Projected BCS Rankings: LSU Will Headline Top 5 When Poll Released

The first BCS poll of the season will be released next week, and barring a monumental collapse on the part of LSU, you can bank on the Tigers sitting at No. 1 next week.

The undefeated Tigers have been absolutely dominant this season, and they've been playing top-level competition. I will be shocked if they aren't at the top of the initial BCS poll.

The BCS formula is ridiculously complicated (here's a pretty understandable breakdown) but essentially it's just a combination of the Harris Poll, the Coaches Poll and computer rankings.

Here are my unofficial projections for what next week's Top 5 will look like.

1. LSU Tigers

As I said in the intro, I would be shocked (SHOCKED) if LSU isn't at the top of the poll come next Sunday.

Just six games into the season, the Tigers have already played and dominated four ranked opponents. No. 3 Oregon, No. 25 Mississippi State, No. 16 West Virginia, and No. 17 Florida have all felt the wrath of LSU's suffocating defense (rankings at time of games).

The Tigers have perhaps the best defense in the country, led by the insanely talented and emotional Tyrann Mathieu.

Personally, I can't picture the Tigers losing all year. Their defense is too good, running backs Spencer Ware and Michael Ford are too consistent and quarterback Jarret Lee is too efficient with the ball.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide

Like their SEC rivals, the Crimson Tide have faced plenty of quality opponents and they've convincingly destroyed them all.

No. 23 Penn State, No. 14 Arkansas, and No. 12 Florida have all been smacked down by Alabama this season.

Running back Trent Richardson is just absurdly talented and has already rushed for 622 yards (fifth in nation) and 10 touchdowns (fourth).

3. Oklahoma Sooners

The Sooners, who are currently ranked first in the Coaches Poll, haven't faced the same level of competition as LSU or Alabama, but they've been dominant nonetheless.

Oklahoma annihilated Texas on Saturday, blowing out their Red River rivals, 55-17. That win pushed their average margin of victory to 29.4 points per game.

Junior quarterback Landry Jones has lived up to his Heisman potential, throwing for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns thus far.

4. Wisconsin Badgers

The 5-0 Badgers are currently ranked fourth in the Coaches Poll and I think that's where they'll find themselves in the first edition of the BCS.

Wisconsin hasn't played the stiffest of competition, but in their one battle against a ranked opponent, they were VERY impressive.

The Badgers welcomed the then-eighth ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers to the Big Ten by beating them, 48-17.

Wisconsin is third in the nation in points per game (48.4) and tied for second in points allowed per game (10.2).

It doesn't matter who you're playing, that's damn impressive.

5. Clemson Tigers

The Tigers currently trail Boise State, Oklahoma State and Stanford in the Coaches Poll, but I think they'll leapfrog those three teams because of their strength of schedule.

Clemson has already played and beat three ranked opponents, more than BSU, OSU and Stanford COMBINED.

Quarterback Tajh Boyd has been excellent thus far, throwing for 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns.

If the Tigers aren't in the top five of the first BCS, something is clearly wrong with the system.