BCS Rankings: What Do the Stats Say About the Top 8 Teams?

With the release of the first official BCS standings of the year, the contest to determine the participants in the national championship title game has begun.

We all know the top two teams, LSU and Alabama, hail from the SEC. The next two spots are held by the Bedlam brothers in Oklahoma.

There were few surprises in the top eight spots in the poll outside of the mechanical love Oklahoma State is receiving from the computers, as they have the Cowboys ranked as the best team in the land. As shocking is Clemson checking in at No. 7, just ahead of Stanford.

However, looking at who has played the best against the opponents they have played thus far from a purely statistical standpoint, would these teams still be in the same order which they were placed by the pollsters and geeks with calculators?

Lets do a little digging and see what the numbers say.

For the sake of this comparison, four different statistical rankings were used.

Total Offense—the average yards an offense gains by either rushing or throwing the ball during a game.

Total Defense—the average yards a defense surrenders to the opponents' offense during a game.

Scoring Offense—the average number of points a team scores during a game.

Scoring Defense—the average number of points a team surrenders during a game.

The next step is to average a teams' ranking in all four categories to come up with a numerical value by adding them all and dividing by four.

The lower a team's score, the higher they would rank under these criteria. So how do these top eight teams in the BCS stack up against each other? You may be surprised. 

No.1: Wisconsin, 4.75 points

The Badgers are the only team to rank in the top 10 in each of these categories. They are first in scoring offense (50 PPG), third in scoring defense (10 PPG), seventh in total defense and No. 8 in total offense.

Outside of Nebraska, Wisconsin's schedule has mostly consisted of cream puffs. Russell Wilson and company may may be tearing up high school teams now but the last half of the season should show us how strong the Badgers really are.

No. 2: Boise State, 9.75 points

The Broncos rank in the top ten of each category except total offense, where they come in at No. 12. They are seventh in scoring offense (44 PPG) and at No. 10 in both total defense and scoring defense (14.5 PPG).

Unless the BCS conference teams completely implode, the chances of the Broncos making the title game are about the same as an Occupy Wall Street protester getting a job.

No. 3: Alabama, 10 points

While the Crimson Tide are at the top in both total and scoring defense (7 PPG), their highest score here on offense is at No. 14 in scoring (40 PPG). Total offense was their biggest downfall as they only come in at No. 24.

Bama is using the same formula that brought Nick Saban a BCS championship in 2009. Nasty defense and a strong running game. 

No. 4: Stanford, 10.25 points

The Cardinal rank in the top 10 in both scoring offense, No. 5 (46 PPG) and No. 6 (11 PPG) in scoring defense. They are also in the top 20 in total defense and offense, at No. 14 and No. 16, respectively.

Nobody is going to buy into Stanford until they stop playing Northeastern Delaware State School for the Flatulent.

No. 5: Oklahoma, 12 points

The Sooners rank fourth in total offense, sixth in scoring offense (45 PPG) and No. 12 in scoring defense (16 PPG). Total defense is their soft spot, only coming in at No. 22.

While the offense was expected to put up big numbers, the defense has played well in the big games, despite giving up yards at the end of blowouts. Now stop kicking so many field goals in the red zone and maybe we'll talk.

No.6: LSU, 28 points

The Bayou Bengals come in surprisingly low in this analysis. Offense is their biggest downfall in Baton Rouge, as their No. 20 ranking in scoring (38 PPG) and No. 80 in total offense offset their great defensive rankings. They are fourth in total defense and eighth in scoring defense (12 PPG).

The defense looks pretty good but No. 80 in total offense? The Tigers seem to be scoring points with smoke and mirrors, sort of like Owen Wilson pulling his undies out of his butt in Zoolander. 

Still, if they can beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Louisiana State could have the home state advantage on any team they might face in the BCS championship game in New Orleans.

No. 7: Clemson, 29 points

It is a little amazing that the Tigers are still undefeated at this junction. They only rank in the top 20 in one category, at No. 15 in total offense. They are No. 21 in scoring offense (38 PPG), No. 24 in scoring defense (23 PPG) and No. 56 in total defense.

Clemson would need to win out and have every BCS undefeated go down to have any chance to make the title game. It is doubtful they could even jump Boise if both remain unbeaten.

Don't worry though, Clemson is the Mel Gibson of the FBS, they can only go so long before they have an embarrassing public meltdown.

No. 8: Oklahoma State, 43.5 points

The Cowboys are loaded on offense, ranking No. 2 in both scoring offense (49 PPG) and total offense. On defense...not so much. They come in at No. 71 in scoring defense (27 PPG) and an abysmal No. 99 in total defense.

OSU has the offense to beat every team left on their schedule including the Sooners, who must travel to Stillwater for the second year in a row for the season-ending Bedlam game.

However, the Cowboy defense puts up less resistance than wet toilet paper. If they were to make the title game they would have to hope their opponents starting offense came down with some sort of bird flu and even then it would still be a shootout.

These rankings are purely for fun on a statistical basis. There are other teams with a loss that would rank ahead of some of these BCS top eight teams under these criteria but you can do the math yourself.

There is still a chance that, including Houston of the Conference USA, seven teams could conceivably finish the season undefeated and crash the whole BCS system.

Wouldn't that be great?