BCS Rankings: Michigan State and Best One-Loss Contenders in College Football

There are still eight teams in college football that have yet to suffer a loss in 2011, though if Saturday's action was any indication, that number could very well dwindle enough to allow a team with one loss to play for the BCS National Championship.

And you thought the race for the crystal football was crazy enough already.

That's not to say that every team with but a single blemish on its record will be in line to break the bank on the way to New Orleans. These squads, though, need only take care of business down the stretch to break back into the national title discussion.

Michigan State

Michigan State needed a miracle to get back into the BCS title hunt, and that's exactly what the team got against Wisconsin thanks to a hail-Mary heave by Kirk Cousins and a serendipitous touchdown snag by former quarterback Keith Nichol in the end zone as time expired.

The win was the Spartans' second in as many weeks over a ranked Big Ten opponent, after handling in-state rival Michigan in East Lansing. Mark Dantonio's team will need a bit more help to take the next step into contention, though a win over Nebraska in Lincoln on Saturday would do wonders to boost Sparty's candidacy.

Oregon

Interestingly enough, it turns out that Oregon actually caught a break by losing to LSU, 40-27, in the season opener. The Tigers have improved by leaps and bounds since then, crushing just about every team that dare obstruct their path to New Orleans.

The Ducks have done the same, snagging solid wins over Cal and Arizona State in the six weeks since losing to LSU.

The losses of Darron Thomas and LaMichael James to injury would seem to be a reason for concern, but the offense hasn't missed a beat with Brandon Bennett under center and Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas carrying the load on the ground.

Once the Ducks do away with Washington State, they'll have a prime opportunity to assert themselves as the team to beat in the Pac-12 during a three-game stretch with dates at Washington, at Stanford and home against USC.

Arkansas

LSU fans won't be the only ones cheering on the Tigers when they take on Alabama in Tuscaloosa on November 5th.

That chorus will be joined by the good folks of Fayetteville, who will be rooting hard for Les Miles' squad along with their beloved Razorbacks. Should Arkansas stay the course against Vanderbilt, South Carolina and beyond, and should 'Bama get beaten by the Bayou Bengals, the Hogs could potentially go into Baton Rouge on November 25th with the chance to force a three-way tie atop the SEC West.

Figuring out which team would then earn a spot in the SEC Championship Game is a dizzying proposition, though it would likely go to the one with the highest BCS ranking.

Which, given the lengthy time lapse that will have taken place since the Hogs' last loss, may well put Tyler Wilson and company on track to play for a conference title.