BCS Rankings Week 2: Grading the Strength of Schedule for the BCS Top 25
BCS Rankings Week 2 edition are out and with that in mind, it's time to figure out who has the best road for the rest of the season to try and improve their ranking and who's nervously looking at the schedule.
I've taken all 25 teams in this week's rankings and broken them down by strength of schedule and with my reasoning for each. If you agree or disagree, make sure to leave it in the comments. Any predictions for the rest of the year? I'd love to hear them.
No. 25: Florida State
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The ACC has struggled as a conference this year and it shows in Florida State's remaining schedule. The Seminoles do not face a ranked opponent for the rest of the year but do finish against in-state rival Florida.
Florida State is the class of the ACC, whatever that stands for these days and will be playing in the ACC title game. I'm not sold on the Seminoles, especially after the beating they took in the hands of Oklahoma earlier this year.
Florida State could prove me wrong, but I don't see that happening. If the Seminoles make it out of the ACC, I don't expect them to win the BCS bowl game that comes with it.
No. 24: Boise State
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The Broncos get knocked for their schedule and it is the easiest of the teams in the BCS standings.
Boise State hasn't played anyone of consequence outside of Virginia Tech and Oregon State with the WAC being the conference that it is. The Broncos' biggest test down the stretch is No. 24 Nevada, which might help a tiny bit in the computer rankings.
However, look out for TCU if you're a Broncos fan. The Horned Frogs are right behind Boise State and could hop them with a win over Utah.
No. 24: Wisconsin
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After last week's win against Iowa, the Badgers have finished the toughest part of their schedule and do not face a ranked team for the rest of the season.
Wisconsin travels to Michigan and that is its biggest test down the stretch as it finishes the season. However, any hopes of winning the Big Ten are a long shot. The Badgers will need the Spartans to lose two games before the end of the year and Wisconsin will have to win out.
If that happens, the Badgers will be headed to the Rose Bowl. Wisconsin is also an unlikely shot for an at-large bid for a BCS bowl game.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
No. 23: TCU
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TCU is another victim of the reputation of non-BCS conferences but the Horned Frogs do have a showdown with a top 10 team on the horizon.
TCU will play No. 8 Utah and a win in that game could vault the Horned Frogs over Boise State in the BCS standings based on the strength of schedule. The Horned Frogs are a BCS buster but it seems like neither TCU or Boise State will get into the title game, no matter who loses.
This has been the best chance for a non BCS conference team to get in and the powers that be will keep them out.
No. 22: Utah
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The Utes are the final non-BCS team to be in the top-10 of the BCS. Utah is eighth in this week's rankings and has big national games against TCU and Notre Dame (regardless of how down the Fighting Irish are) on the horizon.
Utah doesn't have any shot of making it to the BCS title game based on its current ranking but the Utes will make a BCS bowl with a win in my estimation. However, with the way the BCS is, who knows what's going to happen on a week-to-week basis.
I just know I can't wait for that Utah vs. TCU game.
No. 21: Stanford
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Stanford is through the meat of its schedule and has a big matchup against No. 15 Arizona on the horizon as the big game for the Cardinal.
The Cardinal would not only have to win out, but have the Ducks lose twice down the stretch to win the Pac-10 and take a trip to the Rose Bowl. With the way Oregon has been playing, that's no guarantee by any stretch of the imagination.
Stanford has had a good season but that loss to Oregon will come back to haunt the Cardinal.
No. 20: Ohio State
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Other than a game with No. 18 Iowa, the Buckeyes have pretty smooth sailing from here on out.
Ohio State has the rivalry game with Michigan to finish the season but the Buckeyes have games against Penn State and Minnesota, not exactly what you'd call the class of the Big Ten. Terrelle Pryor is having a strong season but the Buckeyes are on the outside looking in on the Big Ten title.
The Buckeyes need to hope for Michigan State to falter down the stretch.
