College Football: Predicting the Most Shocking BCS Rankings on Sunday

For the past few weeks, college football fans — along with college coaches and players — have huddled around the TV each Sunday night to watch the latest BCS Rankings as they were unveiled on ESPN.

We'll all do it again this Sunday night, too.

But what's wrong with breaking out the crystal ball and trying to make some bold (and some not so bold) predictions.

10. Virginia Tech Moves into Top 20

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CHESTNUT HILL, MA - SEPTEMBER 25: Darren Evans #32 of Virginia Tech Hokies is congratulated by teammates Greg Nosal #75 and Andrew Lanier #72 after Evans scored a touchdown in the first half against the Boston Collge Eagles on September 25, 2010 at Alumn

For this to happen the computers will have to start showing the Hokies a little more love.

Virginia Tech gets a decent opponent in Georgia Tech this week, but it should also be aided by the fact that either South Carolina or Arkansas will likely drop out of the Top 25.

Also the loser of the Baylor-Oklahoma State will drop below the Hokies as well.

9. Arizona Plummets to No. 22

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TUCSON, AZ - OCTOBER 23: Injured quarterback Nick Foles #8 of the Arizona Wildcats congratulates Keola Antolin #2 after Antolin scored a 78 yard rushing touchdown against the Washington Huskies during the second quarter of the college football game at Ar

Following a big loss to Stanford, the Wildcats drop in the polls and the computer rankings and barely hang on in the BCS rankings.

The loss also costs Arizona any real shot at winning its first Pac-10 championship, so now the Wildcats will have to start thinking about a Pac-12 title starting in 2011.

On a positive note, if Arizona could win Saturday it would control its own destiny with a game at No. 1 Oregon on Nov. 26.

8. Florida State Is Missing

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RALEIGH, NC - OCTOBER 28: Christian Ponder #7 of the Florida State Seminoles reacts to a play against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during their game at Carter-Finley Stadium on October 28, 2010 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/G

The Seminoles go from ACC favorite to not even ranked any more after North Carolina pulls off the upset in Tallahassee.

A loss would put the Seminoles out of the Harris and USA Today rankings, as well as drop them considerably in the computer rankings.

This is how the Jimbo Fisher era begins.

7. South Carolina creeps up to No. 17

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COLUMBIA, SC - OCTOBER 9: Coach Steve Spurrier of the South Carolina Gamecocks cheers a touchdown against the Alabama Crimson Tide October 9, 2010 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

The Gamecocks should get a nice, hard-fought victory over Arkansas at home on Saturday.

The Razorbacks are currently ranked one spot higher than South Carolina right now at No. 18, so this should earn Steve Spurrier's boys some strength of schedule points.

The Gamecocks are also helped if No. 17 Oklahoma State loses to No. 21 Baylor.

6. Baylor moves into Top 20

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WACO, TX - OCTOBER 04: Quarterback Robert Griffin #10 of the Baylor Bears drops back to pass against the Oklahoma Sooners at Floyd Casey Stadium on October 4, 2008 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

This is huge for a Baylor program that is used to swimming near the bottom of the Big 12.

Not anymore.

Coupled with a victory over Oklahoma State and some key losses to a few programs just ahead of them, allows the Bears to reach hallowed ground of the Top 20 in the BCS Rankings.

This may seem minor, but for a program like Baylor this is something to celebrate.

5. Stanford a Top 10 Team

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SEATTLE - OCTOBER 30: Quarterback Andrew Luck #12 of the Stanford Cardinal calls a play at the line of scrimmage during the game against the Washington Huskies on October 30, 2010 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. Stanford won 41-0. (Photo by Otto

The No. 13 Cardinal get No. 15 Arizona at home and Jim Harbaugh's team picks up some serious quality points in this one.

It helps that Andrew Luck lights up the Wildcats defense and Stanford maintains a slim hope of winning the Pac-10. But the Cardinal are also trying to position itself for a BCS Bowl Game by winning out and moving up the rankings.

This victory should give Stanford a much needed boost in the computer rankings.

4. Missouri Leaps Ohio State into No. 10

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COLUMBIA, MISSOURI - OCTOBER 23: Blaine Gabbert #11 of the Missouri Tigers passes against the Oklahoma Sooners at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on October 23, 2010 in Columbia, Missouri. The Tigers beat the Sooners 36-27. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty

Since the Buckeyes are idle this week it's difficult to earn in style points, and Missouri can't do much worse than it did last week against Nebraska.

It won't be easy, though. The Tigers will have to put a whipping on Texas Tech and garner more respect from the Harris Poll.

Missouri is also clinging to the hope that it can still win the Big 12 North and get into the conference championship game, so the Tigers have potential to move up these rankings even more.

3. Utah leaps Boise State for No. 4

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FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 14: David Reed #16 of the Utah Utes celebrates with Jereme Brooks #85 after making a touchdown pass reception in the second quarter of the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium on November 14, 2009 in Fort

For this to come to fruition, the Utes must first pull off a mini-upset of No. 3 TCU.

That won't be easy, but it's not impossible. It would also give Utah some quality strength of schedule points and in line to win the Mountain West Conference ... easily the best non-BCS conference in the land.

There could also be an interesting storyline developing. If Utah wins out and could find a backdoor into the championship game against Oregon, it would be a preview of what's to come in 2011 when the Utes move to the Pac-12.

It would also give the new conference some serious bragging rights.

2. Alabama Jumps Boise State for No. 4

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TUSCALOOSA, AL - OCTOBER 16: Trent Richardson #3 of the Alabama Crimson Tide pushes for more yardage against Mike Marry #52 and Lawon Scott #96 of the Ole Miss Rebels at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 16, 2010 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C.

How fired up would the Boise fans be if this happens?

We may find out.  It also seems we're picking on Boise a bit, but this is when that weak schedule hurts the Broncos — even though Boise does play a decent Hawaii team at home.

The Tide get a quality opponent in No. 10 LSU (7-1). A victory at Tiger Stadium is never easy, but Nick Saban loves going back to his former school.

Alabama is also the top one-loss team that most people feel can make it to the title game.

1. TCU jumps Auburn for No. 2

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LAS VEGAS - OCTOBER 30: Quarterback Andy Dalton #14 of the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs hands the ball off to Ed Wesley #34 during their game against the UNLV Rebels at Sam Boyd Stadium October 30, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. TCU won 48-6. (Ph

OK, ignore prediction No. 3 and go with it.

Auburn is not going to earn many strength of schedule points this week playing Chattanooga.

TCU, however, should earn some major points with a road victory at No. 5 Utah. If the Horned Frogs pick up an impressive win it will definitely help distance them from Boise State.

The odds aren't good that TCU makes this jump, and even if the Frogs do it wouldn't last long if Auburn keeps winning. The Tigers would jump back up in a week or two.