Actually, Syb, A&M is now #74 and has steadily dropped in rank for the past three years. Colorado is #92 and Mizzou is tied at #111 with...OU.
USNWR is not the be-all-end-all benchmark, but it ain't chopped liver, either. If you don't want to recognize that BU is an "academic leader," that's your business. Just curious--where is OU considered an "academic leader?" Yes, as D-Bo is quick to announce, OU has more National Merit Scholars than any other public institution, and to be sure, that is impressive. But where does that translate into performance in research, publishing, etc? Hey, I sent my daughter to OU and the education she received shaped her life significantly, so I'm not throwing stones--just asking.
Syb, you and Sweetest and others despise BU and KM. Go for it. It doesn't look like their success will taper off any time soon.
But there is more to an institution than the antics of a WBB coach ( cough-hugely successful-cough) And yes, the dreadful way BU football and Title 9 offices shabbily stiff-armed the claims of women reporting sexual assault by football players deserved the housecleaning ordered by their Board of Regents. I'm not trying to convince you or anyone else that BU is a great place. Just humbly offering another perspective....