BCS Poll 2011: How the Top 25 Could Look on Oct. 16
This time next week, the first installment of the BCS Rankings will be released for college football fans to analyze, critique and discuss about how the BCS either got it right or got it wrong. Every year when these rankings come out, there are teams that fans either say they are ranked too high or too low.
Last year, when the first BCS rankings were unveiled, the top two teams were Oklahoma and Oregon.
Oklahoma lost that following week, dropping them from the top spot and opening the door to eventual BCS Champion Auburn, who opened the rankings in fourth.
Will this year's BCS Poll have the top two teams go from the first week of the rankings all the way to the final polls?
Or will there be a number of teams flip-flopping positions every week, making for BCS controversy as a number of teams finish the year with one loss.
Either way, it will make for a great way to end what has been a tremendous college season.
25: Houston Cougars, 6-0 Overall 2-0 Conference USA
1 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 22
Associated Press Poll: UNR
Houston ranks first in passing yards per game (451) and eighth in points per game (45) in the NCAA, are led by fifth-year senior quarterback Case Keenum and have one win over a BCS school in UCLA 38-34.
The Cougars have a great chance at finishing this season as an undefeated team that steadily moves up the poll every week.
Who knows, maybe we'll see this team in a BCS bowl game this year?
24: Penn State Nittany Lions, 5-1 Overall 2-0 Big-Ten
2 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 24
Associated Press Poll: UNR
Penn State is winning games the old-fashioned way: through defense. They won't score a ton of points on you, as they rank 93rd in the NCAA in points per game, but they will wear you down by keeping the game close.
Penn State is the forgotten team in this Big-Ten Conference for the flashier teams like Wisconsin, Nebraska and Illinios.
But this team ranked seventh in the NCAA in points against may upset those Big Ten favorites when they play them later in the season.
23: Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 4-2 Overall
3 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: UNR
Associated Press Poll: UNR
After winning their fourth straight game this week against Air Force, the Irish should find themselves back in the Top 25 of both of these polls. However, they are on the outside looking in at the polls.
Notre Dame has started to play with a lot of confidence, which should scare the teams left on their schedule.
They have a great chance at turning around a season that started out so poorly, with those losses to South Florida and Michigan.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
22: Georgia Bulldogs, 4-2 Overall 3-1 SEC
4 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: UNR
Associated Press Poll: UNR
Georgia and Notre Dame are two teams that have mirrored seasons through six games. Both teams started out 0-2, both teams had questioned if their coach was the right man leading their team and both teams had fanbases that demand perfect seasons.
The Bulldogs have turned around this year by winning four straight games, with three of those four wins coming inside of their conference.
At 3-1, the Bulldogs are set up nicely to make a run at the SEC East Division Championship.
21: Kansas State Wildcats, 5-0 Overall 2-0 Big-12
5 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 18
Associated Press Poll: 20
This, like the Baylor Bears ranking, is a prediction that Kansas State loses their game before these polls are released when they travel to Texas Tech to play the Red Raiders.
But before that game, Kansas State will improve their rankings in both polls. They are a perfect 5-0 on the season and have beaten good teams in Miami (FL) and Baylor.
Kansas State will continue to be a force inside of the Big-12 conference the rest of the season. It will be interesting to see where this team finishes and what bowl game they go to.
20: Florida Gators, 4-2 Overall 2-2 SEC
6 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 18
Associated Press Poll: 17
To describe the Gators recent plunge in both polls, after a loss to Alabama and LSU, I have to quote Tom Petty's song "Free Falling", "Yeah I'm free.......I'm free falling."
The Gators may find themselves out of the polls before their game against Auburn next week. But a win against the defending National Champions will give enough of a push to this Gators team to be ranked in the top 20.
19: Baylor Bears, 4-1 Overall 1-1 Big-12
7 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 24
Associated Press Poll: 25
Baylor surprised everyone this year by winning their opening game against TCU in thrilling fashion, 50-48. People knew that Bears quarterback Robert Griffin III was good, but, they did not know that he was THIS good, as on the season, he has 18 touchdown passes to 20 incomplete passes.
The Bears start in this position next week after they beat Texas A&M in College Station, Tex.
