BCS Standings 2013: Breaking Down Week 14 Top 25 Teams
The Week 14 BCS standings were released Sunday night, attempting to sort through the wreckage after a very interesting weekend of college football.
Everything we thought we knew about offense was disproved Saturday, when perennial juggernauts like Oregon, Baylor and Texas A&M were all stymied in defeats. Quarterbacks that were thought to be Heisman contenders played pedestrian football, and the effect on the rankings is considerable.
Alabama and Florida State still grace the top of the poll, and at the end of the day, that is all that matters. But beyond those top two, chaos continues to reign supreme; if either team should fall, this season could become quite messy.
Here's a quick look at the full rankings.
25. Notre Dame
1 of 25
Notre Dame continues being impossible to peg, capable of losing to Pitt one week and beating almost any team in America the next.
A home win over BYU was mighty impressive for the Irish, which now have quality wins over the Cougars, USC, Arizona State and Michigan State this year.
So is life with Tommy Rees at quarterback, though. This team is a macrocosm of its signal-caller; it's brilliant one week, baffling the next.
Which team will show up against Stanford?
24. Duke
2 of 25
Duke struggled for a bit to win at Wake Forest, but it got the result it needed and eked out a victory. The Blue Devils continue to control their own fate in the ACC.
In order to win the Coastal, though, they will need to beat a UNC team that is peaking right now and just mercy-ruled Old Dominion. On paper, the Tar Heels are probably more talented, so a win is far from guaranteed.
Still, Duke has been defying the odds all season, so it might be unwise to bet against it. David Cutcliffe has to be considered for national coach of the year, especially if his team reaches the conference championship game.
23. USC
3 of 25
All credit given to interim coach Ed Orgeron is warranted, but Cody Kessler is slowly coming into his own and becoming one of the better quarterbacks in the Pac-12.
He led the Trojans offense to 47 points at Colorado on Saturday in a comfortable road win, and he has quieted almost all his critics during this recent winning streak. He doesn't look like Matt Leinart quite yet, but Kessler has put a stranglehold on this job.
If he continues to manage the game and operate efficiently, USC should have a good chance to beat UCLA and finish the season on a high note. We all know how good this defense can be, but Kessler's progression alters USC's ceiling.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
22. UCLA
4 of 25
There's no shame in losing to Arizona State, which appears to be for real as a BCS contender. But UCLA should still be disappointed with Saturday's performance.
The Bruins had a chance—at home, no less—to usurp control in the Pac-12 South and make a repeat trip to the conference championship game. Doing so would have been a major step in the progression of this program under Jim Mora Jr.
But now those hopes are dashed. UCLA will play in a middle-tier bowl once again. When will this team take the long-awaited next step?
21. Texas A&M
5 of 25
If Johnny Manziel is Superman—which he very well might be—John Chavis and LSU are his Kryptonite.
The Tigers stymied Johnny Football for the second consecutive year, holding A&M's powerhouse offense to just 10 points, by far its worst total of the season. The Aggies looked soft on both sides of the football, hapless against a much more physical team.
A BCS bowl is now a pipe dream, and if Manziel leaves for the NFL this offseason, he will likely never play in a signature bowl.
It's hard to blame him for that (since his defense is so bad), but it would still leave a stain on his resume for "best college football player of all time."
20. Louisville
6 of 25
Louisville got a bit of a scare from Memphis on Saturday, but the Tigers are one of the best bowl-ineligible teams in America and highly underrated. It wasn't as bad as it looked.
Still, the Cardinals sealed their fate a few months ago when they lost to Central Florida at home. Unless something miraculous happens, they will be relegated to a nonimportant bowl game instead of heading to the BCS.
Teddy Bridgewater deserves better, and this team could likely compete in a blue-chip bowl despite the one loss. This just wasn't their year.
19. Central Florida
7 of 25
UCF looked much better in a win over Rutgers than it did in a win over Temple, dispelling (most) notions about its overrated-ness and nearly locking up the AAC title.
Unless they lose both of their remaining games, the Knights will go to a BCS bowl, and even though Louisville might be a more complete team, it's hard to say they don't deserve it.
Quarterback Blake Bortles, much like Teddy Bridgewater last season, will have to be ready for his closeup on a grand stage. He can make himself a lot of money with a strong finish to the year.
18. Oklahoma
8 of 25
Oklahoma was shredded by Tyler Lockett and the KSU passing attack in the first two quarters, but it deserves some credit for coming out of halftime invigorated and shutting down the Wildcats offense for the rest of the game.
Quarterback Trevor Knight (finally) looked like the player he was billed to be this fall, when he won the starting job over Blake Bell. The Sooners need this to be a watershed moment in his career, not some sort of fluke.
Knight is just a redshirt freshman, and this team needs to find a consistent leader under center. If he's the guy, the future in Norman could be bright. If not, next year might feel as stilted and frustrating as this one.
17. LSU
9 of 25
John Chavis deserves a medal after what he did Saturday, bottling up Johnny Manziel for the second consecutive season, this time with less-than-ideal personnel at his disposal.
