2010 BCS Rankings: What the Bowl Matchups Could Look Like
The first BCS rankings of 2010 are being released on an ESPN special next week, and that means we are really getting into the meat of the college football season.
Everyone assumed Alabama would make the national championship, but their loss to South Carolina is a reminder that anything can happen in college football.
Let’s take a look at how the BCS bowls will shape up and make some bold predictions.
Fiesta Bowl
1 of 5
West Virginia vs. TCU
West Virginia is the only Big East team that has proven anything this year by narrowly losing to LSU.
The fact that they hung in there against an SEC contender vaults them to the top of the Big East by default.
It isn’t likely they’ll go undefeated in conference play, but look for them to overcome a loss to Cincinnati and still earn a BCS bid as Big East champions.
As for TCU, they will go undefeated yet again.
With wins over Air Force and Utah (currently ranked No. 11), the Horned Frogs will have a legitimate title case, but with the BCS in place there is no way they will garner a bid over an undefeated Big 12 or Pac-10 squad. Alabama would also be ahead of them, and maybe Boise State simply because of their prestige.
But TCU will get the short end of the stick, having to play the worst BCS-worthy team.
The Horned Frogs will show West Virginia who should really be considered the little guy, manhandling them 37-13.
Sugar Bowl
2 of 5
Alabama vs. Boise State
Alabama still has a shot to make the national championship.
If they win the SEC, plenty of voters will think they have earned the right to play for the title.
But in the end, I think Nebraska, with a win over Oklahoma, and Oregon, with a win over Stanford and a slew of other quality conference foes, would be slightly more worthy.
The Crimson Tide will in fact win the SEC, as multiple losses for LSU and Auburn push Alabama into an SEC title matchup against South Carolina.
Alabama will redeem themselves in that game and then make the Sugar Bowl.
Boise State will yet again get shafted, going undefeated for the third consecutive year but missing out on the title game to the Cornhuskers and Ducks.
Even more unfortunately, the Broncos will draw Alabama, possibly the only team in the country that is as balanced as them.
Alabama is the best team in the country despite last week’s loss, and they’ll beat Boise 28-17.
Orange Bowl
3 of 5
Virginia Tech vs. Ohio State
It’s amazing to think that Virginia Tech could make a BCS bowl game after losing to Boise State and then an FCS school, but it will happen.
They’ve been playing well as of late with four consecutive wins and don’t have a really tough in-conference matchup left on the schedule after that enormous win over NC State.
Look for them to take out Florida State in a hard-fought championship game, putting them in the Orange Bowl.
Ohio State, on the other hand, would be in the BCS title game if the season ended today.
But it doesn’t.
They will drop a shocker in the finale to the Michigan Wolverines, whose high-flying offense is a very poor matchup for the conservative Buckeyes. They simply don't have the manpower to keep up in a shootout.
That one loss will tie them with Michigan State atop the Big Ten standings, and since the two don’t meet, Michigan State will win by virtue of the tiebreaker that the Buckeyes were in a BCS game last year.
Ohio State will be fuming and take it out on the overmatched Hokies, winning 41-10.
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Rose Bowl
4 of 5
Michigan State vs. Stanford
Michigan State has things set up very nicely in front of them for a Rose Bowl bid.
The Spartans won’t have what it takes to get past Iowa, but they will still sit atop the Big Ten even with one loss.
With the solid middle teams in the Big Ten playing spoilers, Wisconsin and Michigan will bust Iowa and Ohio State’s chances, respectively, paving the way for the Spartans to win the conference.
No one outside of East Lansing will be thrilled about the who-hasn’t-been-to-the-BCS-lately tiebreaker, but it will still give them a Rose Bowl bid.
As for Stanford, they will benefit from the ultra-balanced SEC cannibalizing its chances to have two BCS teams.
The Cardinal will run off impressive wins against Arizona and Oregon State, and with their only blemish coming against national title participant Oregon, they will certainly deserve a BCS bid.
In this game, the Cardinal are simply the better team on both sides of the ball.
Both teams have similarly balanced offenses and solid defenses, but next year’s No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, Andrew Luck, will easily outplay the Spartans’ Kirk Cousins.
Expect a Stanford Rose Bowl victory, 28-20.
BCS National Championship Game
5 of 5
Nebraska vs. Oregon
Nebraska owns the No. 2 rushing offense in the country, coupled with the ninth-best and fourth-best scoring offense and defense, respectively.
Their best wins are against Washington and Kansas State, but despite weak competition, they’ve managed to dominate on a consistent basis.
They have a trio of tests coming up against Texas, Oklahoma State, and Missouri, but I think Taylor Martinez and co. will pass them with ease.
Look for the Huskers to stay unbeaten and then knock off Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game to merit a spot over one-loss Alabama in the national championship.
Oregon’s offense has been dominant, leading the country with an astounding 54.3 points per game.
The loss of Jeremiah Masoli hasn’t hurt them one bit, and they seem poised to run the table in the Pac-10.
They have a few fairly tough matchups in USC, Arizona, and Oregon State, but none of those teams’ defenses can stop the Ducks, nor can their offenses put up the type of points it’ll take to beat them.
Oregon should go undefeated, and that’ll be enough to edge out Alabama for a spot in this game.
As for the game, Nebraska is possibly the only team with enough NFL-caliber defensive talent to stop the Ducks, and they should win this game 31-21.
Chalk up a sixth national title for the Huskers.
Matt Rudnitsky is a student at the University of Michigan and a writing intern at Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Mattrud
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