Bowl Projections: Rutgers Scarlet Knights Still Alive for BCS Automatic Bid

Believe it or not, Rutgers is still alive for the Big East's automatic BCS bid.  They're still alive for a possible trip to most likely the Orange Bowl.

Things didn't go real well for Rutgers today because Louisville and West Virginia both won their games.  That's not good for Rutgers because these two are still alive for the Big East Championship, and they've both beaten Rutgers head to head.

At the moment four Big East teams are still alive for the championship and the automatic BCS bid.

Louisville has already clinched a piece of the title with its win over USF today.  The Cardinals improved their conference record to 5-2.

Rutgers can improve their record to 5-2 with a win over UConn on Saturday and claim a piece of the title.

If Cincinnati wins at Syracuse tomorrow and at home against UConn next Saturday, they'll will finish 5-2 and claim a share of the title.

And if West Virginia wins at USF next Saturday, they too will finish 5-2 and claim a piece of the title.

It's quite possible for the Big East Championship to be split four ways.

Rutgers needs a lot of help to make it to a BCS game.

First, Rutgers needs to win tomorrow in its game at UConn.

The Scarlet Knights need Cincinnati to win their last two games, and they need West Virginia to lose next week at USF.  If this scenario plays out, Cincinnati, Louisville and Rutgers would all be 5-2 in the conference and will have one win and one lose against two of the other three teams.

Cincinnati will have beaten Louisville, Louisville will have beaten Rutgers and Rutgers will have beaten Cincinnati.

The automatic BCS bid would then go to the team with the highest BCS ranking—that would likely be Rutgers.  All three are not ranked in the BCS rankings, but Rutgers is ranked ahead of Cincinnati and Louisville in both the AP and Coaches' Polls.

In the Coaches' Poll, Rutgers is the first team ranked in the "others receiving votes" category, and Cincinnati isn't listed.

In the AP Poll, Rutgers is ranked fifth in the "others receiving votes" category, and Cincinnati is ranked eighth.

Louisville isn't ranked in the "others receiving votes" category of either poll.

Being that Cincinnati has two games remaining and Rutgers only has one, would two wins jump Cincinnati over Rutgers?  Maybe, but highly doubtful.

If West Virginia wins next week, it's all over for Rutgers.  They'll be eliminated from a chance to represent the Big East in a BCS game.

They can still win a share of the Big East Championship, but they can't go to a BCS bowl.

What are the chances West Virginia loses to USF?  It's possible.  What are the chances of Cincinnati wining their last two games?  It's probable.  And what are the chances Rutgers beats UConn tomorrow?  Rutgers is expected to win.