With an extra week to game-plan for the Aggies after losing to Alabama, LSU's coaching staff came out with a scheme and the players executed it to perfection. They controlled A&M physically and dominated the game from start to finish.
Despite the three-loss record, this is a team that nobody wants to face in the postseason. The Tigers are unlikely to make a BCS bowl, which is a shame, but they will be heavily favored over whomever they get matched up with.
16. Fresno State
10 of 25
While other Heisman candidates were dropping like flies around him, Fresno State's Derek Carr was throwing a casual seven touchdown passes against New Mexico, tossing his hat into the ring of those who deserve to be discussed for the award.
Will Carr win the Heisman? No. He still plays for Fresno State. But if he continues to light up the stat sheet (and his team stays undefeated), David's little brother will definitely merit an invitation to New York. For a player from the MWC, that is a high-water mark.
The Bulldogs have been up and down all year (despite the perfect record), but they are peaking at the right time. Unfortunately, they just dipped below NIU in this week's poll, which could alter their BCS destiny.
15. Wisconsin
11 of 25
Wisconsin didn't pound Minnesota the way some (myself included) expected it to, but that might be more of a testament to the Gophers than an indictment of the Badgers.
Even as this team rises in the rankings, it remains criminally under-ranked and overlooked. If not for a blown call at Arizona State, Wisco would have just one loss, which came on the road by one touchdown to the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes.
Not making the Big Ten Championship Game might be a blessing in disguise for the Badgers. If Michigan State loses, they will pass them in the polls and have a real shot at crashing the BCS as an at-large team.
Think Bret Bielema is having second thoughts?
14. Northern Illinois
12 of 25
Northern Illinois kicked off Week 13 on Wednesday with its most impressive win of the year, taking its show on the road to beat a very good Toledo team with ease.
As a reward, the Huskies shot up the rankings, passing Fresno State and checking in at No. 14. That is very important news.
If NIU can remain undefeated and hold off Fresno State in the polls, it will head to a BCS bowl for a second consecutive year. Say what you will about strength of schedule or merit—not a lot of teams can ever make that claim.
Jordan Lynch could become a legend these next few weeks.
13. Oregon
13 of 25
It's hard to say which talented offensive "juggernaut" was more painful to watch Saturday: Baylor or Oregon.
The Ducks played uncharacteristically sloppy football at Arizona, with Marcus Mariota setting the tone by throwing his first interception of the season on the game's first play. That was a fitting microcosm of what would eventually ensue.
Oregon's defense got pounded by Rich Rodriguez's rushing attack, which has quietly been a massive success in Tucson after bottoming out at Michigan. But this game wasn't about the Wildcats, sad as it is to say. It was about Oregon's 60-minute sleepwalk.
Enjoy the Holiday Bowl, Ducks. You earned it after this one.
12. Arizona State
14 of 25
Is it time to start taking ASU seriously? I think it might be.
The advanced numbers have shone a positive light on the Sun Devils all season. They ranked No. 6 in Football Outsiders' F/+ ratings before last week's game at UCLA, and now they stand poised to move up.
What makes this team special is balance; it can beat you in so many ways. Take away the run, and it will beat you with the pass; take away the pass, and it will beat you with the run. ASU is equally adept at both.
The question, however, is whether the defense can hold up in the Pac-12 Championship Game against Stanford. The Cardinal are no offensive powerhouse, but they stormed ASU earlier this season, scoring 42 points and making it look easy.
How much has that unit improved? The answer to that question might decide this team's BCS future.
11. Michigan State
15 of 25
Michigan State clinched a spot in the Big Ten Championship with its blowout win at Northwestern, and now it can officially start preparing for the vaunted Ohio State Buckeyes.
This comparison is unfair, since Northwestern is so beat up and reeling, but it does go worth mentioning: Ohio State needed 60 full minutes to beat the Wildcats in Evanston, while Michigan State pounded them decisively.
If Sparty beats Minnesota next week, it would likely enter the conference championship in the top eight or so of the BCS standings. Regardless of how that game plays out, a ranking like that would make this season an astounding success.
10. South Carolina
16 of 25
The Gamecocks did what SEC teams are supposed to do against FCS opponents, blowing out Coastal Carolina and looking the part of a top-10 outfit.
That is exactly the type of performance one would like to see before playing Clemson, and now South Carolina finds itself in position to crash the BCS with one more regular-season win.
In order to win the division (and have a shot at winning the conference), the Gamecocks need Texas A&M to beat Missouri on the road. But they've played well enough all year to have a shot at an at-large bid, which would be well-deserved despite a couple of hiccups.
9. Baylor
17 of 25
Well, that was...disappointing.
Baylor was exposed in a huge way at Oklahoma State this weekend, revealing itself to be the team we'd hoped it wasn't. The Cowboys were more physical, more precise, more prepared and simply more talented than the Bears.
So where does Art Briles' team go from here? That's a good question. The BCS is still a very real possibility if this team wins out, especially if the offense starts running with more efficiency than it did in Stillwater. People will still tune in to see this engine run.
