BCS Rankings 2010: 10 Teams the Computers Just Can't Get Right
The Oregon Ducks and Auburn Tigers have made friends with the BCS Rankings computers. The Boise State Broncos, TCU Horned Frogs, and Utah Utes clearly have not.
The 2010 BCS Rankings might as well be called the LeBron James Rankings. It seems that the computer cannot make a decision and when it does, there is an uproar about the final choice.
Over the past three weeks, there have been three different number one teams. Oklahoma lost its way to a fall in the rankings, while Auburn still doesn't know why it finds itself at number two this week.
After this weekend, five unbeaten college football teams remain. After TCU plays Utah this weekend, it is guaranteed that only four will remain. The real question is: will a one-loss team from a major conference jump an unbeaten Boise St., TCU, or Utah to get into the BCS championship?
The computers will control the fate of the BCS.
Here are 10 teams the computer just can't seem to get right.
10. Nevada Wolf Pack
1 of 10
Count me out of this wolfpack.
The Nevada Wolfpack might be 7-1. They might have one of the best running games in the country. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick may be one of the most dynamic dual threat quarterback's you have never heard of.
Still, Nevada doesn't even belong in the Top 25.
The Western Athletic Conference is one of the weakest in all of Division I. Nevada beat a .500 California team this year at home; however, the Wolfpack lost to Hawaii, a team that has looked far more impressive lately.
A showdown remains with Boise State on November 26th. Nevada probably is out of contention for an at-large BCS bid; however, ruining the Broncos chances could be just as fun.
9. Virginia Tech
2 of 10
Really? Virginia Tech at 22?
The computers really got this one wrong.
Sure, the Hokies have won seven straight after losing their first two, but look at those seven wins. Besides an 11-point road victory over North Carolina State, Virginia Tech's next best win is against Boston College.
While the ACC is a historically weak conference for a major conference, it has taken it to the next level this year. When the Hokies lost to Boise State at a "neutral" site (I would hardly call Fed Ex field in Maryland neutral), they deserved a break. It was a close, tough game, a particularly difficult one to start the season.
However, there is no excuse for losing to James Madison at home. That is a deal breaker.
If the Hokies can win out against some decent competition in Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and Miami, they can deserve to be on the BCS Rankings list.
But for now, the computers have got this team way wrong.
8. South Carolina
3 of 10
Besides a devastating road loss to Kentucky by the Gamecocks, Steve Spurrier's team has been on track this year. That loss is the only thing keeping South Carolina from a shot at the BCS title game.
The Gamecocks have been a balanced team all season. Obviously, their biggest win came against then No.1 Alabama Crimson Tide at home.
South Carolina's other loss was an eight-point road loss to the undefeated BCS No. 2 Auburn Tigers.
A matchup looms with No. 18 Arkansas Razorbacks this weekend. It will give the Gamecocks and opportunity to demonstrate that they belong in the top ten.
While a BCS title game seems out of the question for the Gamecocks this season, they control their own destiny in terms of an SEC Championship birth. If South Carolina can win in a rematch against Auburn or Alabama, not only will they earn a Sugar Bowl birth, but some will question if the Gamecocks really belong in a different BCS game.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Iowa
4 of 10
Iowa has run into some bad luck this season and deserves to be much higher in the BCS Rankings. Iowa is 2-2 against ranked opponents this year and 4-0 against unranked opponents which include Michigan and Iowa State.
Iowa's one-point devastating loss to Wisconsin and seven-point road loss to Arizona are the barriers keeping this team from BCS contention.
Iowa's complete annihilation of Michigan State this week demonstrates the Hawkeye mentality. Iowa knows it is likely out of BCS title game contention, but they also know they had the talent to make it this year.
I would look for Iowa to crush Ohio State when the Buckeyes come into town on November 20th.
6. Arizona
5 of 10
Another team that can't seem to get any love from the BCS computers is the Arizona Wildcats. Despite only one loss of a margin of two points to a good Oregon State team, Arizona finds itself all the way down at No. 15 in this week's rankings.
Arizona has taken care of its Pac-10 rivals as well as a big out of conference victory against an extremely tough Iowa Hawkeyes team.
