BCS Rankings 2011: West Virginia Mountaineers & Teams Destined To Be Underrated

When the first BCS rankings of 2011 are released in the coming weeks, there are sure to be some surprises.

We'll find out which SEC powerhouse is No. 1 in the eyes of the coaches and computers, but mostly the computers.

Teams like Boise State and Houston are almost guaranteed to be overlooked considering their strength of schedule and weak conferences.

Teams like Wisconsin and Stanford are sure to be overrated based on their conference's reputation and the occasional win over a Top 25 opponent.

Here are three teams that will get the short end of the stick when the season's first BCS rankings are released following Week 8:

No. 13 West Virginia Mountaineers (5-1)

The WVU hype train went straight off the cliff following the Mountaineers' loss to LSU in Morgantown three weeks ago.

However, just six weeks into the college football season, West Virginia looks like the runaway favorite in the Big East Conference, having steamrolled defending conference champion Connecticut 43-16 last week.

Still, the rest of WVU's schedule boasts no AP Top 25 teams and will likely keep the Mountaineers under the radar heading into the first BCS rankings.

No. 14 Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-1)

Nebraska's 31-point loss at the hands of the Wisconsin Badgers on the road was a rude welcoming to the Big Ten for the historic former Big 12 program.

The loss likely cost the Cornhuskers a shot at the BCS National Championship Game considering the Badgers must now slip up along the way as well as other title favorites.

Nebraska's lack of a strong schedule the rest of the way will also assist in helping fade the Cornhuskers into college football afterthought.

No. 19 Virginia Tech Hokies (5-1)

Another 5-1 team surrounded by plenty of disappointment is Virginia Tech. The Hokies lost a huge game to the Clemson Tigers inside the conference two weeks ago, and must now aim for a win over No. 12-ranked Georgia Tech in November.

The Hokies have a great defense, the 14th-best scoring D in the nation to be specific, but will be haunted by their loss to Clemson and the fact that they are in the ACC.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter @_Pat_Clarke