But winning out looks far less likely than it did a couple of weeks ago. TCU and Texas are far from powerhouses this year, but both teams have enough raw talent to compete. Baylor needs to put last week behind it and look toward the future.
8. Stanford
18 of 25
Stanford won more than just a silly axe Saturday. Because of Oregon's ugly loss at Arizona, it also won the Pac-12 North title and a chance to play for the conference championship.
All that stands between the Cardinal and a trip to the Rose Bowl is a rematch against Arizona State, which they beat handily earlier this season. But the Sun Devils are a different team now than they were back then; that will be a very tough game.
Still, for Stanford to once again control its BCS fate is a major coup. This team needed some help after losing at USC, and Arizona provided it.
7. Oklahoma State
19 of 25
Clint Chelf played the best game of his career, OSU's defense stepped up in a massive way, and now the Cowboys are easy favorites to win the Big 12 title.
Life is good in Stillwater after Saturday's massive win, which made a huge impact on the national landscape. This team is firing on all cylinders and might be the best Mike Gundy has ever coached.
Looking back on things, it's hard not to ask "what if?" What if this team didn't fall asleep at West Virginia a few months back? What if it was undefeated? What if it was in the national title hunt?
But those questions would detract from a special team. OSU controls its own fate in the conference and should play in a BCS bowl this year. That is still a fine campaign, even if it's not the ultimate prize.
6. Clemson
20 of 25
On the heels of its blowout home loss to Florida State, picking on Clemson became like swinging a stick at the low-hanging fruit. It was easy, so everybody indulged in it.
But the Tigers are nobody's punch line, and they took that loss as a wake-up call. Since the defeat, they have played discernibly better football, which has allowed them to control their own BCS fate.
The upcoming game against South Carolina is a huge one, but Clemson has already beaten a good SEC team in Georgia (at full health) this season. It will not be daunted by America's "best" conference.
If they win, the Tigers will be an easy inclusion in a BCS bowl.
5. Missouri
21 of 25
Despite an impressive body of work all season, people were eager to poke holes in Missouri. Many thought Ole Miss would knock it off in Oxford on Saturday.
But after a wire-to-wire win over the Rebels, it might be time to start taking these Tigers seriously. Aside from one bad (read: horrendous) quarter against South Carolina, this team has looked dominant against every opponent it has faced.
Texas A&M didn't look like a true threat at LSU this week, so Missouri will be a heavy favorite to beat the Aggies and finish the regular season with one loss. From there, it would get a shot to crash the BCS by winning the SEC Championship.
If the Tigers get enough help, who knows, they could actually be in the national title picture come the end of the year. Imagine saying that before the season!
4. Auburn
22 of 25
It's hard to articulate what makes this Auburn team so good. Perhaps, as it appeared on that fateful heave against Georgia, it is simply touched by God.
But even divine intervention won't help the Tigers against Alabama in next week's Iron Bowl. If they want to beat America's best team, they will need to play a better, more complete game.
Head coach Gus Malzahn is a genie, and he will come out of the bye with an impressive game plan. He's beaten Nick Saban before (albeit as an offensive coordinator) and knows some of the best ways to attack this defense.
Auburn will put some points on the board. The question is whether it can stop AJ McCarron—something that is much easier said than done.
3. Ohio State
23 of 25
Say what you will about Ohio State's schedule; undefeated is undefeated. Especially over the course of two years, refusing to lose deserves some credit. Urban Meyer has this team playing at a rare level.
Unfortunately, all of that might (again) be for naught. In the final year of the BCS, it seems we might be in store for one final controversy. The Buckeyes have little to no chance of leaping the top two teams, unless one of them suffers an upset.
But OSU cannot let itself worry about other teams. A rivalry game at Michigan and the Big Ten Championship Game against Michigan State still loom. Finishing the year with a perfect record will not come easy.
It must take care of business first, then worry about the BCS standings second.
2. Florida State
24 of 25
Another week, another FSU blowout.
Florida State showed no signs of a letdown against Idaho, playing like its usual dominant self en route to a blowout win. This team continues to fire on all cylinders, just as it has all year.
The circumstance surrounding quarterback Jameis Winston, who is embroiled in a sexual assault allegation, is troubling to say the least. It remains to be seen if (or how) that will affect this team, though bigger issues than football are in play.
For now, there's no sense in speculation. Winston is innocent until proven guilty; he's part of the active roster until pulled from it. And if he plays, this is clearly a team that deserves to be in the national title game.
1. Alabama
25 of 25
Alabama made quick work of FCS foe Chattanooga, and now it can focus on Saturday's Iron Bowl, which is shaping up to be among the biggest games in series history.
The Tide, on paper, are a much stronger team than Auburn. They are stacked from top to bottom in a way that no other SEC team can contend with, and they've proven it week after week.
But a road trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium is still no small task. Especially with a rival awaiting it, Alabama will need to play its best game of the season in order to win on the Plains.
This one should be fun.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
