LSU vs. Auburn: Should the Winner Be the No. 1 Team in the BCS Rankings?

This week in an SEC Showdown, the LSU Tigers will do battle with the Auburn Tigers. In the recently released BCS rankings, both teams were placed in the top 10, with LSU grabbing the sixth spot just behind Auburn who placed fourth.

In the latest college football odds posted by BetMania, both teams are favorites to play for the BCS Championship and have realistic chances to play for the SEC title. Both teams are already bowl eligible and the winner will have the edge in the SEC West standings and most likely move up in the rankings.

So with that being said, should the winner of this game be ranked No. 1 in the BCS standings?

LSU enters this game undefeated and is ranked the best team in college football by two of the six computer rankings used in the Bowl Championship Series formula rate. They have been winning but it hasn’t exactly looked pretty. They narrowly defeated Tennessee at home with the assistance of a penalty and needed some last-minute trickery to take down the Gators in the swamp.

However, the reality of it all is that they have yet to lose, and they have a very tough schedule. A win in Auburn would only cement the fact that they should hold the top spot in the BCS rankings. They would then have to defeat Alabama and if that were to happen, there is no doubt they deserve the top spot, but first things first, they have to beat Auburn.

If Auburn were to defeat LSU this week, they should also get a shot at the top spot in the BCS rankings. They are undefeated and have one of the country's most electrifying players on their team in quarterback Cameron Newton. Newton is a front runner for the Heisman and is a dual threat on the air and on the ground and has yet to be stopped.

Auburn has already beaten three teams ranked in the top 25 BCS standings, including  South Carolina, who defeated Alabama. A victory against LSU would warrant a spot in the top of the BCS standings. Like LSU, they also have to face Alabama on their schedule and a win against both teams would assure a No. 1 ranking.

While both teams would deserve a shot at the top spot with a win, they are not without their weaknesses. LSU has been crippled at times with a suspect offense and needed a stroke of luck to remain undefeated at this point. Head coach Les Miles is a bit of a gambler who seems to be living on borrowed time with his play calling and clock management skills.

In Auburn, the running game has given the Tigers a dominating offense that seems to move the ball with ease, but the defense could be their downfall. Auburn ranks 11th in the 12-team SEC in pass defense, allowing 266.1 yards per game, and the Tigers have allowed 13 touchdown passes—the most in the league. They also enter this game with injuries in the secondary, including starting senior safety Aairon Savage, who will miss the LSU game with a severe ankle injury.

This game will be the best one on the schedule for the upcoming weekend and will change the landscape of the SEC. Other teams will factor into the BCS Standings this week as well, but whoever wins this game should be considered for the top spot in the BCS rankings.

Matt Regaw is a B/R Featured Columnist and the founder of BookieBlitz.com, your one-stop shop for sports articles, previews, and predictions. Feel free to contact Matt at [e-mail]

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