AUSTIN, Texas — A week ago, Texas coach Mack Brown said style points don't count.

They do now.

After losing at No. 2 Texas Tech and falling from No. 1 to No. 5, Brown's Longhorns now are left watching how the round-robin in the Big 12 South plays out and whether they will still have a shot at the Big 12 and national titles.

They also have to take care of their own business the final three games, starting Saturday with Baylor (3-6, 1-4).

Style points count because the Longhorns (8-1, 4-1) not only need to win, they need to do it in convincing fashion so the pollsters in the complicated Bowl Championship Series system like what they see. Texas is still the highest-ranked team with one loss in the BCS standings.

"There are a lot of games still left to be played, and a lot of things are going to pan out," Texas quarterback Colt McCoy said. "If we put ourselves in the position we need to be, and we win the rest of our games, we'll be fine."

Will they? If the Big 12 South comes down to a three-way tie, BCS standings are part of the tie-breaking formula. Any little edge will count and the next three weeks promise to be a circus of calculating wins, rankings, strength of schedules, etc.

Anybody watching Texas' schedule over the last month certainly looked at Baylor as the breather after four straight games against ranked opponents. Then the Bears nearly upset No. 13 Missouri last weekend, losing 31-28 on a field goal late in the fourth quarter.

"Anybody who saw that game," Texas center Chris Hall said, "knows the 'gimme' part of this week went right out the window."

Baylor hasn't beaten Texas since 1997 and really hasn't even been competitive. But even though they are one loss away from their 13th consecutive losing season, the Bears seem to have found new energy behind first-year coach Art Briles and freshman quarterback Robert Griffin.

"If you don't believe in yourself, no one else will. And right now, we are fighting for ourselves and trying to make other people believe in us as a football team," Briles said.

Brown sees a bit of Vince Young in Griffin. Not necessarily as a player who could lead Baylor all the way to a national championship, but one who can inspire his teammates and befuddle opponents with big plays and razzle-dazzle on the field.

"What he does for them is what Vince did for us as a freshman (in 2003)," Brown said. "Baylor has become a legitimate factor in this league with one guy at quarterback. ... He's changed the face of their program."

Griffin has passed for 11 touchdowns and didn't throw his first interception until last week against Missouri. He set a major college record for most passes at the start of a career (209) without an interception.

"They are a different Baylor team and they are way better," Texas defensive tackle Lamarr Houston said. "They are a lot tougher than they used to be."

But how tough is Texas? The Longhorns looked like the toughest and best team in the country as they fought for wins over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State and romped over Missouri.

Texas now has a loss and two of its best players and leaders, defensive end Brian Orakpo (knee) and receiver Quan Cosby (back) will likely be game-time decisions whether they'll play against Baylor.

McCoy who had part of the inside of his upper lip ripped open against Texas Tech, said the Longhorns should be ready to play the rest of the schedule while keeping an eye on who else is winning and losing in the Big 12 South.

"We've played a ridiculously hard schedule," McCoy said. "Our goals are still there. The only thing we can control now are ourselves and winning out. That starts this week."