College Football Rankings: 7 Teams Who Will Love First BCS Standings

The first BCS standings of 2011 will mark the beginning of the college football season's mad-dash to the BCS title game. With the over-hyped preseason pretenders gone, the national title picture starts to crystallize.

The fine folks at bcsguru.com have created BCS projections for the 2011 season. While this weekend's slew of games may alter the standings, the rankings are a solid foundation to commence BCS discussion.

Using historical precedents and analysis of the contenders' future schedules, here are seven teams who should be ecstatic about the upcoming BCS standings.

Kansas State Wildcats

Projected BCS Ranking: 14

Historically, a first BCS standings rank of 14 has been too low to contend for a national championship. But a title was never the expectation in Manhattan, Kansas.

This years Wildcats are actually reminiscent of in-state foe Kansas four years ago.

Neither team had any preseason buzz, and the Jayhawks were ranked 13th in the first BCS standings of 2007. Kansas ended up with only one defeat on the year, finishing off a dream season with a resounding Orange Bowl victory over Virginia Tech.

Kansas State would likely have to beat one of the Oklahoma-based juggernauts to punch a BCS bowl game ticket, but it wouldn't be the first time they've surprised.

Illinois Fighting Illini

Projected BCS Ranking: 12

A first-week ranking of 12 is the cutoff point for title contenders; LSU had the lowest first-week rank for a BCS champ, going from No. 12 to title winner in 2003. Not that Illini fans should get ahead of themselves. They're coached by a guy who went for a two-point conversion because he didn't know the score.

However, Illinois does have plenty of reasons to be optimistic. Nathan Scheelhaase has become perhaps the most underrated QB in college football. And while their their schedule hasn't exactly been murderer's row, they did knock off a pretty good team in Arizona State.

What's more, their two toughest remaining games—against Wisconsin and Michigan respectively—are at home.

A Rose Bowl berth might be more plausible than you'd think.

Wisconsin Badgers

Projected BCS Ranking: 6

The Badgers are ranked fourth in both the Coaches and Harris Poll. So being ranked sixth in the overall BCS standings would have to be a disappointment, right? Well, not exactly.

First, there is precedent. Two teams—2002 Ohio State and 2006 Florida—won it after taking sixth in the initial precedent. So being outside the Top Five is certainly no death sentence.

But the new gets even better.

Wisconsin has the easiest schedule of any BCS contender not on blue turf. Should they run the table, they would pass Boise State and the losers of the Oklahoma/Oklahoma State and Alabama/LSU games. Basically, they would automatically be No. 3 on the pecking order.

They would still be vulnerable to the 2004 Auburn treatment, but they are sitting in a better spot than the No. 6 would indicate.

Oklahoma State Cowboys

Projected BCS Rank: 4

In the world of BCS rankings, sometimes where you start is as important as where you finish. The strange thing is that you want to start at No. 4.

In fact, four teams have won the title after starting at the four spot—more than from any other position. But that's not the only reason to be high on Justin Blackmon and co.

The Cowboys essentially control their fate. If they win out, they should be playing for the championship in the Superdome. Of course, they would have to beat Oklahoma for the first time since 2002 to get there.

The good news is that Bedlam series is held at Stillwater this year.

LSU Tigers

Projected BCS Ranking: 3

Les Miles' club is another team that would figure to be disappointed by their ranking. They are ranked No. 1 by the AP Poll, after all. But they would be happy to know that ranking No.1 or No. 3 doesn't really matter. Winning does.

After steaming four ranked opponents, the notion of LSU going undefeated isn't unrealistic. Their biggest obstacle is clearly Alabama.

But if any squad in the country can take down the Crimson Tide, it's these Tigers. A win could give them a 13-0 record, and a certain trip to the BCS title game.

Oklahoma Sooners

Projected BCS Ranking: 2

The 2011 season is unique in that the top four teams all have to play another top four team during the regular season. This leads to yet another team that controls its own destiny.

Will the Sooners' championship hopes come down to the Oklahoma State game? You might not want to pencil it in just yet, as they do still face tough road tests at Baylor and Kansas State.

If they do manage to arrive to Stillwater unscathed, the OU/OSU contest could be a de facto semifinal (assuming OSU would also be blemish-free).

The winner would most definitely play in the national championship game.

Alabama Crimson Tide

Projected BCS Ranking: 1

Being ranked at No. 1 in the first BCS poll isn't all that significant; surprisingly, only the 1999 Florida State team and 2004 USC have won the title from the pole position.

The reason Alabama should be happy is for a familiar reason; they know they'll be in if they win.

To be fair, there are some potential losses on their schedule. Their clash with hated Auburn isn't a sure thing. Neither is a potential SEC championship game.

However, there's a good chance it could all come down to the probable Game of the Year against LSU.

Good thing it's in Tuscaloosa.