BYU Ranking Discussion: How Did Top 10 Games Affect Cougars' BCS Chances?

We didn’t move up or down this past week, and I think that is fair considering who the teams in front of us lost against.

We were passed by both Oklahoma State and Florida, who beat good Missouri and LSU teams that were both ranked in the top five. Let’s look at the losses and whether they benefited or hurt our hopes.

Oklahoma vs. Texas

With Texas’ late game scoring spree, the Longhorns sealed up the top spot of the AP poll and are now the team to beat in both the Big 12 and the country. This wasn’t the best case scenario for the Cougars, but with the Longhorns and the Sooners still having to play OSU and Texas Tech, I am happy to say some of these teams will have to go.

LSU vs. Florida

This one was a weekend spoiler. Urban wins and jumps us in the polls...crap, crap, crap. Come on Gary C., you need to help us out. Florida’s win gives them the inside track to again fight for a SEC title and a national championship.

We would have preferred LSU win and then lose to Georgia or Alabama, but who knows? The Gators still have some tough games ahead of them (Georgia, S. Carolina, Alabama, Florida State).

Oklahoma St. vs. Missouri

This one shocked me. In fact, this game didn’t even pop up on the radar. Is Oklahoma St. for real? We will see as they go on to play Texas, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma. With those three games coming up, I am thinking that a No. 8 ranking was a little more courtesy than anything else.

Beating No. 3 and moving from 17 to eight, jumping two other undefeated teams—you’re welcome. Enjoy it, because now you get to play Texas, Texas Tech, Colorado, and Oklahoma. The Cowboys played well but won’t last in the top 10 too long.

Alabama almost has their ticket punched to the NC game as long as the Sabanator doesn’t trip up against Tennessee, LSU, or Auburn.

Penn State still has tough games with Ohio St. and Michigan St.

Texas Tech, just like Oklahoma St., shouldn’t last too much longer, and we really need one of the powder-puff Pac-10 teams to beat USC. Maybe Jimmy Harbaugh or Mike Stoops—who needs to save his career—will pull off an upset, but the best bet would be a resurgent California team, who may have found a starting quarterback.

In all, it wasn’t a bad weekend for the Cougars. Yeah, it didn’t go perfectly, but there are still good possibilities as long as the Cougs continue to win.

On a side note, when was the last time three non-BCS team were in the top 15? In the upcoming weeks the Utes and the Boise St. Broncos could be moving up even further.

After a Thursday night win and a few key losses above our current position, I think BYU moves up three spots and are just outside the top five.

Big games for the Utes

Ohio St. vs. Michigan St.: Utes need Michigan St. to win.

LSU vs. S. Carolina: Utes need LSU to win.

Missouri vs. Texas: Utes need Texas to win, but it wouldn’t be bad for BYU if Missouri won.

Georgia vs. Vanderbilt: We both need Georgia to lose and then rebound to win down the stretch.