BCS Rankings 2011: Michigan and 3 Teams with Something to Prove on Saturday

Week 7 of the 2011 college football season is shaping up to be a big one for teams all over the landscape of the sport. Saturday will be the last opportunity for a number of ranked teams just outside of the BCS picture to state their cases before the first official BCS rankings are released on Sunday.

These three teams, in particular, will look to take full advantage of games against quality opposition to assert their worthiness for consideration among the nation's elite.

Michigan

In year's past, all Michigan has ever needed to be considered a top-tier team is a win over Notre Dame and a few flashy affairs against lackluster opponents.

That much, and a 6-0 record, has pushed the Wolverines to the cusp of credibility under first-year head coach Brady Hoke. Denard Robinson and Co. will finally have a chance to strut their stuff against a ranked conference opponent when they travel to East Lansing to battle No. 23 Michigan State for the Paul Bunyan Trophy.

A win on Saturday will put the Maize and Blue firmly in the driver's seat to win the Legends division of the Big Ten and, as a result, on track to compete for a BCS bowl berth.

Oregon

Oregon has rebounded beautifully from its rough start against LSU in the season opener, winning each of its last four games by an average margin of just under 38 points. Darron Thomas has been as steady as ever under center, throwing 15 touchdowns against just two picks.

He and his Ducks will look to continue their run of success when No. 18 Arizona State, the top cop in the Pac-12 South, rides into Eugene this weekend.

There's no word yet as to whether or not Heisman Trophy contender LaMichael James will play after dislocating his elbow against Cal, though the Quack Attack will be much more lethal if he's healthy enough to chase after his fourth consecutive 200-yard rushing game.

Baylor

It wasn't all that long ago that Baylor was the biggest story in college football. The Bears were 3-0, with a win over a ranked TCU team at home, and had a Heisman Trophy contender in Robert Griffin III looking like the best quarterback in the sport.

Then, they ran into a bit of a hiccup at Kansas State, losing 36-35 and dropping to 0-1 in the Big 12 as a result. Baylor has since rebounded with a win over Iowa State and hopes to reassert itself as a force to be reckoned in the fledgling conference with a win over a tumbling Texas A&M team in College Station on Saturday.

Such success would hardly guarantee BCS glory for the Bears, though it would go a long way toward getting them back to the fringe of the conversation.