BCS Standings Week 13: Who's Overrated, Underrated or Just Right?

This week was supposed to be one of the more bland weeks for college football heading into the final games of the season and rivalry week. Week 13 turned out to be anything but bland as the country saw three of the top five teams fall.

There is a shakeup that has occurred at the top of the rankings and for the first time in the history of the BCS, three teams form the SEC sit atop of the standings. Not only are all three teams from the SEC, but they also all play in the same division. The BCS controversy continues to grow with every week of football this season.

Looking at the current rankings there are numerous teams that have found their way to the top by default, as well as teams that continue to garner no love from the voters or the computers. Here is a rundown of which teams are overrated, underrated or just right for week 13.

No.1 LSU Tigers: Just Right

The Bayou Bengals have done everything asked of them this season. They have managed to win every game they have played, including a road trip to No. 2 Alabama. They have had a wealth of controversies surround the team from synthetic drug use and suspensions to bar fights. No matter the circumstance, the Tigers keep on winning.

Who cares the Tigers don’t have a true starting quarterback? Their defense is ridiculously good. The Tigers have climbed to the top of every poll and currently and deservedly hold every first place vote in both the AP and the Coaches poll’s. 

No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide: Just Right

Alabama was one of the national favorites to contend for the title this season. On the first weekend of November the supposed “Game of the Century” was played in Tuscaloosa. The game finished with only field goals being scored with a  final score 9-6. The Tide had fallen to the LSU Tigers at home and their title hopes appeared to be done.

After a few more weeks played out it has become evident that college football is ever changing and evolving as top teams continued to fall. Now the Crimson Tide find themselves near the top of the rankings yet again, sitting comfortably at the No. 2 position in the BCS. Does the Crimson Tide deserve a rematch with LSU after losing to them at home? Not really, but who is better at this point? As of now, it appears the Tide are right where they belong at No.2. 

No. 3 Arkansas Razorbacks: Just Right

The Arkansas Razorbacks have been a part of a magical season in 2011. The Hogs have faced one of the toughest schedules in college football and stood tall throughout the season only falling to No. 2 Alabama on the fourth weekend of the season.

The way that the Razorbacks have been able to march to victories consistently behind the high powered Petrino offense has been impressive and now the Razorbacks find themselves in the top three in the country. That could all change this coming Friday when they face No. 1 LSU on the road, but as of now the Razorbacks are right where they belong. 

No. 4 Oklahoma State Cowboys: Overrated

At this point, to find the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the top 10 seems to be a bit much. They are way overrated. Much like their instate rival, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Cowboys were beaten by a severe underdog.

The Cowboys played a few games close but they appeared as if they would hold on to an undefeated season and the country would avoid a rematch between the SEC powers at be. Unfortunately for the fans outside of the southeast, the Cowboys blew that chance by losing on the road at Iowa State, a team that is 6-4 (3-4 Big 12) on the season.

Even though the Cowboys could claw their way back into the game by some amazing shift of cosmic power, the Cowboys are way overrated as it stands today.

No. 5 Virginia Tech Hokies

Virginia Tech has struggled often this season but they always manage to find a way to win ballgames. They have one loss that came on October 1^st against the Clemson Tigers. Since the loss the Hokies have battled for their wins and face one more game before they can finish season with one loss and face a rematch with Clemson in the ACC title game.

Running back David Wilson is having a great season averaging 6.2 yards a carry and earning 1,442 yards on the ground carrying more than his share of the Hokies offense on his back. The Hokies have a chance to finish with a conference title and ending the season in a BCS bowl game. The Hokies are just right after 11 games as they look to march into the BCS and still have an outside shot at the title game. 

No. 6 Stanford Cardinal: Overrated

Stanford held their fate in their hands and had a legitimate shot at the national title game when they welcomed the then-No. 7 Oregon Ducks to their house. The Ducks proceeded to plaster the Cardinal winning the game 53-30.

Stanford responded with a close and sloppy performance against an unranked California winning the game 31-28. It was a rivalry game for the Cardinal but such a sloppy performance can’t be so easily excused. The Cardinal are lucky to not have three losses so far this season. The Cardinal are overrated now, and they have been for the majority of the season.

No. 7 Boise State Broncos: Overrated

The Boise State Broncos have faced one ranked opponent this season and it was the No. 14 Georgia Bulldogs. That victory to start the season was a quality win for the Broncos, but losing to an unranked TCU is a bigger quality loss.

The Broncos inevitably need to win out every season to ever see a shot at making it into a national title game. As of now they virtually stand no chance at making it to the title game. Even though the Broncos are sitting as a one loss team, their preseason ranking is what has kept them so high. At the end of the day they are overrated as usual. 

No. 8 Houston Cougars: Underrated

What in the world can the Cougars do to earn a little respect? The Cougars have done what only one other team has been able to accomplish this season, they have stayed undefeated. The Houston offense is the best in the land as it stands today with record setter Case Keenum at the helm.