Unlike the two-loss teams surrounding them, Arizona, I believe, still has an outside shot at the BCS title game. Their schedule will provide the Wildcats with an excellent opportunity to prove their worthiness.
In the next three weeks, Arizona plays BCS contenders Stanford and Oregon on the road which sandwich a home game versus the always competitive USC Trojans.
If Arizona makes it through this gauntlet unscathed and takes care of Arizona State in the final game of the season, they will have a case to jump an undefeated Boise State or Utah team.
5. Stanford
6 of 10
Stanford currently sits at No. 13 in the BCS rankings this week. Here is my problem with Stanford:
Andrew Luck is one of the best quarterbacks in college football. Stepfan Taylor has rushed for over 100 yards on average and six touchdowns in the last five games.
The schedule just hasn't been there. A ten point victory against the 1-8 Washington State Cougars? A two-point home win against the Lane Kiffin-era USC Trojans?
Sure, these are victories, but how impressive are they really?
Stanford has played only one ranked opponent and that was Oregon. The result was a crushing defeat. Stanford gets their biggest test remaining in the season with Arizona this weekend. With a victory Stanford has an outside shot of leap-frogging one of the non-major conference undefeated teams.
I'm just no sure that Stanford deserves that opportunity.
4. LSU
7 of 10
It is said that "defense wins championships." Well, I guess LSU hasn't gotten the message that you need an offense as well.
On paper LSU's schedule looks very impressive. Three wins have come against ranked opponents.
However, taking a closer look, North Carolina held a bunch of players out, West Virginia has lost to Connecticut and Syracuse, and Florida is just not the same team without Tim Tebow. None of the ranked teams LSU has wins over remain ranked today.
One can argue that LSU's lone loss comes to a great Auburn team. Well, Auburn is a great team, but LSU just isn't.
I expect a free fall in the rankings next week after LSU hosts No. 6 Alabama.
3. Nebraska
8 of 10
How Nebraska is at No. 7 boggles me. In fact, I am surprised that they are ranked within the top ten.
Nebraska supporters will point out that this is a team that has won two straight games over ranked opponents. An easy counter-argument is to actually look at those teams.
Oklahoma State doesn't actually have a defense, while Missouri had been riding an easy schedule and an inspiring victory over the top-ranked Oklahoma team to their No.6 ranking.
Besides these opponents, Nebraska has played virtually second-tier competition this season, and a home loss to Texas proves that point.
Bo Pelini's squad is good, and they will likely win out until a Big 12 Championship game with the biggest road block a Texas A&M team that is beatable.
But is Nebraska a better team than Oklahoma, Wisconsin, or Ohio State?
I don't think so, but the computer seems to have a crush on this Cornhusker team.
2. Alabama
9 of 10
The defending National Champion holds the distinct honor of being the highest-ranked one-loss team meaning that if either Auburn or Oregon falls, the Crimson Tide will have the best opportunity to jump the non-major conference undefeated teams.
Alabama has the look of a National Championship contender. The running back tandem of Richardson and former Heisman Mark Ingram is one of the best, if not the best, in all of college football. Similarly, Greg McElroy and Julio Jones provide Alabama with clutch offensive performances.
And I haven't even begun to mention the defense. The Crimson Tide rank second in college football in defense allowing under 13 points per game.
With a victory over No. 10 LSU this weekend, Alabama could jump Boise State. It is really more of an eventuality that a one-loss team will jump Boise State and TCU.
Why not this weekend?
1. Oregon
10 of 10
This one that the computers finally got right, but I mention it because it took so long. Oregon is, and should be the No. 1 team in the country.
Led by Darron Thomas and LaMichael James, this Oregon offense is not only the best in college football this season, but one of the best college football offenses of all time.
Averaging an incredible 54.9 points per game, the Ducks have decimated opposition this season. The defense is actually pretty good as well ranked 17th in the country.
After a thorough road win against the USC Trojans this weekend, Oregon leap-frogged Auburn this week for the No.1 spot in the BCS rankings. While Auburn did not lose and remains a great team, Oregon deserves this spot.
The Arizona Wildcats, along with some other Pac-10 obstacles, remain as the only barrier between the Oregon Ducks and a BCS National Championship birth.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
