BCS Rankings Week 3: Who's Overrated and Underrated in Latest BCS Poll?
BCS Rankings Week 3 is now upon us. Now, we can finally dissect the Top 10 as the ever-controversial ranking system has them.
As with every week, we will say goodbye to some good friends that we were just getting used to seeing in the Top 10. Spartans, you will be missed. But as with every week, I have issues with the standings as they were. I feel like the BCS and its statistical wisdom drops some of the subjective things I notice on a weekly basis. Basically, my gut tells me different.
So here is the BCS breakdown with five overrated teams and five that are underrated.
10: LSU Underrated
1 of 10
LSU should be ranked higher. I understand they are coming off a loss, but that loss should count as a win in light of some of the defeats higher-seeded BCS teams have.
They went into the lions den and still almost beat Auburn, a team that is arguably the best in the nation. Also, while many top teams can tout a prolific offense, many are unable to combine that with the kind of stingy defense LSU has.
This week will prove my argument. With a home game against Alabama, the Tigers will show they are the better team.
9: Wisconsin Underrated
2 of 10
Wisconsin is the victim of a loss three weeks ago to the Spartans. I submit to you it was a loss to a team that was, at that time, playing as good as any team in the nation.
Since that loss to a hot team, the Badgers have gone a long way to make the case that they are a Top Five team. They trounced Minnesota, then shocked Ohio State, which was at the time the No. 1 team. Not done, they beat Iowa last week. Iowa has since beat the team that is the Badgers only loss—the Spartans.
I feel I need to make a spirited case as the remaining games for Wisconsin should be cakewalks. With no strength in the schedule remaining, Wisconsin will be on the outside looking in on a national title. It deserves to be higher. It deserves a shot in the top six of these teams.
8: Oklahoma Underrated
3 of 10
Oklahoma's only loss came against the defensive pressure of Missouri. The Sooners just ran into a fired-up Missouri team, a team that also happens to be very good. They still managed to put up 27 points. That is exactly what this team's offense is capable of.
Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles just make sense together. Each time they link up, it is a thing of beauty. Oklahoma will make it back to loftier positions though. The team will get gifts from the two Texas teams left on the schedule. Then the Sooners have games that will give their strength of schedule a boost, but do little in the way of deterring them from finishing this season with only one loss.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7: Nebraska Overrated
4 of 10
Here we go—my first overrated team. I can just hear some of you out there sizzle. Look, all teams in the Top 10 deserve to be here. This is a matter of inches we are dissecting here. So the inches I am looking for here are in Texas.
No team should be held accountable for just one loss, unless you are tying to make a BCS case. So the loss to Texas has to go down as the worst loss in the BCS Top 10. It came at the hands of a bipolar team that seems very disinterested on the field. This is exactly the type of game you need to take if you plan on contending for a title.
You may also throw in the fact that the Huskers barely beat Oklahoma State the following week.
6: Alabama Overrated
5 of 10
As I continue to anger the better portion of college football faithful, why not continue with Alabama. This rating had me looking ahead to the Crimson Tide's next matchup with LSU. I just kept saying to myself, LSU is a better team. LSU has faced a better opponent—namely Auburn.
Alabama is up for another wake-up call as it travels to LSU this weekend. The Tigers defense is unlike anything the Crimson Tide has seen this season, much better than they saw from South Carolina in their Oct. 9 defeat.
5: Utah Overrated
6 of 10
Ah, yes, Utah. That is my favorite team to hate on in the BCS. Utah is TCU and Boise State without the stigma that they get for being smaller programs. Well, Utah should get some of that stigma because they still have played no great teams.
The Utes' first test was its opening-game win against Pittsburgh in which they needed overtime to secure the W. Since that time they have played bad team-after-bad team. All the while they move up the ladder with no one saying a thing.
Their latest show of weakness was beating Air Force by a narrow margin. The win came at the hands of Air Force's own shortcomings, where they coughed up the ball five crucial times. But I do get my call for a true test at last when as their next opponent is fellow BCS Top 10-team TCU.
4: Boise State Underrated
7 of 10
Boise State and TCU should be flipped. At the very least, the Broncos need to be in third as they were last week. This is a simple argument.
Both teams are undefeated, but the Broncos have beaten a much better class of programs. They beat No. 10 Virginia Tech in Week 1 and then No. 24 Oregon State a couple of weeks later.
3: TCU Overrated
8 of 10
Smaller programs do not play tough teams. It is an argument that Boise State has since tried to quiet by scheduling harder games. TCU has not yet done the same.
The Horned Frogs are good. They have a fantastic offense that has basically beaten up on the smaller kids at the playground. Pardon me, but I will not give brownie points for bullying.
I do await, with bated breath, the answer to all of my TCU questions as they take on Utah next.
2: Auburn Underrated
9 of 10
I see. So the No. 1 team gets a decisive win and drops a slot to No. 2. Yes, it is the BCS and it is as dysfunctional as ever. Sure Auburn was playing also-ran Mississippi, but Oregon was not exactly playing any world beaters in USC.
If you are going to dock a team for playing a horrible one, then please take Utah out back and end my misery. All I am asking for is that we meet half way.
1: Oregon Overrated
10 of 10
Allow me to continue my argument. USC is not a good team. They may be able to score quite well. But the Trojans' lackluster season has everything to do with one of the more porous defenses I have seen at USC in some time.
I understand the Ducks put up 53 points on the Trojans. Bravo. Here is a sticker for you. The Trojans average 30 points against this season. It was only natural the Ducks offense was going to feed on Saturday.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