The Cougars have one more game left on the regular season docket as they will travel to Tulsa this coming Friday. With a win, they will finish the season undefeated and will head into the Conference USA title game with a lot at stake. It the Cougars win out do they earn a shot? Not likely, but as it stands today they are severely underrated looking to earn a little respect. 

No. 9 Oklahoma Sooners: Overrated

Oklahoma has been all over the place this season. The Sooners have been powerful at times while others they have looked terrible. Against Texas they looked unstoppable, against Texas Tech they looked lost.

This past week they lost a tight back and forth game against Baylor. It was the first time that the Sooners have ever lost in their history to the Bears. Oklahoma has somewhat stayed at the top by default, but given their history this season they are overrated. Houston would likely defeat the Sooners given the chance.

No. 10 Oregon Ducks: Just Right

The Ducks began the season with a loss to the LSU Tigers but had rolled over opponents following the loss. Their biggest win came in show boat fashion as they absolutely throttled the then-No. 4 Stanford Cardinal at home 53-30.

The Ducks had worked their way back into title contention and were a part of the rematch talk against LSU up until this week’s loss to USC at home. The Ducks were looking as if they were going to make a comeback in the game, but a late missed field goal sealed the loss for the Ducks. As of now, No. 8 appears to be about right for the Ducks despite their two losses. 

No. 11 Kansas State Wildcats: Just Right

Kansas State has been a pleasant surprise for college football this season. The Wildcats were a surprise undefeated team through their first seven games but faced Oklahoma on October 29^th. They lost the game 58-17, beginning their fall from the top 10.

The Wildcats are now a two loss team heading into their final home game of the season. A win over Iowa State on December 3^rd will lift the Wildcats to an unexpected 10 win season. Collin Klein has these Wildcats ranked in the top 15 are at No. 11 the Wildcats are just right. 

No. 12 South Carolina Gamecocks: Overrated

The SEC is undoubtedly the most powerful conference in the country as five of the top 15 will be from the SEC. The Gamecocks have battled their way through controversy this season that has seen the dismissal of starting quarterback Stephen Garcia and a season ending knee injury to star tailback Marcus Lattimore.

The Gamecocks have made it past the adversity on their way to winning all but two of their games with losses coming at the hands of Arkansas and Auburn. Unfortunately for the Gamecocks, they will not make a repeat trip to the SEC title game however as the Georgia Bulldogs are the Eastern division champions. With a season ending game left at Clemson, the Gamecocks may tack on one more loss. As it stands they are overrated, a win over Clemson and that opinion may change.

No. 13 Georgia Bulldogs: Underrated

The Georgia Bulldogs looked to be off to a very bad start as they started the season 0-2. The Bulldogs are now riding a nine game winning streak and are playing some of the best football in the country. They did struggle this past week against Kentucky, but the Bulldogs are better than currently advertised.

With this week’s contest against Georgia Tech completing the regular season for the Bulldogs, they aren’t likely to climb much higher than No. 13 in the BCS. They will face off against the Western Division winner in the SEC championship, but even a win there won’t vault them into any significant role in the BCS. As of now, compared to other teams at the top, the Bulldogs are underrated. 

No. 14 Michigan State Spartans: Just Right

Michigan State has lost two games this season with both being pretty nasty losses. The Spartans have won a wealth of games however and find themselves as the winner of the Big 10 Legends division. The Spartans will face off against Northwestern this coming Saturday, and they will then face the winner of the Wisconsin vs. Penn State game in the Big 10 championship.

The Spartans have won enough to keep themselves in the BCS bowl game conversation and with a conference win they will earn their way into a BCS bowl. Kirk Cousins has had a great season and the Spartans will look for him to lead them to a Big 10 title. As of now, the Spartans are right where they belong at No. 14.

No. 15 Michigan Wolverines: Just Right

Michigan started their season strong pushing to six straight victories before traveling to Michigan State and notching their first loss of the season. Two weeks later the Wolverines lost to Iowa. The Wolverines picked up the pieces and destroyed a very good Nebraska team at home 45-17 this past week.

Michigan has one more test as they finish the season against Ohio State this coming Saturday in the Big House. Michigan has played well across the board despite their losses and are sitting right where they belong at No. 15. 

No. 16 Wisconsin Badgers: Underrated

The Wisconsin Badgers have been the victim of two deflating Hail Mary losses that occurred back to back midway through this season. Russell Wilson has led the Badgers team and helped the Badgers become one of the best and most effective offenses in the country.

As it stands today, Wisconsin faces Penn State to finish the season with the opportunity to win their way into a BCS bowl. With a win against Penn State, Wisconsin would earn a berth to the Big 10 title game. At this point, the Badgers are the most underrated two loss team in the country.

