BCS Rankings: Why Boise State Will Fall Short of BCS Title Game

The Boise State Broncos are ranked No. 4 in the Week 9 BCS Standings, but they will not be able to reach the top two spots in Week 10 or for the rest of the season, and will therefore not be involved in the BCS Title Game.

The Broncos will not be able to play in the game even if they go undefeated for three reasons: their schedule, the SEC and the Big 12.

Boise State's Schedule

The Broncos never have a very hard schedule because of their conference.  Despite moving to the Mountain West Conference, The Broncos only have two remotely challenging games.  Those games are against the Georgia Bulldogs and TCU Horned Frogs.

The Broncos already beat Georgia, winning 35-21 at Georgia.  That win at Georgia was pretty impressive, but after that win in Week 1 the team plays a lot of nobodies.

They host TCU in Week 11, but the Horned Frogs have been pretty bad since losing Andy Dalton, so that won't be much of a statement win.

Because they don't play anyone they never have marquee wins, and that will always hold them back.

The SEC

The SEC is the power conference this season.  They have several Top 10 teams, including No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama.

Speaking of LSU and Alabama, these two teams meet on Nov. 5, and the winner of that game will take the No. 1 seed and will hold onto it.

Neither team will be challenged after that, as LSU will play No. 10 Arkansas, and Alabama will play No. 23 Auburn.  Both teams would easily win those games, so the SEC will have the No. 1 team in the nation, leaving only one spot open in the National Championship Game.

The Big 12

That one open spot will go to the Big 12.  The Big 12 has two National Contenders in No. 3 Oklahoma State and No. 9 Oklahoma.

Oklahoma State has a high-powered offense that has led them to an 8-0 start.  They play Kansas State next week, which will be their only challenge until the last week of the season.  Kansas State was ranked No. 8 coming into the week, but after being manhandled by No. 9 Oklahoma 58-17, they will fall out of the Top 15.

Oklahoma State should start the season 11-0, and they will be ranked No. 2 heading into the final week of the season.

The Oklahoma Sooners just embarrassed the Kansas State Wildcats, and that is their third marquee victory.  The Sooners also blew out the No. 11 Texas Longhorns 55-17 in Dallas, and they beat the No. 5 Florida State Seminoles 23-13 in Tallahassee.

The Sooners have been amazing this season, with their only loss coming against the now top 25-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders.  They are going to be a Top 5 team next week, and after Alabama and LSU meet, they will be No. 4.

The Sooners will go 10-1 and be ranked No. 4 heading into the final week of the season.

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will play each other in the last week of the season, ranked No. 2 and No. 4.  This final game will decide who gets the No. 2 ranking because OK State will hold it or the Sooners will jump past Boise State because of their easy schedule.

The BCS Title Game will feature and SEC school and a Big 12 school, leaving Boise State out of the game once more.