BCS Rankings 2011: Notre Dame and 3 Unranked Teams That Can Crash BCS Picture

There will be much buzz surrounding the top two spots when the initial 2011 BCS rankings are released next week, but since there are several BCS bowls, there should be plenty of intrigue up and down the polls.

While those included in the rankings have a leg up moving forward, it is entirely possible that an unranked team could end up in a BCS bowl by season's end. It will be an uphill battle, of course, but there are plenty of teams on the verge of being players in the BCS.

Here are three unranked teams that are also likely to be unranked in the opening BCS standings but have a legitimate shot at making a BCS bowl game.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Despite being lost in the shuffle to open the season, the 4-1 Wake Forest Demon Deacons are very much in the thick of things in the ACC. Wake Forest is tied with No. 8 Clemson for first in the Atlantic division at 3-0, and its lone loss on the season came in overtime to Syracuse.

The Demon Deacons have since won four in a row, including an upset over the Florida State Seminoles last week. Wake Forest will face a massive test this weekend when it takes on the No. 19 Virginia Tech Hokies. If the Deacons can score another upset, though, they will be in position to steal the ACC.

It is certainly conceivable that a Nov. 12 clash with Clemson could determine who will represent the Atlantic division in the ACC championship game. Wake Forest may be flying under the radar now, but a win over the Hokies would immediately make it a player in the ACC.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

There is no question that the Big East is the black sheep of the BCS picture, and it's for good reason. Only one Big East team (West Virginia) is currently ranked in the Top 25, but somebody from that conference has to make a BCS bowl game.

West Virginia is obviously the early favorite, but it's far from a sure thing. Several mid-level teams were in contention until the end last season, and Connecticut ended up sneaking up and grabbing the BCS bid. A similar thing could happen for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, who are currently 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the Big East.

Rutgers certainly isn't the sexiest team, but an excellent defense and opportunistic offense make it one of the conference's main contenders along with West Virginia, South Florida and Cincinnati. The Scarlet Knights will host No. 13 West Virginia in a couple weeks' time, and that could determine the conference's BCS fate.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Most left the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for dead after season-opening losses to South Florida and Michigan, but the Irish have roared back over the past month and currently sit at 4-2. Provided Notre Dame can win its remaining games and finish with just two losses, it stands a good chance of getting one of the BCS at-large bids as an independent.

The Irish will face a big test in the USC Trojans next week but then have a fairly easy road until the season's final week, when they will take on the No. 7 Stanford Cardinal. Notre Dame has been playing mistake-free, complete football games in recent weeks, though, so it has the ability to beat Stanford.

Nobody ever questioned Notre Dame's talent level, but it has long been a matter of whether it can turn in complete efforts. That has been the case recently, as the Irish have played great offensively and defensively and have finally been protecting the football. If Notre Dame plays to its capabilities moving forward, a 10-2 regular season is very possible.