BCS Rankings Week 2: College Football Bowl Projections After Second BCS Release
BCS Rankings Week 2 is upon us, and the second BCS rankings have shook up what the BCS Bowls would have looked like last week, but the new order of things still leave us with some pretty intriguing possibilities.
All shakeups aside, we perhaps have an even better notion of how the Bowls would look if the season ended this week.
But we also still have our crystal ball, which should be used at all times.
With that in mind, it's time to play matchmaker.
The Real Fiesta Bowl
1 of 10
Missouri vs. Pittsburgh
This one would be pretty cool for Missouri. They've never been to a BCS Bowl. Heck, they haven't gone undefeated since 1960, when the great Dan Devine was at the helm.
If the season were to end today, Pittsburgh would be your Big East champion. They currently lead the conference, which doesn't feature any ranked teams, with a 4-3 record. They've won two conference matchups in a row against Syracuse and Rutgers.
Pittsburgh last went to a Fiesta Bowl in 2004, when they lost to Utah 35-7.
The Imaginary Fiesta Bowl
2 of 10
Nebraska vs. West Virginia
What if, perhaps by some miracle, Nebraska were to take down Missouri next week, and regain Big 12 supremacy?
This should be exciting because it would put Taylor Martinez on a national stage. He's probably the most exciting player in the Big 12 this season, and he showed that he does in fact have an arm with his performance against Oklahoma State.
Nebraska last played in a Fiesta Bowl in 2000, when they beat Northwestern 66-17.
The Mountaineers, on the other hand, should be able to regain control of the Big East when they visit Pittsburgh later in November. They last played in the Fiesta Bowl in 2008, when they easily took care of Oklahoma, 48-28.
The Real Orange Bowl
3 of 10
Florida State vs. TCU
This one is exactly how it would have looked last week, with Florida State enjoying an idle weekend and TCU standing pat at No. 4 in the BCS.
The Seminoles last played in the Orange Bowl in 2006, and haven't won one since beating Notre Dame in 1996.
TCU will likely be stuck in limbo even if they do win out. So it goes for non-AQ schools. The Horned Frogs haven't played in the Orange Bowl since 1942, which is also the only one they've ever played in. They lost to Georgia 40-26.
The Imaginary Orange Bowl
4 of 10
Virginia Tech vs. TCU
It looked pretty dire for the Hokies for a while there, but they have played their way back into the discussion by winning six in a row in rather convincing fashion. They won't be able to help their own destiny with a win over Florida State, but it shouldn't be surprising if the Seminoles falter as the season dwindles down.
The Hokies last went to the Orange Bowl in 2009, where they beat Cincinnati 20-7.
The Real Sugar Bowl
5 of 10
Alabama vs. Utah
The current front runner in the SEC is currently on line to play in the National Championship Game, but Alabama isn't a bad Plan B.
If this does pan out, it would be a rematch of the 2009 Sugar Bowl, which Utah won 31-17. That was the second straight defeat for an Alabama team that started 12-2 before losing this and the SEC Championship Game.
Alabama hasn't actually won a Sugar Bowl since 1993.
The Imaginary Sugar Bowl
6 of 10
Auburn vs. Utah
If Alabama ends up beating Auburn in the final game of the season, there's no reason this matchup can't come to pass.
Sure, it's a bit of a bummer that Cam Newton wouldn't be in the BCS Championship Game, but he should have another crack at it if he comes back for his senior year (and he should).
This would be Auburn's first Sugar Bowl since 2005, when they beat Virginia Tech 16-13.
The Real Rose Bowl
7 of 10
Michigan State vs. Boise State
With Oregon still in line for a shot at the Title, this is another matchup that holds true from last week's rankings.
This would be Boise's first ever Rose Bowl appearance, which they could definitely take as a better chance to prove their worth than last year's bout with TCU in the Fiesta Bowl.
This would be a pretty great way to cap Michigan State's Cinderella season, as it would be their first Rose Bowl since 1988 when they beat USC 20-17.
The Imaginary Rose Bowl
8 of 10
Michigan State vs. Boise State
Yeah, this one sounds good to me.
If you think otherwise, feel free to sound off in the comments section.
The Real BCS Championship
9 of 10
Auburn vs. Oregon
This would be a first for both teams. Neither the Ducks nor the Tigers have played in a BCS Championship Game, and this one would be a real treat for the fans.
Just picture it: Cam Newton versus everything the Ducks can throw at you on offense.
Between the two programs, only Auburn has a national title to their credit. That was back in 1957, when the Tigers' 10-0 season was good enough to earn the honors from the Associated Press.
The Imaginary BCS Championship
10 of 10
Alabama vs. Boise State
If I may be totally subjective, this is still the matchup I want to see. You can bitch and moan all you want about how Boise State is not fit for competition with the big boys of college football, but this would be a good way to know for sure that this is the case.
If it were to come to this, I think it would be worth having a stinker of a game. If Boise State gets their guts stomped out, then we'll know that the BCS actually works.
If Boise wins, however, unseating the defending champs in the process, maybe the ball would get rolling on a playoff. After all, if an upstart like Boise could be good enough to win a National Championship, then surely there are others like them somewhere out there (i.e. TCU and Utah).
Think about it.
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