BCS Rankings 2010: 25 Things We Learned from the First BCS Rankings Poll
The first BCS Rankings are out for 2010 and by this point, we've probably all keyed in on who got shafted and who got overrated.
And while the only thing that really matters right now is who's in the Top 10, the rankings should tell us a little something about all 25 teams.
So why not go down the list, in ascending order of course, and try and deduce something about each team that managed to make this first BCS cut.
No. 25 Virginia Tech
1 of 25
Moral of the story: You're allowed to lose your first two games as long as you totally dominate in your next five. Yes, even if one of those losses was to a FCS team.
I think we all know that the Hokies have done Boise a huge favor by winning their last five games.
If that loss to the great James Madison University completely crushed team morale, as it very well could have, the Hokies would not be on the top of their piece of the ACC.
As a redemption story, this is hardly Invictus, but the Hokies deserve credit for bouncing back.
No. 24 Mississippi State
2 of 25
Moral of the story: The SEC is apparently that good.
With all respect to the Bulldogs, who are having a fine season, they probably wouldn't be ranked if they weren't in the SEC. The SEC is, after all, the only conference in college football that can lift its fifth-best team into the BCS rankings.
It's not like Mississippi State excels in any one area. They're in the middle of the pack in the SEC in both total offense and total defense.
Nationally, they're even more unspectacular (they've been out-gained by Ohio University, for crying out loud).
But it's the SEC, and the conference's reputation does not discriminate.
No. 23 Arkansas
3 of 25
Moral of the story: The inability to finish will ultimately put you in your place.
Arkansas is a very good team. Take away the fourth quarter from their two losses, and the Razorbacks are probably 6-0. Oh, if games were only three quarters!
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
No. 22 Kansas State
4 of 25
Moral of the story: You can lose to the only ranked team you've played so far and still be among the Top 25 teams in the country. Having Daniel Thomas helps.
This is one that I just don't understand. Kansas State hasn't had a single impressive win.
In fact, you have to wonder where they would be without Thomas, who is ninth in the league in rushing (130.3 yards/game).
So other than the apparent fact that they're overrated, can somebody please tell me why I should show Kansas State some respect?
No. 21 South Carolina
5 of 25
Moral of the story: You can beat Alabama all you want, just don't lose to Kentucky.
We were all singing South Carolina's praises after they dismantled the champs, and apparently they let that go to their heads.
How else can you explain a loss to a Kentucky team that had only had wins against Louisville, Western Kentucky, and Akron?
In fact, South Carolina appears to have been given a break, since Kentucky did play Auburn pretty close the previous week.
No. 20 West Virginia
6 of 25
Moral of the story: The Big East is crap, but you have to have at least one representative. This is America, after all.
I don't know how much more I can explain things on this one. I suppose they didn't get killed by LSU. But then again, who has?
(McNeese State doesn't count).
No. 19 Texas
7 of 25
Moral of the story: There's always a spot for Texas in the BCS standings.
The Longhorns went into a little slump after making it as high as No. 7, losing to UCLA and BCS No. 1 Oklahoma, but the pollsters were there to greet them with open arms after they took care of business against a badly overrated Nebraska squad.
Don't forget, they played for the National Championship last year. And even if they're not that good that year, the rule stands: Don't mess with Texas.
No. 18 Arizona
8 of 25
Moral of the story: You may have beaten only one ranked team, but you get the benefit of the doubt because you beat a damn good one.
Arizona is a team that is likely to slip in both the BCS standings and the Pac-10 in coming weeks, as they have yet to take on Washington, USC, Stanford, and Oregon. And without Nick Foles for a couple weeks to boot.
Wildcats fans should enjoy this while they can.
No. 17 Florida State
9 of 25
Moral of the story: The specter of Bobby Bowden still haunts the BCS calculations.
Okay, I know that Bobby is still kicking, but this is ridiculous. Florida State is not better than those SEC teams at the bottom of the rankings.
So what if they beat Miami? The Canes are on the fast track out of the Top 25.
I'm not impressed, as you can tell.
No. 16 Nebraska
10 of 25
Moral of the story: Nebraska can take their current ranking as a sign that they were, in fact, being given the benefit of the doubt before they finally lost to one of those unranked teams.
I've said it before, I'll say it again: Nebraska is always overrated. And just because it found itself another Eric Crouch doesn't mean that it deserves to be elite again.
It's probably too bad that it fell this far from grace, but hey, that's college football.
No. 15 Iowa
11 of 25
Moral of the story: Getting beaten on the road should not overshadow the fact that you're clearly one of the better teams in the Big Ten.
Iowa is good, and can only get better in the next two weeks. It hosts back-to-back games against Wisconsin and Michigan State. It's in a position to both play spoiler, and advance their own destiny.
No. 14 Oklahoma State
12 of 25
Moral of the story: You're not as sexy as that other Oklahoma team, but we still think you're better than 11 other teams.
Oklahoma State hasn't beaten any ranked teams, but it sure can score. The Cowboys lead the Big 12 in both yards and points per game, which makes up for their pretty pedestrian defense.
The only question at this point is whether that defense can improve for Nebraska, Kansas State, and Oklahoma.
