BCS Rankings 2010: The Fatal Flaw of Every Top 25 Team
The BCS rankings for 2010 came out on Sunday for the first time and gave us a look at which teams have a shot at the national title game.
With two early-season favorites—Alabama and Ohio State—falling of late, Oklahoma took the top spot in the rankings.
But the truth is, any of these teams can fall at any given time.
Here's a look at the weaknesses and flaws of the top 25 teams in the BCS rankings.
25. Virginia Tech Hokies
1 of 25
This team has allowed an average of 21.9 points on defense this season. After their slow start—highlighted by losses to Boise State and James Madison—the Hokies' defense has picked up.
However, it may be a little too late for the Hokies. They have an excellent runner in Darren Evans and a great two-way quarterback in Tyrod Taylor. But the rest of the schedule doesn’t feature a Top 25 opponent.
Even if they win out the rest of their schedule, it’s unlikely they will even get a serious shot at the title game.
24. Mississippi State Bulldogs
2 of 25
With five wins this season they’ve already been able to match last season’s win total. However, they play in the SEC with a bunch of other powerhouses.
During conference play this season, it has been obvious that the Bulldogs have had problems scoring against tougher opponents. Last week against the Florida Gators, it was their strong defense that was showcased.
If this team wants to continue beating SEC opponents, their offense needs to pick up the pace.
23. Arkansas Razorbacks
3 of 25
Ryan Mallet is arguably the Razorbacks' best player. But their high-powered offense seemed to do fine in his absence.
Tyler Wilson threw for 338 yards and four touchdowns and two interceptions subbing in for the injured Mallet against Auburn. But it was their defense that was exposed.
The Hogs allowed the Tigers to score 64 points in a disappointing loss.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
22. Kansas State Wildcats
4 of 25
Taylor Martinez ran right through this Kansas State team the last time the Wildcats played the Huskers.
The freshman quarterback ran for 241 yards and four touchdowns, a school record for a quarterback.
If they can’t learn to defend a mobile quarterback or opposing runners then they’re not going further up the rankings.
21. South Carolina Gamecocks
5 of 25
Inconsistency is the biggest story for this team.
One game they’re playing at the top of their game by defeating the nation’s No. 1 team in Alabama. The next game they fall against an unranked Kentucky football team.
The kinks need to get worked out. Otherwise, it’s going to be another up-and-down season.
20. West Virginia Mountaineers
6 of 25
The Mountaineers could very well be the best team out of the Big East. But with a weak schedule this season that has lacked any top-ranked opponents—LSU is the only top team they've played this year—they may not see themselves move up in the rankings.
The Big East is going through a bit of a dry spell and with a majority of their games coming up against in-conference foes, West Virginia will have a hard time making a case for its program this season.
19. Texas Longhorns
7 of 25
Texas may have put themselves back on the map by dispatching Big 12-rival Nebraska, 20-13, on the road. But they don't look as good as the team that went to the national title game a season ago.
Youngster Garrett Gilbert has had problems at quarterback this season. Who can forget how this Texas team showed no focus by losing to UCLA at home 34-12?
18. Arizona Wildcats
8 of 25
The biggest concern for the Wildcats this year has been poor protection that their offensive line has given their quarterback.
After six games, Arizona quarterbacks have been sacked 17 times—four more than the entire season last year.
Quarterback Nick Foles had to leave the game against Washington State as a result of a hit that injured his knee. With more games against tough Pac-10 opponents, further success this season could depend on their ability to defend the sack.
17. Florida State Seminoles
9 of 25
Dark-horse Heisman trophy-candidate Christian Ponder is integral to the Seminoles offense. With him at quarterback, the team has scored an average of 34.9 points per game.
But without him their offense could be in trouble.
Opponents need to put pressure on Ponder and force him to make mistakes, similar to the way Boston College forced Ponder into making mistakes with three interceptions in a near upset.
16. Nebraska Cornhuskers
10 of 25
In a season that saw the emergence of Taylor Martinez, this now appears to be a much better offensive team than years past, scoring an average of 36.8 points per game.
But after a big rivalry match against the Texas Longhorns, the Cornhuskers offense was limited.
With the Longhorns zeroing in on Taylor Martinez, the Huskers were helpless in trying to score the ball. Texas discovered the biggest weakness for Nebraska which is that the whole offense revolves around Martinez.
As a result, the Huskers were forced to go with a new quarterback, Zac Lee, in the third quarter.
15. Iowa Hawkeyes
11 of 25
Known for being a superior defensive team, this Hawkeyes squad has still been able to put points on the board with quarterback Ricky Stanzi.
Their only loss this season came against the Arizona Wildcats, who continuously pressured Stanzi to throw the ball early and also limited the Hawkeyes' running game.
