10 BCS Teams That Are Better Than Boise State, TCU and Utah

With the first BCS rankings released, much of the talk has been the high rankings of the non-BCS automatic qualifies Boise State, Texas Christian, and Utah.

Even before the rankings were released, the nation had settled into two distinct camps: those who believe the non-AQ teams should get their shot, and those who thought it silly that teams such as Boise State, TCU, and Utah are even ranked at all.

Perhaps the most overused phrase by BCS-philes is "body of work."

While that argument has been beaten to death, and probably should be left dead, there are a number of one-loss teams in the first rankings that would probably have a better-than-even shot at dispatching any of the three non-AQ teams previously mentioned.

Alabama (BCS No. 8)

The Crimson Tide, as defending BCS champions, have perhaps the best team at this point in the year.

Sure, they lost to South Carolina, who lost to Kentucky, but one has to wonder if the blame for the Tide's loss should lie more with Mr. Saban that with any of the 22 players on the field.

Sure, coaches are part of the team, but I think that South Carolina debacle will be good for 'Bama in the long run.

The Tide still can write their own ticket in the SEC.  If they do, look for them to be in the BCS title game discussion.

Ohio State (BCS No. 10)

Poor Jim Tressel.  Poor Terrell Pryor.  Poor Buckeye fans.

Ever since Ohio State's BCU title, the Buckeyes just can't seem to recapture the magic.

A lot of the blame seems to come around to Pryor.  Is Terrell a great athlete?  Absolutely, without question.  Is he a great quarterback?

There are 51 teams in the FBS that have a better passing game than the Buckeyes.  The concern with Pryor is exactly that: passing.  When OSU gets down, you just can't count on Pryor to pass his team back into the lead.

But Ohio State is the classic great Big Ten team.  They're big, they fast, they're powerful, they play great defense, and have one heck of a run game.

Terrell Pryor's Heisman hopes may be gone, but Ohio State fans can take heart.  Their BCS title hopes still exist, but they need some help with those pesky Spartans (MSU and OSU don't meet in the Big Ten's last year without a title game).

Who would have imagined Ohio State would be fifth in the Big Ten are this point in the season?  Smart money is on that standing not lasting too long.

Stanford (BCS No. 12)

You really have to hand it to Jim Harbaugh.

The Cardinal football team is winning games, and doing it in impressive fashion.

Yeah, they ran into the buzz saw that is called the Oregon Ducks, but there aren't many teams this year (or any year) that would be able to keep the Ducks from lighting up the scoreboard.

Stanford may not have the smartest people around (you're seriously going to storm the field after not covering the spread against a USC team you were supposed to beat long before the last-second field goal?), but they have one of the most complete teams around.

If Stanford gets past the Wildcats from Arizona on November 6 (and if the Cardinal get some help from Oregon's remaining opponents), the Cardinal should be right in the hunt come bowl bid time.

Wisconsin (BCS No. 13)

On Wisconsin!

Every Big Ten fan not from the state of Ohio was a huge Badger fan this past week, especially those in East Lansing.

Coach Bielema certainly had his Badgers fired up to play the then-No. 1 team in the nation.

Wisconsin's only blemish this year is against a very good Michigan State team that is now the sole leader of the Big Ten.

The Badgers have a big test this weekend against Iowa, and that game will answer quite a few questions in the Big Ten.

In the past, Wisconsin has had some impressive starts only to fade down the stretch.  This year looks as if it could be different—especially if the Badgers get past the Hawkeyes.

Nebraska (BCS No. 16)

If the Nebraska and Texas played each other 20 times this year, Texas would probably only win once.

It just so happens that once was October 16.

While the Nebraska looks for a new brand of gloves for their receivers, Martinez will be looking to prove to his coach, and the nation, that he is the guy to lead Nebraska's offense.

After being yanked in the third quarter against Texas (and as a result probably being knocked from the Heisman race), Martinez will be looking squarely at the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Oklahoma State has had a great run to this point, but they'll be hosting a very, very cranky Cornhuskers squad that is coming off of a loss against a team to which they never should have lost.

Nebraska shows the signs of being a team that can overcome adversity.  They still control their own destiny in the Big 12, and after this weekend at Oklahoma State and next weekend hosting Missouri, Nebraska will be back in the BCS discussion.

Iowa (BCS No. 15)

It's late October, and once again the Big Ten has an eye on Iowa.

Everything in Iowa City revolves around defense.