No. 17 Clemson Tigers: Just Right

The Clemson Tigers were plastered for the second time this season against N.C. State as the Wolfpack beat the Tigers 37-13 this past weekend. Clemson had won eight games in a row and had their destiny in their hands until they lost to Georgia Tech on October 29^th.

The Tigers are the winners of the Atlantic division inside the ACC and have a chance to win the ACC title to finish the season. Winning the ACC would place them in a BCS bowl game but as it stands today, No. 17 is a good spot for the on again, off again Tigers.

No. 18 Baylor Bears: Just Right

Baylor is the highest ranked three loss team coming off of a huge victory over the Oklahoma Sooners this past weekend. Robert Griffin III proved his worth and increased his Heisman chances with a huge game as he led the Bears to their first victory over Oklahoma in school history.

The Bears still have two games left to play with games against Texas Tech and Texas left on the docket. With only one loss coming against a currently unranked opponent, the Bears are right where they belong in the BCS. If the win out, it will be one of the best seasons in school history. 

No. 19 Penn State Nittany Lions: Underrated

Penn State has faced a wealth of adversity this season with the Sandusky saga that has swept not only the campus, but the country. The Penn State program has pushed through and continued to win ball games despite the national news story.

State has only lost to No. 2 Alabama and then-No. 19 Nebraska. The Nittany Lions have Wisconsin left on the schedule to determine the winner of the Leaders division inside the Big 10. With a win the Nittany Lions will go to the Big 10 championship game to face Michigan State. The Nittany Lions have played consistently well this season and deserve a little more respect than their current ranking is garnering. 

No. 20 TCU Horned Frogs: Underrated

The TCU Horned Frogs started their season with a big loss to Baylor. The Horned Frogs looked to be on the verge of a special season after the loss however as they looked unstoppable after the loss. On October 1^st, the SMU Mustangs came to town and defeated the Horned Frogs. That was TCU’s worst loss of the season as far as quality wins are concerned.

After that loss the Horned Frogs have looked more than formidable with a marquee victory coming over Boise State just two weeks ago. It looks as if the Horned Frogs will win their conference this season as they close against UNLV. What makes this TCU team underrated is simply that they will win their conference over Boise State, but the Broncos still find their spot to be high above the Frogs at No. 7. That just seems strange. 

No. 21 Nebraska Cornhuskers: Overrated

The Cornhuskers have lost three games so far this season with two being blowouts at the hands on conference foes. Wisconsin defeated the Cornhuskers 48-17 early in the season and Michigan beat Nebraska this past week 45-17.

The Cornhuskers are likely to finish third in the Legends division of the Big 10 if they finish with a win over Iowa this coming Friday, but No. 21 seems a bit high for this underperforming team. 

No. 22 Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Just Right

Notre Dame had some close losses to start the season, but their third loss was an absolute beating at the hands of USC on October 22^nd. The Fighting Irish face No. 6 Stanford to finish the season which could earn them their second signature win of the season.

How Notre Dame finishes will determine the success of this season, but as it stands today the Fighting Irish have been overachieving in some games, like the win over Michigan State, but they have underperformed as well. At this point, they are right where they need to be at No. 22.

No. 23 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: Just Right

Georgia Tech started the season very strong going 6-0 before they earned their first loss against Virginia on the road. They followed that loss with a blasting to Miami, but were able to return to the field at home the following week and defeat the then-No. 5 Clemson Tigers 31-17.

This past weekend they made it past Duke in Durham and face a big test as they host the No. 13 Georgia Bulldogs this coming Saturday. The Yellow Jackets have been inconsistent throughout the season, but their quality of wins has earned them a spot back into the BCS top 25. 

No. 24 Auburn Tigers: Overrated

The Auburn Tigers are one of two four loss teams that have found their way into the top 25. The Tigers losses have come against the current No. 1, No. 3, No. 13 and No. 17 teams in the country. They have also earned a win over the current No. 12 team in the country.

The biggest question surrounding the Tigers is their inability to play at a high level consistently. This past week they struggled mightily against FCS opponent Samford. Despite the struggles, the Tigers have faced one of the toughest schedules in college football. It doesn’t get any easier as they face the No.2 Alabama Crimson Tide this coming week. 

No. 25 Texas Longhorns: Overrated

The Texas Longhorns have had a bit of a rebound year after last season’s huge let down, but there is still a gap in what the Texas faithful are seeing on the field and the quality of play they have come to expect. They played a close game against Kansas State this past week, but a loss to Missouri two weeks ago is the signature bad loss for the Longhorns this season.

With only two games remaining the Longhorns have a chance at pushing their stock up as they face Texas A&M and Baylor. Both will be tough wins to come by with the Longhorns likely losing at least one of the two. At this point in the season, Texas may be overrated and it will show in the next two weeks.