BCS Standings: Ranking the Major Conferences

Conference pride is always a passionate subject.

Whether it's Southeastern Conference partisans shouting "S-E-C, S-E-C, S-E-C" at the top of their lungs following a bowl win or fanatics from every other conference whining because the SEC is far and away the premier conference in the land, the debate never goes away.

But, as you are about to find out, the numbers do not lie. 

In this case, the initial BCS standings reveal a rather easy to figure pecking order among the major BCS automatic-qualifying conferences. 

1. SEC

You should probably get used to hearing "S-E-C, S-E-C, S-E-C" at the end of bowl games and championships. 

The best conference in the land is only getting better. Sure, it's a bit top heavy this season with LSU and Alabama being so much better than every other team in the conference, but don't lay down on Arkansas. Even Auburn, although very young, is one of the more talented teams in the SEC and should be really good next year. 

The SEC has three teams in the top 10, four in the top 15, and five in the top 20. 

2. Big XII

The Big XII was almost dead for a second straight offseason. Luckily, that distinction did not follow its teams onto the football field. 

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are very good football teams, and one of the two is likely to play in this year's BCS National Championship Game. 

The Big XII has two teams in the top 10, three in the top 15, four in the top 20, and five in the top 25. 

3. Big Ten

Wisconsin might be the only team from the Big Ten with a shot at winning a BCS title, but this conference has the depth to be included in the top three.

The added conference championship game at season's end will be fun to watch, and it will be nice to see the Big Ten play all the way up to December instead of being finished before Thanksgiving. 

The Big Ten has one team in the top 10, two in the top 15, four in the top 20, and six in the top 25. 

4. Pac-12

As it stands right now, if Stanford is the Pac-12's champion, it stands a very good chance of having to settle for a Rose Bowl appearance instead of being included in the BCS top two. 

That's a shame for one of the nation's top conference's. It appears, at least right now, that another Pac- 12 team (Oregon) is the best one-loss team in the country. 

The Pac-12 has two teams in the top 10, and three in the top 25. 

5. ACC

Some might argue that the ACC belongs in the No. 4 spot on this list, but there's a clear difference between its top team (Clemson) and the rest of the conference. 

The Tigers continue to prove just how good they are, while the rest of the teams in the conference appear to be regressing somewhat. The second best team in the league, Virginia Tech, lost by three touchdowns at home to Clemson.

The ACC has one team in the top 10, two in the top 15, and three in the top 25. 

6. Big East

Big East teams might have to draw straws again this year to determine the conference's BCS representative. West Virginia was far and away the best team in the conference until the Mountaineers got ambushed by Syracuse last weekend. 

Currently un-ranked Cincinnati is now the favorite to win the conference since they host West Virginia in November. This same Bearcats squad has one loss, a 45-23 beatdown at Tennessee, who is currently the ninth or 10th best team (out of 12) in the SEC.

The Big East currently has one team in the top 15.