BCS Standings 2011: Which Dark Horses Have Best Chance to Crash BCS Party?

The first batch of BCS rankings are set to be released Sunday night. The top portion of the polls have remained pretty stagnant in recent weeks since the top dogs have been holding serve. With conference play heating up, don't rule out a dark horse or two finding its way into the BCS by season's end.

LSU, Alabama and Oklahoma remain the clear-cut top three, but LSU and Alabama have a huge clash on Nov. 5, while Oklahoma has to travel to in-state rival Oklahoma State, which is ranked in the top 10. In other words, the door will be opened soon enough for teams currently off the radar.

Here are five dark horse teams to keep your eye on in the coming weeks.

No. 8 Clemson Tigers

It's been a magical season for Clemson. Few people gave them a chance to run the gauntlet through Auburn, Florida State and Virginia Tech, but they did it in rather convincing fashion. And most of it is because of Tajh Boyd, who has been one of the nation's most surprising players.

Boyd has thrown 19 touchdowns and just three interceptions after receiving limited playing time last season. Sammy Watkins has been Boyd's main target, catching 46 passes and eight touchdowns, including two in Saturday's shootout win at Maryland (he also returned a kickoff to the house).

Clemson still has trips to Georgia Tech and South Carolina left on its schedule, not to mention a huge ACC Atlantic division clash with Wake Forest inside Memorial Stadium. That said, a trip to the BCS National Championship Game isn't out of the question if they run the table and get a little help.

No. 11 West Virginia Mountaineers

West Virginia is often overlooked because they play in the Big East, but the team's only loss came against LSU, and running the table is a distinct possibility. That would lock them into a BCS bowl via the conference's automatic bid, which isn't linked to any specific game.

The Mountaineers' passing game, led by Geno Smith, ranks fourth in the nation at over 380 yards per game. Smith spreads the ball around, finding 12 different receivers, including six at least 10 times. The defense will need to improve to match up with BCS competition, however.

Rutgers and Cincinnati will be the two biggest tests for West Virginia over the final two months. Both teams have defenses ranked inside the nation's top 15, so if the Mountaineers do run the table, they'll have earned a BCS bid.

No. 15 Michigan State Spartans

Most people are expecting the Wisconsin Badgers to claim the Big Ten's automatic bid, but don't count out the Spartans. Michigan State won the Paul Bunyan trophy on Saturday and will get a chance to prove themselves against the Wisconsin next weekend.

They don't get a lot of respect because they don't win by scoring 50 points per game like the Badgers, but instead with a ground-and-pound mentality. They'll try to slow down Wisconsin's offense by winning the time possession battle and keeping Russell Wilson on the sidelines.

A win would put Michigan State in firm control of the Legends Division, which is important ahead of a matchup with Nebraska right before Halloween. If the defense can continue shutting down opponents, Michigan State's BCS dreams are far from dead.

No. 24 Arizona State Sun Devils

Stanford, Oregon and Washington are all in the Pac-12 North, which means Arizona State is the favorite to emerge from the South. That would give them a ticket to the conference's title game and put them one win away from a BCS bid.

Cameron Marshall has already scored nine touchdowns on the ground, and Brock Osweiler has 15 through the air (although he will need to cut down on his interceptions). The Sun Devils have already knocked off USC, which means a road trip to UCLA will likely decide their fate.

That puts them in good shape. Now, they'll just need to improve their play against top-level competition. Arizona State lost to the Ducks on Saturday by two scores. In a potential title game clash, the defense will need to step up and make more stops. If they do, a BCS trip could be in the Sun Devils' future.

Unranked Cincinnati Bearcats

If West Virginia can't claim the Big East crown, you have to believe Cincinnati will be the team to claim the Big East's bid. The Bearcats rank in the top 15 in both points scored and points allowed.

Isaiah Pead is one of the most underappreciated players in America. The senior running back is averaging nearly seven yards per carry and has eight touchdowns in six games. And Zach Collaros gives them a dual-threat option at quarterback, making it a tough offense to shut down.

Cincinnati plays the Big East's only ranked team, West Virginia, at home on Nov. 12. That is the biggest hurdle between them and a BCS bid. Four of their last six games are on the road, so it won't be easy, but they have the talent to get it done.