18: Michigan State Spartans, 4-1 Overall 1-0 Big-Ten
8 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 19
Associated Press Poll: UNR
When this happens next week, please come back to this story and see that you read it here first: Michigan State will upset Michigan at home next Saturday.
It's a battle of the state of Michigan and a world-class offense in Michigan versus the No. 2 defense in the NCAA in points against per game in Michigan State.
We're going to bet on the Spartans, coming off a bye-week, being able to stop Michigan's quarterback Denard Robinson for the upset victory.
17: Virginia Tech Hokies, 5-1 Overall 1-1 ACC
9 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 17
Associated Press Poll: 21
Virginia Tech is lucky to come out of their game against Miami (FL) with a victory. They allowed the Hurricanes to score 14 unanswered points with less than 10 minuets left in the game to swing the lead from 31-21 to 'Tech losing 35-31.
Next week, the Hokies have a tough game against a surprising 4-1 Wake Forrest.
After the game against Wake, 'Tech has Boston College and Duke the following weeks before an epic ACC showdown with first place Georgia Tech
16: Illinois Fighting Illini, 6-0 Overall 2-0 Big-Ten
10 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 15
Associated Press Poll: 19
Illinois is the surprise team in the Big Ten this year. No one expected them to be at 6-0 on the year while leading the Big Ten's Leaders division. They have a one-game lead over Penn State and a half game lead over Wisconsin.
That game against Wisconsin on Nov. 19 will determine who wins this division.
15: West Virginia Mountaineers, 5-1 Overall 1-0 Big East
11 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 16
Associated Press Poll: 16
If there is only one representative from the Big East conference in the BCS this year, it will be this team. They were the only team to represent the Big East in the first Associated Press Poll while being left out of the USA Today Coaches Poll.
Once the BCS Rankings come out on the 16th, WVU will find themselves as the only team from their conference represented on this poll.
14: South Carolina Gamecocks, 5-1 Overall 2-1 SEC
12 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 13
Associated Press Poll: 18
The South Carolina Gamecocks season is like a prize wheel at your local fair. There's someone that's spinning the wheel (Steve Spurrier) getting SC fans to come in and want to wager on where the season will end.
Will it end on the space where it says SEC Championship game in Atlanta?
It could end on the space where it says 8-4 and New Year's Day Bowl game.
Or does it end on the space where it says 11-1 National Champions?
Round and round the Gamecocks season goes, where it stops, no one knows.
13: Michigan Wolverines 6-0 Overall 1-0 Big-Ten
13 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 10
Associated Pool: 12
This is based on No. 18 Michigan State's win over this Michigan team next week when the two teams meet in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan has been a big surprise this year, as the offense is getting all of the headlines, but it's the defense that should be the big story.
In previous Michigan seasons, they have started fast, but something has happened to this team where the poor defensive play catches up with Michigan, resulting in a disappointing finish.
That something that hasn't happened yet is a Denard Robinson injury.
12: Nebraska Cornhuskers, 5-1 Overall 1-1 Big-Ten
14 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 14
Associated Press Poll: 14
Nebraska was a quarter and a half away from starting out in the Big-Ten at 0-2. But, after an injury to Ohio State's quarterback, Braxton Miller, the Cornhuskers were able to comeback after being down 27-6.
Following this win, the Huskers have a very bad Minnesota Gophers team next week. They'll win in Minnesota heading into the first week of the BCS Rankings with a lot of chances to move up in the BCS Poll with games to come against: Michigan State, Michigan and Penn State.
11: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 6-0 Overall 3-0 ACC
15 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 12
Associated Press Poll: 13
There are two teams in the ACC that are surprising everyone in their conference. One team will come up later on in these rankings, the other team is this Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket squad.
This team has matched their total numbers of wins this year by winning their first six games. They should win the ACC Coastal Division, setting up a rematch in the ACC Championship game, with a Clemson team they play in four weeks.
10: Arkansas Razorbacks, 5-1 Overall 1-1 SEC
16 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 11
Associated Press Poll: 10
If this Arkansas team played in any other conference than the SEC, they would be a favorite to win their conference championship every year. Except they play not only in the same conference as the last five BCS National Champions, but they're in the same division as three of those four champions.
Arkansas once again will have to play third fiddle behind Alabama and LSU this year, resulting in missing out on another BCS Bowl game.
