BCS Standings 2011: Oklahoma State and Top 5 Teams Sure to Shock

Just because your team doesn’t make it into the top three of the first BCS Ranking on Sunday night doesn’t mean that your team has no chance at making it to the national title game in New Orleans.  

In previous years, a team that was ranked as low as No. 10 in the opening poll, has climbed all the way to the top of the polls to not only play in the national title game, but win it.  

Last year, when the first poll was released, eventual national champion Auburn started at No. 4.  

So if your favorite team isn’t Alabama, LSU or Oklahoma—the three teams that will open the first poll on Sunday in the top three—it doesn’t mean your national championship dreams are over.  

So chin up, fan bases of these three teams that will be near the top five in the first BCS standings. You still have a lot of season to improve your spot in the poll that determines the national champion.

Oklahoma State Cowboys

The Cowboys have a great chance at not only leapfrogging LSU and Alabama in future BCS standings, but they also play in a much easier conference in the Big 12 than the SEC. The Cowboys will destroy the Texas Longhorns this week in Austin, then go through the rest of their schedule, leading to a December 3 game against in-state rival Oklahoma.  

This game on December 3 in Norman, Oklahoma, could well determine who plays in the national title game in the Superdome.

Wisconsin Badgers 

The Badgers have taken the Big Ten by storm this year, opening up with a 5-0 record and blowing teams out in every game this year. This week, they have an Indiana team against which they scored 70 points last year.  

They have big games left on their schedule against No. 23 Michigan State, No. 16 Illinois and Penn State. Both ranked games are on the road, which will help the Badgers improve their ranking in the BCS poll. 

Clemson Tigers 

Clemson is the surprise team of the year through the first half of the season. They started unranked in both the Associated Press and USA Today coaches' polls, but now are ranked No. 8 in both. 

They have two more games against ranked opponents in No. 12 Georgia Tech and No. 13 South Carolina. Wins over those two teams will give them five wins over ranked teams this year.  

Those wins should be enough to put the Tigers into serious contention over any of the other undefeated teams that may be ahead of them.  

Three teams, all with serious resumes that support their cases as to why they should be in the top five of the BCS. It’s a shame that they cannot all play each other instead of letting a computer decide which one is the best. 

Twitter: @tjmcaloon