NEW YORK — Hawai'i, trying to become this year's BCS buster, moved up a spot to 17th yesterday in the latest Bowl Championship Series standings.

The Warriors (7-0), out of the Western Athletic Conference, which does not have an automatic bid to the Bowl Championship Series, can automatically qualify by finishing in the top 12 of the standings.

Meanwhile, with its toughest test yet just days away, Boston College moved into second place behind Ohio State.

Don't look back BC, third-place LSU gained ground this week and two Pac-10 teams are primed to pounce if the teams ahead of them falter.

With Boston College playing at No. 8 Virginia Tech on Thursday night, the Eagles stay at No. 2 could be as short as South Florida's. The Hokies are the highest ranked team BC has faced this season.

The Buckeyes (8-0), who are No. 1 in the Harris and coaches' polls, lead the Bowl Championship Series standings for the second consecutive week with an average of .976 out of a possible 1.000.

Boston College (7-0), which is tops in the computer ratings, took advantage of South Florida's loss last Thursday night at Rutgers and moved up one spot. The Eagles have a BCS average of .950. LSU (.911 average) also moved up a spot.

Arizona State (7-0) moved up four spots to fourth place with a .763 average, just ahead of Pac-10 rival Oregon (.762).

The top two teams in the final standings will play in the BCS national championship game Jan. 7 in New Orleans.

The Boston College-Virginia Tech game will start a big weekend of college football that could reshape the BCS standings and the national title race.

Seven of the top 12 teams in the BCS play ranked opponents.

The Buckeyes also face their toughest game so far, playing Penn State Saturday night in Happy Valley.

Arizona State plays California at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. Oregon hosts Southern California, which is 12th in the BCS standings.

West Virginia, seventh in the BCS standings, is at Rutgers, and Florida, 11th in the BCS, faces SEC rival Georgia in Jacksonville, Fla.