BCS Ranking: Rating the One-Loss Teams
With every Sunday comes the new BCS rankings which seemingly have everyone confused.
Teams that are still undefeated are still shuffling around and a dominating performance in the PAC 10 is considered more valuable than one in the SEC. It is mass hysteria.
Where does that leave the one loss teams who are all still starring up at all the teams with perfect records?
Here is a quick look at each of those teams and how they rank and why they are where they are.
No. 10 Nevada
1 of 10
Record: 7-1
Conference: WAC
Loss: @ Hawaii
The Wolfpack are the low man on the totem pole based on both their BCS ranking (23) and AP ranking (25). There are a multitude of two loss teams ahead of them and that is primarily due to strength of schedule and conference.
Playing in the WAC the only reasonable loos that Nevada should have incurred over the year would have been Boise State. But a loss to the Rainbows, even on the road doesn't hold up to the computers or their human counterparts in the rankings.
No. 9 Michigan State
2 of 10
Record: 8-1
Conference: Big 10
Loss: @ No.18 Iowa
Sparty was looking to have a Cinderella season and is relevant again in College Football for the first time in a very long time.
They have some very impressive wins to their name, but you had to wonder when the shoe would drop. It happened last week with a beat down at the hands of Iowa. A loss on the road to a solid team is nothing to be ashamed at but the way they lost has caused the Spartans to fall out of favor dropping to No. 14 in the BCS and No. 16 in the AP polls.
No. 8 Arizona
3 of 10
Record: 7-1
Conference: PAC 10
Loss: Home to Oregon State
The Wildcats (No. 15 in the BCS, No. 13 AP) definitely lose points for dropping a game at home. Granted it came against a very talented Oregon State group, great teams just don't lose at home.
The PAC 10 for all its hype isn't particularly strong. Aside from Oregon, USC is down by their standards, and Oregon State, and Washington have underachieved.
Arizona has a nice win over then No. 9 ranked Iowa but will be tested when they play conference foe and fellow one loss Standford this week.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
No. 7 Oklahoma State
4 of 10
Record- 7-1
Conference: Big 12
Loss: Home to Nebraska
You can forgive the Cowboys (No. 17 in the BCS, and No. 19 AP) their loss to Nebraska, but the Big 12 just isn't what it has been with conference Rival Texas being down this season.
Still the Cowboys have yet to defeat a ranked opponent and they still haven't played Texas, No. 21 Baylor, or No. 8 Oklahoma.
No. 6 LSU
5 of 10
Record: 7-1
Conference: SEC
Loss: @ No. 4 Auburn
The Tigers lost the battle of the Tigers two weeks ago and despite the criticism and close games still garnered enough support to rank as high as No. 10 in the BCS and No. 12 in the AP.
Les Miles has come under fire, but LSU still is winning a majority of its games and is clearly better than last year. Plus they play in the SEC which as tough as that conference is is worth some points.
No. 5 Oklahoma
6 of 10
Record: 7-1
Conference: Big 12
Loss: @ No. 11 Missouri
The team that was the surprise No. 1 team in the BCS has fallen off just a bit following its loss to the Missouri Tigers in a Big 12 Conference match up.
The loss on the road is acceptable and the Sooners (No. 8 in the BCS, No. 11 AP) had beaten two previously ranked teams in Florida State and Texas, though both have dropped off a bit or a lot in the case of the Longhorns.
The Sooners still have Baylor and Oklahoma State remaining on their schedule and both are currently ranked. If they can win out they definitely will climb the rankings even in a slightly down final year for the Big 12.
No. 4 Wisconsin
7 of 10
Record- 7-1
Conference: Big 10
Loss: @ No. 24 Michigan State
The Badgers (No. 9 in the BCS and No. 7 AP) have had an impressive year in the Big 10 aside from their one loss on the road at an improving Michigan State team.
Why you may ask are they ranked higher here than the Oklahoma who is higher in the BCS or Michigan State who beat them? For starters they have beaten the then No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes and the then No. 15 ranked Iowa. Any time you beat a No.1 you move up a few spots.
The rest of their schedule doesn't help as they should easily win out. The toughest game would probably be at Michigan.
No. 3 Nebraska
8 of 10
Record: 7-1
Conference: Big 12
Loss: Home to Texas
There is no doubt Bo Pelini is well on his way to re-establishing Nebraska football. Aside from the one hiccup against Texas when the Cornhuskers fell flat, they have been as impressive as any one loss team.
At No. 7 in the BCS and No. 9 in the AP polls the Huskers need a lot of help to move up. Their road is pretty clear with no foreseeable threat. They will win the Big 12 North easily and a win in the Big 12 Championship may once again help determine their fate.
No. 2 Stanford
9 of 10
Record: 7-1
Conference: PAC 10
Loss: @ No. 4 Oregon
Sure the PAC 10 isn't as good as the SEC or even the Big 12 (maybe), but Stanford thanks to Andrew Luck and Jim Harbaugh is the real deal.
The only loss for the Cardinal (No. 13 in the BCS and No. 10 in the AP) was at Oregon, which is definitely excusable. They surely won't be a National Title Contender but could take on most any of the other unbeatens on this list.
I dare you to say they couldn't. After seeing Luck lay out a USC defender I'm afraid if I said otherwise he might clean my clock.
No. 1 Alabama
10 of 10
Record: 7-1
Conference: SEC
Loss: @ No. 19 South Carolina
The Tide (No. 6 in the BCS and No. 5 AP) have lost but are certainly not forgotten. The big boys of the SEC didn't take the loss lying down and have taken care of business ever since falling to South Carolina.
They clearly have the best chance of any one loss team to keep the BCS mix interesting. A win against rival Auburn and current BCS No. 2 would certainly send the computers and human voters into hyperdrive trying to figure out if they deserve to jump the likes of Boise State, Utah, and TCU.
Stranger things have happened and as long as the Tide hold serve up to and beyond the match up with the Tigers there isn't anything another one loss team can say about it.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