The Hawkeyes have had a decent defensive team for a while.  In 2010, they may finally have an offense that can get them over the hump.

Iowa dropped an early-season heartbreaker at Arizona before going nuts on Ball State, Penn State, and Michigan.

Iowa has perhaps the toughest remaining schedule in the Big Ten with Wisconsin this weekend, Michigan State the week after, at 5-1 Northwestern on November 13, and Ohio State on November 20.

Probably not much chance of the Hawkeyes emerging from that gauntlet without another loss... but if they do, that horrible "body of work" argument will be pretty strong for the fans in Iowa City.

South Carolina (BCS No. 21)

Wait.  Really?  A two-loss Gamecocks squad ahead of the non-AQ schools?

Sure.  Why not?

After all, USC did manage to hold off what everyone was convinced was the 2010 BCS champion in Alabama.  Oh, and there's this little fact that South Carolina is still the undisputed SEC-East standings leader.

The Gamecocks lost to perhaps the best team in the SEC in Auburn on September 25.

As for the loss to Kentucky, well, even the sun shines on a dog's... well, you know.

Kentucky is a 4-3 team with most of its difficult schedule in the rear-view mirror.  The Wildcats could end up a 8-4, maybe even a 9-3 team.  SC's loss won't look so bad then, will it?

The Gamecocks don't put up huge numbers, but more often than not, find ways to win.  Look for South Carolina to run the table from here on out and take a trip to Atlanta in early December.

Auburn (BCS No. 4)

After the first few weeks of 2010, everyone who knew anything about college football had one name on the top of their Heisman list.

We all knew who was going to win the trophy.  Without question.

Well, someone forgot to tell Cam Newton.

Newton has nearly single-handedly led the Tigers to a perfect 7-0 record and an SEC-leading 4-0 record.

Auburn has a few big games left on its schedule: this week against LSU and November 26 at Alabama.

Auburn could win both those games, and will be an odds-on favorite for a BCS title run.

Michigan State (BCS No. 7)

The Spartans are a surprise to pretty much everyone—except those who keep a close eye on Michigan State.

MSU has quietly been building a quality Big Ten program over the past few seasons under the indefatigable Mark Dantonio.  Not even a heart attack can keep this man down.

Ever since taking over the reigns in East Lansing, Dantonio has embarked on his methodical approach to program building.

His recruits have now taken the lead, and as a result, Michigan State runs well, passes well, and tackles well.

All of that has led to a top 10 BCS ranking, and a perfect 7-0 record.  The last time the Spartans were 7-0?  National Champions.

Oregon (BCS No. 2)

This isn't your father's Ducks team.

Sure, Oregon lost to Boise State in 2009.  Sure, Boise State returned more than 20 starters from that squad.

But Oregon didn't put up the mind-blowing numbers last season that we're seeing in 2010.

Oregon's only flaw (if one could call it that) is that the defense isn't as stellar as the offense.

The nation's top scoring offense (a shocking 54.3 ppg) is teamed up with a defense that ranks "only" 16th in the nation in scoring defense (a pretty darn good 16.3 ppg).

The question isn't, "Could Boise/Utah/TCU stop Oregon?" but rather, "Can anyone stop Oregon?"

Final Thoughts

What?!?  No Oklahoma?

Oklahoma's 52-0 win over Iowa State this past weekend was OU's first blowout win in a game where they were expected to have a blowout win.

A 31-24 win over Utah State, a 27-24 squeaker against Air Force, a 31-29 nail-biter against Cincinnati...  You can't really make the "body of work" argument there.  OU should have demolished those teams by several touchdowns.

Until they start wrecking the teams they're supposed to wreck, and add a little embarrassment to some quality Big 12 teams, the jury is (or should be) still out on OU.

What about LSU?

The only reason LSU and their 70th-ranked scoring offense is sitting at No. 6 in the BCS rankings is because the computers don't watch the games.  If they were like the rest of us, there's no way LSU is in the top 10.  After this weekend, that will probably be academic anyhow as they travel to Auburn.  Then host Alabama.

Where's Oklahoma State?

They're 6-0 with zero games against a single ranked opponent.  Okie State will run into Nebraska this weekend, and their ranking will probably drop like a rock.  They travel to Texas on November 13 to take on a Longhorns team that's not quite as hapless as we once thought.  Plus, the Cowboys still have that looming match up with Oklahoma on November 27.