Too Early To Talk BCS, but Let's Talk Virginia Tech's BCS Hopes

As usual, if it is college football season, then people are talking BCS chances for their team (unless your team is in the MAC, Sun Belt, or has lost to a FCS team).

Virginia Tech's rise in the rankings after its 31-7 rout of Miami has not only pushed up its ranking, but talks about possible national championship have increased as well.

Let's look at the reasonable possibilities so far. Cincinnati from the Big East, Virginia Tech and Miami from the ACC, USC from the Pac-10, Oklahoma, Texas, and Nebraska from the Big 12, Ohio State from the Big Ten, Florida, Alabama, Auburn, and LSU from the SEC, and Houston, TCU, and Boise State from the non-BCS all have their shots at Pasadena.

Possible other contenders could be out there, but these lead the pack at the moment.

If the assumption is made that Virginia Tech wins out (and we all know what happens when you assume), this eliminates Miami.

The SEC beats itself up and leaves two teams to contend. 

Ohio State is almost already eliminated due to the USC loss. If USC wins out, they are above Ohio State. If not, the loss looks worse than it does now.

The Big 12 will have one possible survivor.

Cincinnati still has a slim shot.

Of the three non-BCS representatives, Boise State has the best shot at running the table.

For Virginia Tech to make it to Pasadena, there are a few key games that have to go their way.  It is not mandatory that all these results happen, but at this time, it is the best scenario(s).

Miami needs to beat Oklahoma. Not only would this eliminate Oklahoma, it would increase ACC strength in the overall view of the media.

Nebraska needs to win the Big 12 North and the Big 12 Championship, eliminating Texas. 

Virginia Tech's win and Nebraska's other weak out-of-conference schedule keeps Nebraska below Tech.

USC must suffer another loss. The matchup with Cal would be a perfect time. This, as stated before, not only eliminates USC, it eliminates the chance of Ohio State being above Tech.

The other Ohio team, Cincinnati, does not have the top matchup and its Orange Bowl loss to the Hokies last year could keep them from leaping the Hokies.

With the non-BCS schools, Boise State has the only real shot due to its current position in the rankings. Even though Boise has its win over Oregon, it also has weak WAC and out-of-conference matchups on its schedule, including a FCS opponent.

The main competition comes out of the SEC and the media's feelings toward rematches. 

The worst thing that could happen for Tech is to have Alabama lose only one game, and be kept out of the SEC Championship. If this were to occur (along with Florida winning out), Alabama goes to Pasadena with Florida.

Virginia Tech must hope that either Florida implodes (highly unlikely) or Alabama and Florida win out. If Alabama wins, the computers would have VT above Florida and Tech looks out for the polls to stay close enough to jump Florida.

If Florida wins, do the polls prefer a rematch of a game that happened in December or September? This is why no one should write about BCS possibilities this early. The sad thing (or good) is that this article could be written six weeks from now and most (if not all) could hold true.

For Virginia Tech, coaches' speak is the best advise: one game at a time.

If Tech wins out (at worst), they go back to the Orange Bowl against the first at-large pick of the BCS bowls after the championship game.

The chances are endless, which is why the interest of college football continues to grow.