BCS Rankings Week 14: Movement Everywhere Atop the Standings
With the regular season in the books, nothing is settled in the BCS once again. Now only conference title games and bowls remain.
The Top 10 is again Big Ten heavy as the three teams from that conference (Ohio St., Michigan St. and Wisconsin) finished with the same records. But only the Badgers from Wisconsin will be smelling roses this season.
Auburn's stunning come-from-behind victory over rival Alabama in the Iron Bowl was enough to propel them to the top spot. Despite Oregon's 19-point victory over Arizona, the BCS proclaimed Auburn the top team in the land after their epic comeback.
Oh, did I mention that lost in the shuffle is TCU, who remains undefeated as well. TCU announced today that it will be moving to the Big East in all sports next season.
The BCS again proves to be a complex, computerized system that has its flaws. As for now, it's hard to argue with these rankings even though they're ever-changing this season. If Auburn goes undefeated in the SEC, how couldn't it be the consensus No. 1?
Oregon can make a case coming out of the Pac-10, though it's still the Pac-10, which can't compete with the SEC. The speed of the SEC teams can still burn just about any other conference in the nation.
TCU knocks itself out by not playing in a big-time conference, though this will change next season.
The cry for a playoff is as loud as ever, with three teams undefeated again.
Without further adieu, here are the last regular-season BCS rankings of 2010.
10. LSU Tigers
1 of 10
The LSU Tigers were in freefall this past week. Their loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks was a classic back-and-forth SEC clash.
In the end though, the Razorbacks had too much to be denied. Ryan Mallett was able to exploit the Tigers' vicious defense. As good as their defense is, Mallett proved to be better once again. The massive QB had an answer for everything that LSU threw at him on Saturday.
Stevan Ridley was just about the only Tiger that showed up on offense. Jordan Jefferson, while he had a decent enough game, wasn't nearly the difference-maker that Ridley was.
This loss was a bitter pill to swallow for the Tigers, who would've been on the move upward had they won.
Now, LSU looks ahead to another January bowl. They will most likely find themselves in either the Cotton Bowl or possibly the Capital One Bowl this season.
9. Oklahoma Sooners
2 of 10
In another "leap of faith," the Oklahoma Sooners and Oklahoma St. Cowboys seemingly traded places. Coming into the game, the Cowboys were No. 9, they've now fallen down to 14th.
The Sooners were No. 13, and they've risen up to ninth and are looking at a date with Nebraska with the Big 12 title on the line.
Landry Jones continued his sensational season with four TDs and nearly 500 yards passing. Although his three INTs were costly, the Sooners still escaped Stillwater with another narrow victory.
This was a great shootout between Big 12 powerhouses. Jones, the sophomore, was the difference this time as he connected with nine different receivers in this game.
The Sooners will likely find themselves in the Fiesta Bowl with a Big 12 title game victory over Nebraska. Currently, the Sooners are the favorites going in and look to maintain that momentum and carry it to victory.
8. Michigan State Spartans
3 of 10
The Michigan St. Spartans escaped Happy Valley victorious.
Had it not been for their ugly loss to Iowa last month, the Spartans, too, would be a team involved in national title talk. The Spartans are one of several surprise teams this season and have done a lot to get their name recognized atop the standings.
Michigan St. has had a pretty rough road along the way, yet has come out of it at 11-1 and on its way to a bowl bid. Kirk Cousins is consistent and needs to continue to improve if the Spartans are to win their bowl game. His leadership has gone a long way in putting the Spartans on the map.
B.J. Cunningham's two TDs on Saturday were instrumental in victory. He now has a TD in five of his last six games (six total during that span).
They now look ahead to a bowl, possibly a BCS one, but most likely the Capital One Bowl awaits.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Arkansas Razorbacks
4 of 10
Arkansas can flat-out score and has such a balanced attack offensively.
Ryan Mallett's marvelous career has come full circle, as he now looks to jump to the NFL Draft in his junior year. This 6'6", 238-pounder fills out at quarterback and can throw the ball a mile. Though Mallett would benefit from sticking around, all signs point to him going to the NFL.
