BCS Rankings 2011: 5 Players Who Hold the Fate of the BCS Standings

As tonight's BCS rankings approach, we continue to take a look at Top 10 teams and what makes them tick.

As expected, there is one player in each big BCS contender who remains the most important piece of each team's puzzle. 

Last year, that player was Cam Newton for Auburn and Andy Dalton for TCU. They are superstars who stand out on the gridiron, who their teammates rally behind in tough times and who perform in the clutch.

Here are the five big-time players whose teams couldn't do without them in BCS competition. 

Oklahoma: Landry Jones

Landry Jones has really replaced Sam Bradford well, taking over the starting job last year and leading OU to a Fiesta Bowl win over UConn.

This year, he heads up a strong Sooner offense and is working to lead Oklahoma to an undefeated record and a national title.

His 68 percent completion percentage is of Heisman quality, while his 16 passing touchdowns speak for themselves.

Bob Stoops depends on Jones to make plays in big games, his latest one against Texas in Dallas. He completed over 60 percent of his passes for 367 yards and four touchdowns, owning the Longhorns' defense.

Count on Landry Jones to be in the Heisman race all the way to season's end, competing with the best of them. 

Alabama: Trent Richardson

We all know that Mark Ingram was fantastic. However, anyone who could make Tide fans forget about Mark Ingram has to be even better.

Meet the man behind 'Bama's rushing game, who has the Crimson Tide vying again for a BCS National Championship.

Trent Richardson is the only running back on this prestigious list, making him a gem that Nick Saban polished and shined to perfection.

He single-handedly rushes for an average of 130 yards per game, already gaining 936 yards through Week 7 in a very tough SEC West division.

Richardson averages around seven yards per carry, which is amazing. His quickness and ability to break tackles make him all the more dangerous as the Tide heads into some of their toughest SEC games of the year. 

Stanford: Andrew Luck

Andrew Luck was all the hype this offseason and the favorite for the Heisman. So far, he has run Stanford quietly to an undefeated record behind his strong arm and smart choices. 

He averages over 280 yards per game in the air and has thrown 18 touchdowns already.

Over 70 percent of his passes find their mark, which is more than impressive. Luck's three interceptions show how smart his decisions are through six games.

His continued success will drive this Stanford team to a Rose Bowl berth.

LSU: Tyrann Mathieu

The man behind LSU's powerful defense is no monster, but instead a small defensive back who plays like he's larger than life.

The "Honey Badger" floats around the field, making huge plays against the pass and the run.

Tyrann Mathieu is the heart of a team that can win the whole thing this year.

The Tigers rally around this player like no one else, making him a prime candidate for this list. Considering he's the only defensive player of the five, it just shows how special a player he is to the top-ranked team in America.

Two interceptions, 43 tackles and 1.5 sacks highlight Mathieu's defensive prowess that forces teams to respect him lurking, whether it be in the flat, the back field or deep in coverage.  

Clemson: Tajh Boyd

Tajh Boyd is the wild card on this list. He has performed extremely well so far this season, leading Clemson to a top spot in the rankings and an undefeated record.

He completes over 60 percent of his passes and has an average of 290 yards per game in the air. His quickness has kept him on his feet, rushing for 218 yards so far.

He has 18 touchdowns between both passing and rushing. Boyd's dual threat makes him a powerful weapon Clemson would dearly miss if he fell to injury.

Leading the Tigers to an ACC Championship and a spot at the Orange Bowl would be huge for Boyd. Watching him play now suggests he may outperform quarterbacks such as Andrew Luck and Landry Jones.

As a sophomore, his impact is impressive, and seeing Clemson without him on the field would be a giant detriment to a good football team.