No. 19: Michigan State
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The Spartans are in the driver's seat in the Big Ten and people are just waiting for Michigan State to fall like the Spartans have historically done in their history.
Michigan State has the big game against Iowa next week and after that it's Minnesota, Purdue and Penn State. Those are all very winnable games and all games the Spartans should win. However, it would not stun me if Michigan State lost.
That is the Spartans' history after all.
No. 18: Nebraska
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The loss to Texas is even more painful as the Longhorns fell to Iowa State in a game that was just an embarrassment for Texas.
Nebraska should be undefeated right now but now the Cornhuskers are fighting to get into the Big 12 title game and now this weekend's matchup against Missouri is a must win for Nebraska. Taylor Martinez will have to come up this weekend for the Cornhuskers to keep their BCS bowl hopes alive.
It's going to be compelling theater, that's for sure.
No. 17: Missouri
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Missouri is undefeated and is in the driver's seat in terms of making it to the Big 12 championship game. The Tigers just beat No. 1 Oklahoma on a national stage after plenty of people counted Missouri out coming into the matchup.
The Tigers now have Nebraska this weekend and it is the last big test for Missouri and if it wins, there shouldn't be anything that stops the Tigers from making it to the Big 12 title game. Although, as we've seen in the Big 12, especially in Texas, that anything is possible from week-to-week.
I would be shocked to see Missouri lose to anyone other than Nebraska though.
No. 15: Nevada
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Yes, Nevada does have No. 3 Boise State on the schedule, but other than that, there's nothing that should scare anyone in terms of an opponent.
Am I supposed to fear Idaho? What about Louisana Tech? Nope, don't think so. The Broncos are the only big test left on the schedule and the Broncos are going to be a lot for the Wolfpack to handle. Nevada has had an amazing season, but I see the run ending when Boise State takes the field.
A six point loss to Hawaii doesn't exactly build any faith in Nevada.
No. 14: Miami
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The Hurricanes had high hopes coming into the season but that quickly fizzled out after a loss to Ohio State. A big loss to Florida State didn't help either.
However, Miami still has a chance to get to the ACC championship game and that's the Hurricanes' matchup against Virginia Tech. If Miami can win that game and win out, the Hurricanes will be in conference title game with a likely rematch against the Seminoles standing between them and a trip to a BCS bowl.
That would salvage what's been a disappointing season for Miami.
No. 13: Virginia Tech
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Disappointing doesn't even begin to describe how Virginia Tech's season has gone.
The Hokies lost their first two games to Boise State and lowly James Madison. that loss was the worst of all. It was a humiliating defeat to what is a very proud program. Since then, the Hokies have rebounded and are in the driver's seat to get to the ACC championship game.
If Virginia Tech can beat Miami and win out, a trip to a BCS bowl isn't out of question. Then again, you never know what you'll get with the Hokies.
No. 12: Iowa
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It hasn't exactly been the year that most Hawkeyes fans envisioned, but Iowa still has a chance to do damage in the Big Ten.
Iowa will take on Ohio State before season's end and a win there would vault the Hawkeyes above the Buckeyes in the Big Ten picture and likely get Iowa a better bowl game this winter. Two losses have hurt the Hawkeyes this year and the Big Ten title hopes are long gone.
Despite that, don't overlook the Hawkeyes just yet.
No. 11: South Carolina
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The Gamecocks had a big win over defending champion Alabama but went and promptly lost the next week, killing all momentum that South Carolina had built up from the win.
South Carolina is still in line to get to the SEC title game but the Gamecocks need to do work from here on out, including a big game against Arkansas to finish the year. If South Carolina makes the title game, it will likely take on Auburn or Alabama.
I'm not sold on the Gamecocks, but we'll see what they're really made of.
No. 10: Oregon
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The Ducks continue to roll as they throttled UCLA last Thursday on national TV.