14. Oklahoma State Cowboys
12 of 25
The Cowboys offense scores plenty of points. So many points that they just plan on outscoring their opponents each and every time. On the defensive end, they also allow their opponents to stay in the game by giving up a lot of points.
They've seen a lack of top-ranked opponents thus far this season but one of these days, a top defensive team will face them and shut them down.
And that may come as soon as this upcoming Saturday against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
13. Wisconsin Badgers
13 of 25
Known for having a big, bruising runner in John Clay and a solid passing attack led by Scott Tolzien, the Badgers' weakness lies in their defense.
Their defense may have been integral in slowing down Terrelle Pryor and the Ohio State Buckeyes, but it was blatantly absent in their earlier loss this season to the upstart Michigan State Spartans.
12. Stanford Cardinal
14 of 25
Andrew Luck and Stanford are a top offensive squad who rank among the nation's top passing and rushing teams.
The team's weakness has been on the defensive end, which was exposed in the last two games. The Cardinal were unable to contain top Pac-10 offenses in Oregon and USC.
11. Missouri Tigers
15 of 25
While the Oklahoma State Cowboys have rolled through the season with a perfect record as a result of their top-ranked offense, the Missouri Tigers, on the other hand, have found success with their defense.
However, this Big 12 team has yet to see any top-ranked competition near the halfway mark of the season. As a result, it's hard to tell if this team is really as good as we think they could be.
A matchup against No. 1-ranked Oklahoma could expose an inability to keep up with solid offensive teams and would be a very good measuring stick for this Missouri team.
10. Ohio State Buckeyes
16 of 25
The truth for this squad is that its success and failure rests almost entirely in the hands of Terrelle Pryor.
It's no surprise that the Buckeyes' first loss of the season came when the Wisconsin Badgers were able to slow him down as a runner and limit him as a passer.
With Pryor contained, the Buckeyes were reeling.
9. Utah Utes
17 of 25
Playing out of the Mountain West does not necessarily go in their favor.
And the Utes' only big win this year came against a Pittsburgh Panthers team that is now unranked among college football teams.
Their biggest game of the season will be a November matchup against top-ranked TCU. If they can get past TCU, then they'll achieve further recognition.
8. Alabama Crimson Tide
18 of 25
If there's anything that can be taken away from Alabama's loss to South Carolina, it's that Heisman-winner Mark Ingram can be stopped.
The Gamecocks were able to slow down Alabama's running game and limit Ingram to 41 rushing yards.
7. Michigan State Spartans
19 of 25
This team was 6-7 last season and have more than exceeded expectations with a 7-0 start this year. Somehow it's just hard to believe that they can go through their schedule undefeated.
They may have defeated a good offensive squad in Wisconsin and have been able to lock down a great player in Denard Robinson. But the Spartans' weakness may be exposed by a tough defensive team like the Iowa Hawkeyes, who will face them later this season.
6. LSU Tigers
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Who would have guessed that the LSU Tigers would still be perfect seven games into the season?
Quarterback Jordan Jefferson hasn't exactly been impressive with his passing ability, but he's more than made up for it with his running game.
This team has a tough schedule from beginning to end. The Tigers will ultimately fall to an opponent that slows down their running game and forces them to pass the ball.
5. TCU Horned Frogs
21 of 25
Just like Utah and Boise State, TCU has an endless struggle to remain recognized because it plays in a weak conference.
TCU, on paper, has been outstanding—allowing only three points in its last three games.
But the Horned Frogs haven't played anyone else formidable aside from the Oregon State Beavers earlier this season.
Of course, the Utah game later this season will be a must-win. The fact here is that the only thing holding them back is their schedule.
4. Auburn Tigers
22 of 25
The Tigers are 7-0 this season and a lot of that success can be credited to the emergence of Cam Newton.
Newton has tallied 25 total touchdowns already this year.
He should be the target. If Newton is contained, Auburn will fall.
Opponents should slow down the game and find a way to slow down the big, mobile quarterback.
3. Boise State Broncos
23 of 25
The biggest flaw of this team that they will have a hard time battling is the fact that they play out of the WAC.
As a result, it's hard to get a true gauge on how good this team really is. True, they've defeated the Oregon State Beavers and the Virginia Tech Hokies. But those games turned out to be very close.
It's hard not to make the contention that if they were playing in a tougher conference, they could easily take a few losses this season.
2. Oregon Ducks
24 of 25
The Pac-10 is full of talent and even though the Ducks are still undefeated this season, they’re likely to take a loss or two playing more in-conference games later this season.
It could come as early as this weekend, against the Texas-slaying UCLA Bruins.
1. Oklahoma Sooners
25 of 25
The Sooners' inability to stay healthy was what held this team back a season ago.
Now they're healthier than ever and starting to flourish. But their biggest knock has been their inability to decisively win games—aside from Iowa State, of course.
Too many close games and this team will be playing with fire.
If they don't start increasing their win margin, this team will eventually fall.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
