OU student spirit group, the Ruf/Neks, during warmups. Adam Merritt was transported from Owen Field on a medical cart and taken to a hospital after having several teeth knocked out and suffering facial cuts, The Oklahoman reported.

Big 12 honors Sooners

Dallas — Jason White and Gayron Allen of Oklahoma and Prentiss Elliott of Oklahoma State were named Big 12 players of the week on Monday.

White completed 29-of-35 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns in OU’s 30-3 win over rival Nebraska. Allen had eight tackles and an interception in the game. Elliott gained 131 yards on four returns, including a touchdown, in the Cowboys’ 42-21 win over Baylor.

Indiana State fires coach

Terre Haute, Ind. — Tim McGuire was fired Monday after seven years at Indiana State.