College Football Power Rankings: Which BCS Conference Tops Charts in Week 8?

The SEC has long been declared the best conference in the nation, but the Big 12 is making a case this season, with five ranked teams and powerhouses Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

But is it enough to topple the SEC, a conference composed of No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama?

No. 10 Oregon may not be headed for the BCS Championship Game for the second straight year after losing to LSU, but the Ducks still lead a proud Pac-12.

And, of course, there's quarterback Russell Wilson, Wisconsin and the Big Ten.

Here are the Week 8 BCS conference rankings.

11. Sun Belt

The Sun Belt Conference's best team is by far Louisiana-Lafayette, a 6-1 squad that has yet to beat anyone of significance.

I don't expect the Ragin' Cajuns to beat anyone of significance, either, and their 61-34 loss to Oklahoma State is proof of this.

Troy has also fallen since last season, which doesn't help the conference's cause.

10. MAC

Ball State, Toledo and Temple have been better this season, but this conference still doesn't have any true firepower, and Central Michigan's demise certainly isn't helping.

And it's always fun when Miami (OH) defeats Kent State 9-3.

9. WAC

Hate to say it, but this conference is just WAC since No. 5 Boise State's departure to the Mountain West Conference.

San Jose State's 28-27 victory over Hawaii came complete with 12 turnovers. Fresno State is the leader of the conference with a 3-4 overall record. And Nevada has fallen since uprooting Boise State last season (where are you, Colin Kaepernick?).

8. MWC

Picking up Boise State was huge for the MWC, but San Diego State's dropoff, combined with TCU's decision to start underachieving after switching conferences, makes this conference a shade of what it could be.

I still think there could be some good things ahead for the MWC, but for now, it has disappointed overall.

7. Conference-USA

Casey Keenum and No. 19 Houston have given C-USA a boost behind a loaded offensive attack, and you have to like Southern Methodist.

The problem is, both these teams are being courted by the Big East.

However, for now, one ranked team and an overachiever puts you at No. 7 overall.

6. Big East

Connecticut's dropoff hasn't helped Big East's cause in repeatedly being mocked throughout the nation, but the Big East still has No. 15 West Virginia and the Cinderella-that-was, South Florida.

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights have also been a surprise at 5-1 overall, but they haven't beaten anyone good yet. Nonetheless, they are beating teams they used to lose to. It's a good start.

5. ACC

No. 7 Clemson is everybody's favorite Cinderella team.

On top of that, it actually appears the Tigers might just stick around. Three wins against Auburn, Florida State and Virginia Tech is certainly respectable.

The ACC have been let down by Florida State, Maryland and Miami (FL), but surprises Clemson and Georgia Tech have helped the conference remain decent. The Virginia Tech Hokies are also No. 12 in the country.

4. Pac-12

No. 8 Stanford and No. 10 Oregon have followed up stellar campaigns in 2010 with solid play in 2011, and No. 25 Washington has been able to creep into the rankings despite losing quarterback Jake Locker to the NFL.

But USC has been disappointing, and quarterback Matt Barkley hasn't been as good as expected. Few experts are grouping Barkley in with Oklahoma's Landry Jones now.

3. Big Ten

No. 18 Michigan and No. 23 Illinois certainly didn't paint the conference in a good light with losses in Week 7, and Ohio State and Northwestern have been disappointments, but the fact of the matter is, the Big Ten still boasts six ranked teams.

You add in the fact that it has an elite program in No. 6 Wisconsin that still has a chance at the title game, and there's still a lot to like about this conference.

2. Big 12

Sorry, Big 12, you're still not there yet.

You may have five ranked teams and two scary football programs in No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 4 Oklahoma State, but the SEC still has you beat as a whole.

You gotta love what Kansas State has done this season and how No. 24 Texas has held strong, but Missouri has disappointed, and Baylor has crumbled in the last three weeks since uprooting TCU at the start of the season.

1. SEC

Still the best conference in the nation with the two best programs right now, the SEC, ladies and gentlemen.

Not only does the SEC have No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama, the conference boasts five top-20 programs, including No. 9 Arkansas.

There have been several disappointments this season, including Georgia, Florida and Mississippi State. But overall, these teams are still capable of becoming top-25 teams, so even the disappointments are still pretty legit programs.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban may hate reporters, but he loves the SEC and his Crimson Tide.