BCS Rankings Week 14: BCS Bowl Projections Based on Seventh BCS Rankings
The BCS Rankings for Week 14 essentially provide us with concrete projections for each of the five BCS bowls.
The BCS National Championship Game is all but set with Oregon and Auburn each one game away from wrapping up their seasons undefeated, and many think Auburn will get there even if they lose to South Carolina.
The other bowls (the Orange, Fiesta, Sugar and Rose) are not as set in stone, as there still several conference champions to be determined. But we do have projections for each of these BCS bowls for you anyway.
We also have ideas for what the bowls might look like if things don't go according to plan.
Start the slideshow to go bowling.
The Fiesta Bowl
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Oklahoma vs. Stanford
The Big 12 champion is tied to the Fiesta Bowl, and the Sooners are the early favorite after they defeated Oklahoma State on Saturday night and are now the highest-ranked Big 12 North team in the BCS.
So they'll likely get to Glendale by winning the Big 12 Championship Game over No. 13 Nebraska.
Stanford's road is a little more complicated. The Fiesta Bowl has the last at-large pick, and the Big East had been the foregone conclusion up until the last two weeks. Geographically, it makes more sense for the Fiesta Bowl to take the No. 4 Stanford Cardinal, even if they can't fill their own stadium.
It would be Oklahoma's fifth Fiesta Bowl, and first since the 2007 season. It would be Stanford's first.
The Fiesta Bowl: Speculative Version
2 of 10
Nebraska vs. Stanford
There's little reason to doubt that Stanford will end up in the Fiesta Bowl at this point, but Oklahoma obviously hasn't earned their way to Glendale quite yet.
The Cornhuskers are no pushover, and they could definitely beat the Sooners to win the Big 12 championship.
If so, they would go to Glendale.
It would be their seventh Fiesta Bowl, which would be more than any other team in history. However, they haven't been since 2000, after the 1999 season, of course.
The Orange Bowl
3 of 10
Virginia Tech vs. Connecticut
The ACC champion is tied to the Orange Bowl, and the Hokies have the inside track on that right now. They're the first ACC team since Florida State in 2000 to finish with a perfect conference record.
Coincidentally enough, they play the Seminoles in the ACC Championship Game, and are the early favorites.
UConn needs a win at South Florida to wrap up the Big East. If they do, they would be a a better at-large choice than Stanford for the game, which will be played in Miami.
This would be the fourth appearance for Va. Tech, which won the Orange Bowl in 2009. This would be the first Orange Bowl, and first BCS bowl of any kind, for the Huskies.
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The Orange Bowl: Speculative Version
4 of 10
Florida State vs. West Virginia
If Florida State does indeed end up winning the ACC Championship Game, then they will be the ACC representative in Miami for the Orange Bowl.
If West Virginia beats Rutgers and UConn loses to South Florida, the Mountaineers would be your Big East champs. And they would still make more sense from a geographic and economic standpoint than Stanford, so they would likely get an invite.
The Mountaineers are the better team anyway, as they are the only Big East team in the BCS top 25. They also boast the second-ranked defense in the country.
This would be Florida State's ninth Orange Bowl, having made their last appearance after the 2005 season. It would be the first for West Virginia.
The Sugar Bowl
5 of 10
Arkansas vs. Ohio State
The SEC champion is tied to the Sugar Bowl. Because that looks to be Auburn right now, and because Auburn is a lock for the BCS National Championship Game, the Sugar will have to find a replacement.
The general consensus is that it will be a shock if it doesn't select another SEC team, and the Hogs have proven themselves as the next best option.
As for Ohio State, they will be available, and a Big Ten-SEC matchup would be too much of a cash cow for the Sugar Bowl to pass up.
And it does sound pretty sweet (chuckle chuckle), as it would pit Ryan Mallett against Terrelle Pryor.
This would be the sixth Sugar Bowl for Arkansas, and their first since 1979. This would be Ohio State's fourth, and first since the 1999 Sugar Bowl.
The Sugar Bowl: Speculative Version
6 of 10
South Carolina vs. Ohio State
Bear with me here, because this is just a hypothesis. As much as I'd like to prove it, there's just no way you can know with the BCS.
Even if Auburn does lose to South Carolina in the SEC Championship Game, the general consensus is that they would still head to Glendale for the BCS National Championship Game, anyway.
But that would make the Gamecocks the SEC champion, and the Sugar Bowl would have to take them.
Ohio State is done with games, so they'll still be there for the taking, and would still be a good choice.
This would be the first ever Sugar Bowl for the Gamecocks, so that part would be pretty cool.
The Rose Bowl
7 of 10
Wisconsin vs. TCU
Traditionally, the Rose Bowl is the Pac-10 champ vs. the Big Ten champ. Wisconsin wrapped the Big Ten up via a BCS tiebreaker, so they'll be headed to Pasadena unless something ridiculous happens with the four teams ahead of their No. 5 spot.
But with Oregon due for a date in the BCS National Championship Game, they'll have to be replaced. The rules state for the games from 2011 through 2014, the first year the Rose Bowl loses a team to the National Championship Game, the highest ranked non-AQ team must play in the Rose Bowl.
Right now, that's No. 3 TCU.
This would be the seventh Rose Bowl for Wisconsin, who last went in 2000 (the second of two straight Rose Bowls). This would obviously be the first for TCU.
The Rose Bowl: Speculative Version
8 of 10
Wisconsin vs. Oregon
While the consensus is that Auburn can afford to lose in the SEC Championship Game and still go to Glendale, Oregon's slip to No. 2 means they definitely don't have that luxury in Saturday's Civil War matchup with Oregon State.
If they lose, they won't be going to Glendale. But they're still the Pac-10 champ, so they'll head to Pasadena instead.
Pretty good matchup, don't you think? Wisconsin's offense has been on fire in November, but only my Cal Bears have managed to stop Oregon all year.
This would be the sixth Rose Bowl for the Ducks, who lost to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl last year.
The BCS National Championship Game
9 of 10
Oregon vs. Auburn
This has been the projected matchup ever since Week 9, so hopefully you're not surprised right now.
But it still has the feeling of a great matchup, as it would pit the unstoppable Cam Newton against an offense that can more than keep pace with the Tigers.
In fact, it would probably come down to who gets the ball last. Kinda like a baseball game, except not boring.
The BCS National Championship Game: Speculative Version
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Auburn vs. TCU
Auburn is going to end up in Glendale one way or another, but things get very interesting if Oregon were indeed lose to Oregon State.
Who would replace them?
Not everybody believes that TCU would automatically get the nod, even if they are undefeated. But at the same time, it would be awfully hard to keep them out.
Well, why not? I can think of no better way of letting a non-AQ school like TCU prove itself than by throwing it against the best team that the best conference in college football can offer.
But here's the real issue: What if TCU were to somehow win? What happens to the BCS then?
Sound off in the comments.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