9: Clemson Tigers, 6-0 Overall 3-0 ACC
17 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 8
Associated Press Poll: 8
Clemson has been the biggest surprise through six weeks of the college football season. They went on a rampage of upsetting teams by taking down the defending BCS National Champions Auburn, then a former top five team in Florida State and finishing it off with defending ACC Champion Virginia Tech.
They are for real this year as a team to watch out for in a BCS Bowl game this year.
They may be this year's Auburn Tigers, as a team that comes out of nowhere to play and win the BCS National Championship.
8. Oregon Ducks, 4-1 Overall 2-0 Pac-12
18 of 25USA Today's Coaches Poll: 9
Associated Press Poll: 9
The losing team in the BCS Championship game will start lower than where they started at last year, so they'll have a lot of work to do if they want to get back to this game.
They will leap Clemson in the first polls, as next week, while Clemson is playing unranked Maryland, Oregon plays ranked Arizona State at home. Oregon fans can expect another lopsided win for their Ducks as they begin their quest back to the National Title game.
7. Oklahoma State Cowboys, 5-0 Overall 2-0 Big-12
19 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 7
Associated Press Poll: 6
This ranking is on the thought of Oklahoma State crushing Texas in Austin next week before these rankings are published. When the Cowboys are able to beat the Longhorns next week, it will plant the Cowboys in a great spot at seven.
You can expect to see this Oklahoma State team just sit around while waiting for teams around them to lose.
Their make-or-break game will come in December against in-state rival Oklahoma.
6. Stanford Cardinal, 5-0 Overall 3-0 Pac-12
20 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 5
Associated Press Poll: 7
Stanford has yet to play a ranked team while only having one ranked opponent left on their schedule. This is going to hurt Stanford in trying to get over teams that are ranked ahead of them.
The game against Oregon will help in gaining maybe one spot over teams that share the same record as Stanford. If their fans want to see their team in the National Title game, they will need a lot of teams to lose at least one game.
5. Boise State Broncos, 5-0 Overall
21 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 6
Associated Press Poll: 5
Boise State once again is going to open this BCS Rankings in the top five, with their supporters that say they should have a shot for the National Title game and their detractors that say they shouldn't since they're not in a BCS Conference.
Again, Boise State will need teams ahead of them to lose one-game or more for the Broncos to have a serious shot at making the National Title game.
4. Wisconsin Badgers, 5-0 Overall 2-0 Big-Ten
22 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 4
Associated Press Poll: 4
Wisconsin is a very dangerous team mixed with an NCAA top five defense and offense. That's the entire NCAA, not just their Big Ten conference, where the Badgers rank No. 1 in points per game and tied for first in points allowed per game.
They will win next week against Indiana, as last year when these two teams played, Wisconsin dropped 70 points on the Hoosiers.
The following week, Wisconsin travels to Michigan State in test of two phenomenal defenses.
3. Alabama Crimson Tide, 6-0 Overall 3-0 SEC
23 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 3
Associated Press Poll: 2
Alabama has the best chance out of any of the teams ranked before them to finish this season as the No. 1 team in the BCS. And why? It's because they play in the SEC, where five of the last BCS Champions have come from.
They have beaten three ranked opponents already on the season with an epic encounter against LSU forthcoming.
2. Oklahoma Sooners, 5-0 Overall 2-0 Big-12
24 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 1
Associated Press Poll: 3
Oklahoma started this season as the overall No. 1 team in the country. But, only playing one ranked team in his non-conference schedule has dropped this team from the top spot in one of the polls.
The press has the idea that LSU and Alabama are more deserving of the top two spots in the rankings.
However, the coaches feel opposite, as week in, week out, they rank them at the top.
It will be interesting to see where the computers will have Oklahoma when the BCS Rankings come out next week.
1. LSU Tigers, 6-0 Overall 3-0 SEC
25 of 25USA Today Coaches Poll: 2
Associated Press Poll: 1
LSU will open the first BCS Rankings as the No. 1 team overall. They have survived a quarterback getting suspended only weeks before their first game of the season against Oregon. They have survived playing four ranked teams, three of those games on the road.
And they will be rewarded with the top spot as the team expected to play in their home state of Louisiana in the Superdome in New Orleans for the BCS National Title.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
