BCS Rankings Projections Week 12: Who Will Be 10 Biggest Losers This Week?
When it comes to the BCS rankings, college football teams don't even necessarily have to lose games in order to see their placement in the standings sag. Most of the focus rests on the top five teams in the BCS standings, and deservedly so, as those teams engage in the highest-profile bowl games across the nation.
But the standings can shift on a dime depending on what unfolds in a given week, and the Week 12 action should be no exception to the usual upheaval in the BCS.
Which 10 teams can expect their positioning to drop in the BCS standings? How will the top 25 shake out once the Week 13 rankings are released? Here we'll discuss 10 teams who could take a dip in the standings and some reasons why.
Boise State Broncos (No. 4 In Week 11 Poll)
1 of 10
Boise State remains undefeated, but they are suffering from the fact that the teams above them keep winning, and the fact that their caliber of opponent is simply not on the same level as even another mid-major like TCU.
Boise State wrecked Idaho this week, but I think they'll drop down at least one spot to No. 5. Why? LSU took a steamroller to their minnow non-conference opponent, but their strength of schedule gives them a leg up on Boise State.
Boise State needs one of the top SEC teams to lose in order to climb in the BCS rankings, but that's not happening this week.
Stanford Cardinal (No. 6 In Week 11 Poll)
2 of 10
Stanford just barely escaped a road Pac-10 game against Arizona State, winning 17-13 and withstanding a definite challenge from their conference rival.
I expect them to drop at least one spot, thanks to the dominant effort portrayed by Wisconsin in their victory over Indiana.
It comes down to the strength of opponent and the style of the victory often times, and as a result I see Wisconsin jumping up a spot and pushing Stanford down a spot.
Oregon Ducks (No. 1 In Week 11 Poll)
3 of 10
Oregon barely escaped on the road against Cal, and I think they will cede the top spot in the BCS standings to the Auburn Tigers, who posted a convincing home victory over the Georgia Bulldogs.
This is a prediction based just on the fact that Auburn has beaten its major challenges within the SEC, and largely done so in convincing fashion.
Oregon has had some extremely tough Pac-10 games in which they've looked beatable, which I think bounces them down from the top spot this week.
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Michigan State Spartans (No. 11 In Week 11 Poll)
4 of 10
Alabama's victory over Mississippi State this week means I think they will jump over Michigan State, on their bye week, and move to either No. 11 or possibly even 10 in the BCS standings.
Oklahoma State defeated Texas, but it's possible they too could slip down a spot, all because of Alabama.
Even though they've got two losses, the BCS loves the SEC and I think Alabama knocking off a ranked opponent and only losing to Auburn and South Carolina, the two other powers in the conference, they will move up in Week 12.
Iowa Hawkeyes (No. 13 In Week 11 Poll)
5 of 10
Iowa was upset this week, and they are a virtual lock to drop down into the 20s after suffering their third loss of the season on the road at Northwestern.
Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri all won in Week 12, so I expect all those teams to jump up at least a few spots.
Iowa had been a spoiler of sorts in the Big Ten this year, knocking off some big teams in the conference, but their loss to Northwestern could drop them a decent amount this week.
Utah Utes (No. 13 In Week 11 Poll)
6 of 10
Two consecutive weeks and Utah has lost in heartbreaking fashion each time, first getting steamrolled by the TCU Horned Frogs at home, then going on the road to South Bend and shockingly losing to unranked and injury-depleted Notre Dame.
Utah had been undefeated, but once they started being tested by the teeth of their schedule, they've fallen off completely. It looks like their undefeated run was a bit inflated, and they are sure to drop this week.
Arizona Wildcats (No. 18 In Week 11 Poll)
7 of 10
Arizona had grown to a decent standing in the Pac-10, a two-loss team but with both their losses coming to the other top teams in the conference.
This week they were knocked off by USC, a loss that could send Arizona out of the top 25, but certainly down to the bottom of the rankings.
Mississippi State Bulldogs (No. 19 In Week 11 Poll)
8 of 10
Another of the SEC's strong teams in 2010, Mississippi State will drop in the Week 12 polls after their loss at the hands of defending national champions the Alabama Crimson Tide.
They've had good wins in their conference, but a third loss to a team even as good as Alabama will certainly mean a drop, even if not a big one.
Florida Gators (No. 22 In Week 11 Poll)
9 of 10
The Florida Gators have suffered through a very inconsistent and disappointing season in their first post-Tebow campaign.
Another loss, this time at home to the South Carolina Gamecocks, means the Gators are due to slip in the BCS rankings, potentially out of the top 25 altogether.
Kansas State Wildcats (No. 24 In Week 11 Poll)
10 of 10
Kansas State had made a nice run in the Big 12 but their fourth loss, this week to Missouri on the road, is too much to keep the Wildcats in the BCS rankings.
They've played a very tough schedule for which they deserve credit for withstanding, but a fourth loss, and to another top 25 team, means they will slip in this week's poll.
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