BCS Rankings Predictions 2013: Projecting Auburn's Week 15 Ranking After Upset

The No. 4 Auburn Tigers did what seemed impossible before Saturday and upset No. 1 Alabama, 34-28, at Jordan–Hare Stadium.

A late review put one second on the clock, so Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide attempted a 57-yard field goal. It was short, and Chris Davis took it from deep in his own end zone back the other way for a game-winning score that changes things in the collegiate landscape considerably: 

GIF courtesy of B/R.

GIF courtesy of B/R.

Much can be said about where this leaves the Crimson Tide, but perhaps more interesting is where the Tigers fall.

The Tigers have now secured a berth in the SEC Championship, but we're just getting started. What about BCS title implications?

Remember, Auburn has been creeping up behind No. 3 Ohio State for quite some time now. Does a Buckeyes team that narrowly avoided an upset at the hands of unranked Michigan on the same weekend as Auburn's BCS-altering upset deserve to retain its spot?

Probably not:

Rank	Team
1	Florida State
2	Auburn
3	Ohio State
4	Alabama
5	Missouri
6	Oklahoma State
7	South Carolina
8	Stanford
9	Baylor
10	Michigan State
11	Clemson
12	Arizona State
13	Oregon
14	Northern Illinois
15	LSU
16	Oklahoma
17	UCF
18	Louisville
19	UCLA
20	Wisconsin
21	Duke
22	Fresno State
23	Georgia
24	Cincinnati
25	Texas

It's no secret the Big Ten can't match the depth of the SEC.

The Buckeyes are undefeated after escaping Ann Arbor with the 42-41 victory, but where are the marquee wins? A 31-24 victory over three-loss Wisconsin is not impressive. A 40-30 win over then-ranked No. 16 Northwestern (now 5-7) means little.

Escaping with a victory over a 7-5 Wolverines team is by no means impressive.

Contrast that with Auburn. The Tigers are 11-1, with the lone loss coming way back in mid-September against then-ranked No. 6 LSU.

Wins over then-ranked No. 24 Ole Miss, No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 25 Georgia and now No. 1 Alabama speak for themselves and make for one impressive record.

Before Ohio State was a failed two-point conversion away from its first loss of the season and Auburn put together the most memorable win of the year, the Buckeyes sat at .9200 with the Tigers close behind at .8236.

That sparked conversation before Saturday that Auburn could make the jump purely based on the SEC vs. Big Ten argument.

Now? It's a guarantee.

ESPN's Bill Plaschke concurs:

There is plenty of football to be had that can still impact BCS rankings and the title picture, but right now it only makes sense that the Tigers take the leap over the Buckeyes.

In turn, this means the Tigers, on the heels of a miraculous run capped by an unforgettable victory, will play in the national title game.

All Auburn must do now is take care of business in the SEC Championship, which will make it even easier to pencil the Tigers into the title game.