Oregon has USC and Arizona down the stretch, not to mention a rivalry game against Oregon State to finish the season. It's not the toughest stretch, but it's not the easiest stretch of games either. The Ducks' offense is so high-powered that I'm not sure anyone can stop it.
We'll find out what Oregon is made of going forward.
No. 9: Baylor
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The Baylor Bears would play in the Big 12 title game if the season ended to day. Let that sink in for a second. It almost hurts to think about.
I'm not sure if that's more of a comment on how good the Bears are this year or the year that the Big 12 is having. It's probably a mix of both but I'm not sure we'll see Baylor in that big game. The Bears have Texas, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma to finish the season and those are all games the Bears can lose.
It's been a great run, but I don't see a conference title game in the future.
No. 8: Mississippi State
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The Bulldogs have two losses on the year but they were to Auburn and LSU, who are no slouches by any stretch of the imagination.
Down the stretch, Mississippi State has Alabama and Arkansas and even winning out won't likely put the Bulldogs in a position to make the SEC championship game. The Bulldogs have been very competitive this year so I wouldn't expect them to back down if I'm those teams.
It's been a crazy year in college football.
No. 7: Oklahoma State
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The Cowboys control their own destiny in terms of making the Big 12 title game and with wins over Baylor and Oklahoma to finish the year, Oklahoma State will be in that big game.
It's not an easy stretch by any means, especially when you realize that the Cowboys have only faced one team that was ranked at the time of their meeting and lost to Nebraska. Oklahoma State will have to fix the problems from that game if it wants to get to the conference title game.
I'm not sure that's going to happen though.
No. 6: Arkansas
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The Razorbacks have lost both of their big games this year and Arkansas has a couple more ahead of them this season.
Arkansas will take on South Carolina, Mississippi State and LSU down the stretch and could drastically chance the Razorbacks' bowl position this winter. There's almost no shot at the SEC championship game but there is plenty of room for improvement.
I'm not sure that Arkansas will accomplish that though.
No 5: Arizona
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Arizona's had a great season so far but this is by far the hardest stretch of the year for the Wildcats.
The next three games are against Stanford, USC and Oregon and that's a span of games that no team in the country would want to take on. It's going to be hard to win each of those games and I'm looking for the Wildcats to come out of this 1-2.
All good things come to an end and I think it's time for Arizona to come back to earth a bit.
No. 4: Oklahoma
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While Oklahoma lost its spot as top dog of the BCS, all is not lost for the Sooners as they still have a great shot at the Big 12 title game.
The Sooners take on Baylor and Oklahoma State and winning out will secure a spot in the conference championship game and a shot at a BCS bowl game and a possible rematch against Missouri. I'm not a huge Bob Stoops fan, but I think he can get his team to the conference title game.
What he does once he gets there is another story.
No. 3: Auburn
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Right now, Auburn is the top team in the BCS standings and it should stay that way for at least a couple of weeks.
The Tigers only have one big game left and that's the season finale against Alabama. It will likely determine who goes to the SEC championship game and if Auburn gets by that, it will be no picnic in that game either.
Cam Newton is the Heisman favorite and is playing amazing for the Tigers right now.
No. 2: Alabama
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It's never easy to defend a national championship but it's extra difficult for the Crimson Tide.
Alabama still has games against LSU, Mississippi State and Auburn to finish the season. While the Crimson Tide had a tough loss against South Carolina, it was late enough in the year that if Alabama wins out, it could find itself in the national title game if the right teams lose.
The Crimson Tide are going under the radar. Watch out.
No. 1: LSU
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Les Miles and the LSU Tigers finally dropped a game against Auburn on Saturday and while LSU won't be making it to the SEC championship game, there's still plenty of football to be played.
The issue is, it's going to be a lot of tough football. The Tigers still have Alabama and Arkansas to finish the season and with the way that LSU loves to play right on the edge of victory and defeat, I wouldn't be shocked to see the Tigers lose both games.
On that same token, two wins wouldn't surprise anyone either.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