No. 13 Wisconsin
13 of 25
Moral of the story: Unseating the No. 1 team before they can get comfortable is worth major points.
Finally, a dragon slayer that is getting its due. The Badgers have probably had the same playbook for a century by now, and it's thick with power run plays.
So it goes in 2010. They're second to Michigan in rushing in the Big Ten, and it's working as well as ever for them.
The Badgers face a tough test at Iowa next week, so this spot might be short-lived.
No. 12 Stanford
14 of 25
Moral of the story: If you want to be the best, you occasionally have to show up in the second half.
Had Stanford been able to carry on as it were carrying on in its game in Eugene, the Cardinal would be undefeated and well on their way to, at the very least, a Pac-10 championship.
Instead, unless something crazy happens, they should be content that they have a shot at playing in any BCS Bowl for the first time since 2000, when they lost the Rose Bowl to Ron Dayne and the Badgers.
Oh, and Andrew Luck is easily the best quarterback in the Pac-10.
No. 11 Missouri
15 of 25
Moral of the story: The computers know better than the people who don't think you're a Top-15 team.
Missouri may be 6-0, but from this point forward, it's the only team that doesn't have a win against a ranked opponent.
But the fact that a lot of them people see them as a real threat next week in Oklahoma surely means they must be better than those other 14 teams.
Well, what do they have to lose?
No. 10 Ohio State
16 of 25
Moral of the story: Stop losing when you're ranked No. 1.
I think that after this Saturday, pollsters should think twice before voting Ohio State No. 1. It always seems to screw it up.
But make no mistake, Ohio State is by no means out of it. It's very much capable of making a serious run at the Rose Bowl, which it hey won last year over Oregon.
No. 9 Utah
17 of 25
Moral of the story: Exiting the Mountain West in style is worth a questionable ranking.
Is the Mountain West really that good? Honestly, when was the last time two Mountain West teams were in the BCS Top 10?
I only ask because I can't find the answer anywhere.
Unlike TCU, you have to wonder about this one. They haven't really played anybody all that dangerous yet; their only game against a ranked opponent took an overtime period to get done.
Now that Air Force is out of the picture, that game against TCU on Nov. 6 will rule both their fates.
No. 8 Alabama
18 of 25
Moral of the story: One little hiccup isn't enough to derail the champs.
Of all the teams in the initial Top 10, nobody is going to have a harder road to the BCS Championship than Alabama.
In addition to LSU and Mississippi State, the Crimson Tide is going to have to take care of business against Auburn on the final day of the regular season.
It's not going to be easy. It's not going to be pleasant. But it's definitely not going to be impossible.
No. 7 Michigan State
19 of 25
Moral of the story: Just because you were unranked in the preseason doesn't mean you can't have your best season in over four decades.
Even without Mark Dantonio's unfortunate health problems, it would still be harder to find a better Cinderella story than the Spartans.
While a spot in the BCS Championship Game is probably a long shot, a spot in the Rose Bowl is not. The Spartans last won a Rose Bowl in 1966.
No. 6 LSU
20 of 25
Moral of the story: How the hell did they get there?
I think we all know that this is not going to last. LSU is not the sixth best team in the country, and they are certainly not better than Alabama.
The good news is that they should be out sooner rather than later. They face Auburn and Alabama in their next two games, and they probably need a miracle to win either one of them.
No. 5 TCU
21 of 25
Moral of the story: When people already think you're a Top 10 team, all you have to do is keep winning.
This is yet another one that you have to wonder about. As things stand right now, the signature win of TCU's season is a win over then-No. 24 Oregon State.
The Beavers lost their third game on Saturday, and by all accounts are a disappointment.
As such, TCU is probably going to have to beat Utah and hope for losses all around them in order to have any serious hopes of playing for a BCS title.
No. 4 Auburn
22 of 25
Moral of the story: Having the most dynamic quarterback in the country is a good way to rack up the wins.
If Cam Newton wasn't the Heisman favorite before the Arkansas game, he has to be now, right? Well, 25 total touchdowns is pretty good. And so is Auburn.
The only team that can beat them is probably Alabama. And if they don't, then Newton will probably get a chance to do his thing on college football's biggest stage.
No. 3 Boise State
23 of 25
Moral of the story: The powers that be are still not ready for Boise.
The NCAA brass and the talking heads on ESPN can say otherwise all they want, but the fact of the matter is that Boise State is legit.
They obviously need to win out, and hope for the teams around them to drop at least one game, but this is hardly a fool's hope.
Hang in there, Boise. America is rooting for you.
No. 2 Oregon
24 of 25
Moral of the story: Nothing grabs the national eye like an explosive offense.
Yes, by now we all know the Ducks' M.O. They are faster, quicker, and more clever than their opponents, and they know it. Both the writers and the coaches have them as the best team in the country. And with a bit of luck, the computers will come to the same realization.
No. 1 Oklahoma
25 of 25
Moral of the story: Primogeniture is alive and well in the BCS.
Why is it that the Old Guard teams always seem to get the nod over the new kids on the block?
Never mind. Here's a better question:
Why is Oklahoma the best team in the country?
That's a question for the comments section. Go to town, kids.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
