It's a given that Oklahoma or Florida will capture the Bowl Championship Series national title.

But there is an additional national championship — the Associated Press national title, awarded since 1936 — and for that distinction the Utah Utes seem to have emerged as contenders.

For the first time since 2003, when LSU won the BCS title while Southern Cal finished first in the AP poll, there could be a split national title.

"I'm leaning heavily toward putting Utah at No. 1," said Steve Conroy, a Boston Herald sports writer and one of the 65 media members who comprise the AP voting panel.

Until the advent of the BCS in 1998, the AP title was considered the gold standard in college football. The five remaining viable candidates for the 2008 AP championship:

Florida. The SEC champion Gators (12-1) are No. 1 in the AP poll and face Oklahoma in Thursday's title game.

Oklahoma. The Big 12 champion Sooners (12-1) are No. 2 in the AP rankings. OU is a seven-time national champion, and in each of those seasons (1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000), the Sooners were No. 1 in the final AP poll.

Texas. The third-ranked Longhorns (12-1) closed their season in Monday's Fiesta Bowl, rallying for a 24-21 triumph over Ohio State. "I don't think there's

Split national titles

In 11 seasons since 1950, when the United Press International poll joined the Associated Press poll as being university recognized, two college football teams have been recognized as national champions:

*1954-90: UPI poll 1991: USA Today/CNN 1997: USA Today/ESPN 2003: BCS

AP voters speak

The question: what team gets your No. 1 vote? When contacted by e-mail and telephone by the Tulsa World's Bill Haisten, AP college football voters discussed what they might do with their final ballots:

Joe Giglio, The News & Observer of Raleigh (N.C.): "I had Florida No. 1 (in the AP final regular-season poll). … I'm not going to vote a team other than the BCS title-game winner No. 1 just for the sake of doing it."

Mike DeArmond, Kansas City Star: "I'm on the fence right now. A lot depends on the OU-Florida game. A close game, and I could wind up going with Utah. Texas didn't show me enough (against) Ohio State. And USC isn't on my radar."

Doug Segrest, Birmingham (Ala.) News: "I was impressed with Utah before the Sugar Bowl and impressed even more afterward. I will give the Utes strong consideration, just as I will USC. However, I believe the Big 12 and the SEC were the powerhouse regular-season conferences. Right now, my debate would be between Oklahoma, Florida and, yes, Texas. Much depends on the decisiveness of the BCS title game."

Jason Franchuk, Provo (Utah) Daily Herald: "Ultimately, for me, it's either Oklahoma or Utah… . But right now, I am leaning toward giving Utah my No. 1 vote."

Herb Gould, Chicago Sun-Times: "I've thought about Utah, but I have decided the championship game is indeed the championship game."

Kirk Bohls, Austin American-Statesman: "I'm completely torn. Utah definitely deserves consideration. Why does this have to be a situation where non-BCS conference teams need not apply? I really hope (Utah coach) Kyle Whittingham, (Texas coach) Mack Brown and (Southern Cal coach) Pete Carroll all vote for their own teams (in the coaches' poll), if only to screw with the system. Does the USA Today coaches' poll really need to be the latest version of the old Soviet Union, where all have to walk in lockstep with one choice?"

Steve Conroy, Boston Herald: "I've been late to the party on Utah, but I think I might vote them No. 1. They beat Oregon State, TCU and BYU—legitimate teams. And Utah beat Alabama convincingly. If Florida or Oklahoma wins handily and impressively, I would definitely consider that winner for the No. 1 vote. But I came away very impressed with Utah.

I'm leaning heavily toward putting Utah at No. 1."

Ray Ratto, San Francisco Chronicle: "For Texas to be No. 1, it had to be play a far more impressive game than it did against Ohio State, and for Florida and Oklahoma to play twin mediocre games. The Texas part took care of itself, though, as they nearly blew a comfortable lead against a team it should have handled."

Jim Mashek, Sun Herald (Biloxi, Miss.): "Texas gets knocked out after (the Fiesta Bowl). It was a nice win, but they needed to win big. Utah is in the picture. Right now, my final vote goes to Oklahoma, Florida or Utah. Utah certainly got my attention. It all depends on what happens Thursday night, and we don't get much time to think about it. The AP wants our vote within a half-hour after the BCS game."