No. 1 Tennessee was not penalized for its lackluster performance against

Arkansas when the new Bowl Championship Series rankings were released

Monday.

The Vols held on to the top spot — they’re the first team to do so in the

four-week history of the BCS — after their come-from-behind, 28-24 victory

over the previously unbeaten Razorbacks.

UCLA held on to the No. 2 spot after a 36-24 victory over Washington in

Seattle while Kansas State, which exorcised 30 years’ worth of demons with

a 40-30 win over Nebraska, remained in third.

Rounding out the top 10 were Florida State, Florida, Texas A&M, Ohio State,

Arizona, Arkansas and Notre Dame.

If the season were to end today, Tennessee would face UCLA in the Fiesta

Bowl on Jan. 4 in Tempe, Ariz., for the national championship.

Kansas State would be shut out of the championship picture, despite a

perfect record. The Wildcats’ ranking is hindered by their schedule, which

ranks 68th in the country, the worst of any top-10 team.

However, the top five teams in the BCS face major challenges this

weekend.

No. 1 Tennessee faces Tim Couch-led Kentucky at Neyland Stadium (3:30 p.m.

ET, CBS), No. 2 UCLA hosts arch-rival Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl and No.

3 Kansas State has a difficult road test against Missouri.

Meanwhile, No. 5 Florida travels to Tallahassee to take on No. 4 Florida

State. Florida is winless under Steve Spurrier (0-3-1) at Doak Campbell

Stadium, but the Seminoles are still adjusting to the loss of quarterback

Chris Weinke.

After UCLA, and then Ohio State, fell from the top of the BCS standings

after just one week there, Tennessee became the first team to hold on to

the No. 1 slot in consecutive weeks.

The Vols scored in at 3.77 points, over two full points ahead of the

Bruins, who registered at 5.81.

Kansas State, despite its No. 1 ranking in the USA Today/ESPN

coaches’ poll and an impressive victory over the defending co-national

champion Huskers, remained a distant third with 8.55 points.