BCS Ranking 2011: Arkansas and the 5 Luckiest BCS Top 25 Teams This Season

It has been said, "It is better to be lucky than good." While there is some truth to that statement, you can only play with fire so many times before you are burned. 

Arkansas has led the way the past two weeks in regards to living on borrowed time. However, they are not the only team in the BCS rankings who are guilty of this offense. 

In this article, I will list five other teams who have lucked their way into a top 25 ranking. While these teams are talented, they will need to become more dominant each week or they will slip out of the rankings altogether. 

No. 16 Houston Cougars

Let’s get this out of the way; Houston is not the 16th best football team in the nation. While I like the Cougars and believe they have a BCS level coach, they have feasted on a weak schedule.

Moreover, against that weak schedule, they have too many close games. The barely escaped the jaws of defeat versus UCLA, LA Tech, and UTEP. Those three teams have a combined record of 11-11 and the Cougars beat them by a total of 11 points.

With SMU as their toughest remaining game, they could run the table. However, they are not worthy of a top 20 ranking. 

No. 11 Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State is a good football program. However, they are not a top 15 program. Michigan State, like the others in the list, has been living to close to the edge and will eventually get burned.

After Michigan State beat Ohio State despite only scoring 10 points, they needed a controversial Hail Mary to beat Wisconsin. The Michigan State coaching staff is doing a tremendous job coaching this team up but lack of overall talent will eventually catch up with them.

With a semi-novice schedule ahead of them, they should finish in the top 25 but likely will be exposed in their bowl game again. 

No. 9 Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma came into the season with high expectations. However, the preseason No. 1 team was defeated last week versus Texas Tech. Talent wise Oklahoma can play with any team in the nation. The problem is they have looked unmotivated in most of their games.

Outside of the Texas game, the Sooners have been playing down to the level of their competition and it finally caught up with them last week. However, it was not their first game where they could have lost.

They had a hard time putting away both Florida State and Missouri. For whatever reason, they lack the killer instinct needed by an elite team. 

Don’t be surprised if the Sooners lose one to three more games this season. 

No. 8 Kansas State Wildcats

There have been few feel-good stories like that of Kansas State’s reemergence under Bill Snyder. Against Eastern Kentucky, Miami, and Baylor, the Wildcats by a total of eight points. While Kansas State is much improved, they are unlikely to finish the season inside the top 25.

With four remaining games against ranked teams, we will soon find out if the Wildcats early success is a result of skill or luck.  Left on the schedule is Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor, and Texas.

I am betting on luck.

No. 5 Clemson Tigers

When observing the Clemson Tigers season, it is easy to forget how lucky they have been. Mainly, because they have been dominant as of late. However, early in the season the Tigers were not as impressive. In fact, they were only leading Wofford by one point headed into the fourth.

Against Florida State they had to hold on for a 35-30 lead. Against now 2-6 Maryland, the Tigers trailed heading into the fourth before unloading a 21-7 final period.

Clemson has been great—better than expected. However, they have been a little lucky too.