The Razorbacks will not compete in the SEC because of Auburn's winning the West. But they will almost certainly compete in a BCS bowl game. They will probably be participating in the Sugar Bowl against Ohio St., another chance for the SEC to prove its speed over the Big Ten.
6. Ohio State Buckeyes
5 of 10
Ohio State is sitting on the outside looking in for various reasons. Its placement here is fair, as its loss to Wisconsin put them out of contention. Ohio State's thumping of rival Michigan was impressive, as it shut down Denard Robinson, making him irrelevant.
The Buckeye defense has been among the best in the nation all season long and was on display this Saturday.
They now have another chance to prove their worth in the Sugar Bowl, where they will likely face Arkansas. The Buckeyes will need their defense to stop Ryan Mallett and also must have Terrelle Pryor work his dual-threat magic if they are to emerge victorious.
Besides Pryor, there is not enough offensive firepower for the Buckeyes, which will doom them against the Razorbacks.
5. Wisconsin Badgers
6 of 10
A majority of Wisconsin's offense has come on the ground courtesy of their two-back system. James White, the speed back, and John Clay, the big bruising runner, have helped Wisconsin return to the top. White has been better and better with each game, while Clay's numbers have dipped.
Their dynamic running game isn't the only thing that's helped them become Big Ten champions. While their offense gets a lot of the praise, the defense has done its part all season long of keeping opponents at bay. They're currently ranked 29th in points allowed per game.
The Badgers will be smelling roses this season despite the three-way tie for first in the Big Ten. Their BCS ranking was the greatest of the three and thus gave them privilege over Michigan St. and Ohio St.
4. Stanford Cardinal
7 of 10
Andrew Luck was again exceptional this Saturday as the Cardinal moved up in the standings to fourth, just on the cusp of BCS National Championship Game. Luck broke John Elway's school record for TD passes in a single season, now with 28 on the year.
Luck's NFL stock has constantly risen this season as Stanford has come into the national spotlight.
Stanford's loss to Oregon clears them from the controversy that is the BCS. Though the Cardinal played a harder schedule than TCU, their loss automatically takes them out of it in 2010.
The Cardinal will now head to a BCS bowl under Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh's progress each year now has led to an 11-1 season, and they will compete in a big-time bowl for the first time since 1972, when they won the Rose Bowl over Michigan.
3. TCU Horned Frogs
8 of 10
TCU football being in third place and going undefeated isn't even the biggest story at the school today. Their move to the Big East in all sports one-ups that first point.
The Horned Frogs, because of a wacky system, will be on the outside looking in and will not play for the national title as is, unless of course Auburn loses the SEC Championship Game to South Carolina. This is highly unlikely, though stranger things have happened.
TCU brings the best defense in the country along with them to the national title discussion board. This is impressive, though coming from the SEC (Auburn) and/or Pac-10 (Oregon) will suffice this season.
Who knows, maybe next year when they're in the Big East they will get a serious look.
As for now though, a spot in the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin seems imminent.
2. Oregon Ducks
9 of 10
Oregon is National Championship Game-bound; this much is clear.
Whether they go in as No. 1 or No. 2 is irrelevant to them. It appears, though, that they will be No. 2 at the moment as Auburn's Iron Bowl win impressed the system enough to crown them the new No. 1.
LaMichael James, Oregon's dazzling sophomore running back, will likely win the Heisman Trophy this season and deservingly so. His fantastic numbers as an undersized soph are impressive and will catch the attention of voters. But more than that, James wants a national title.
With a potentially epic title game match with Auburn hanging in the balance, the Ducks can punch their ticket this weekend with a victory over the Oregon St. Beavers.
1. Auburn Tigers
10 of 10
The Auburn Tigers were the best and worst team in college football this Saturday in their Iron Bowl victory. At times, they appeared to be the best in the land, which they presently are. Then at other points, they looked like the worst team in the game as Alabama nearly triumphed after jumping out to an early lead.
What more can be said about Cam Newton? Without him, the Tigers wouldn't be playing in the SEC Championship Game nor have a shot at the BCS championship either.
Now, the Tigers are one win away from giving the SEC yet another representative in the title game. If they are victorious in the Georgia Dome this Saturday, they will be in the BCS National Championship Game.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
