College Football Rankings: BCS Standings Are Being Ruined By Computer Rankings

Every Sunday night, when the new BCS standings are released, they quickly become one of the hottest topics for debate in all of sports. This week was no different.

To calculate their standings, the BCS uses a semi-complicated system involving the synergy of three different polls or rankings.

In the end, it all seems like a waste because the standings never seem right to, well, pretty much anyone. 

I don't think there is a fix, but I do think that taking the computer rankings out of the equation would greatly improve the standings. Take a look at the BCS standings right now:

1. Auburn

2. Oregon

3. Boise State

4. TCU

5. Michigan State

6. Missouri

7. Alabama

8. Utah

9. Oklahoma

10. Wisconsin

Now, compare that to the Harris Poll (decided by voters):

1. Oregon

2. Boise State

3. Auburn

4. TCU

5. Michigan State

6. Alabama

7. Utah

8. Missouri

9. Wisconsin

10. Ohio State

Now compare again to the Coaches' Poll:

1. Oregon

2. Boise State

3. Auburn

4. TCU

5. Michigan State

6. Alabama

7. Utah

8. Missouri

9. Wisconsin

10. Ohio State

If you notice, the Harris Poll and the Coaches' Poll are exactly the same but vary from the BCS standings quite a bit. That's a result of the computers' rankings, which look like this:

1. Auburn

2. Missouri

3. Michigan State

4. TCU

5. Oklahoma

6. Boise State (tie)

6. LSU (tie)

8. Oregon

9. Wisconsin

10. Utah

Now you can see where the discrepancy comes in. The coaches and fans agree on the top 10, but the computer rankings are not even close and thus change the entire BCS standings.

If you ask me, they should take the computers out of it, like I already said. I don't necessarily like the Coaches' Poll anymore than the actual BCS standings. But if the coaches and fans agree on what it should be, then that's what it should be.