BCS Rankings: Week 10 BCS Contenders and Pretenders

Another week is in the books and we have seen quite the upsets.

The Big Ten is completely wide open and nobody knows who will represent the Big Ten in the conference championship. 

Nebraska lost for the first time to a Big Ten opponent since 1981, while we all thought they were a lock to beat the lowly Northwestern Wildcats.

Instead, we all scratch our heads on which team can be deemed the best the conference has to offer. Also, there were a few other games in college football, as well you may have heard. 

Pretender: Nebraska Cornhuskers

Northwestern 28, Nebraska 25

The Huskers could not stop the Wildcats offense. In the Big Ten, your defense better be able to shut the opposition's running game. 

Rex Burkhead came into the game as one of the nation's top rushers, yet only finished with 69 yards and a touchdown. The story of the game was the Cornhuskers defense though.

Northwestern ran it 54 times for 207 yards and three touchdowns, with Kain Colter stealing the show in Lincoln. Colter threw for 155 yards and a touchdown, while running for 57 yards with two touchdowns (along with a crazy run for a touchdown, where he got the corner and reached for the pylon).

The team speed was a weakness and the Nebraska defense did not tackle well in space, like they did against Michigan State last weekend.

Taylor Martinez was able to throw the ball without turning it over, but he found no room to run. The Huskers had been averaging 252 yards per game, but were able to only rush for 122 against Northwestern.

Is this the best team in the Big Ten? They certainly were not today—but who is the best? Each and every week we're getting different answers.

Contender: Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa 24, Michigan 16

Iowa proved that the Big Ten is not only up for grabs, but completely unpredictable.

Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson was nicked up during the game and the offense was inept through the first three quarters, thanks to a suffocating Hawkeyes defense.

Robinson only combined for 249 yards of offense, and despite throwing two touchdowns, his interception did not help matters. Iowa's defense was at its best, limiting the Wolverines to only 127 rushing yards.

The final drive was quite the thrill as Roy Roundtree seemed to have been mugged by BJ Lowery. However, the home Hawkeyes were stingy. Props to them for manhandling a solid, ranked Wolverines team.

They get to host Michigan State next, who is currently in first place in the Legends Division with just one conference loss.

Pretender: Michigan Wolverines

Iowa 24, Michigan 16

Despite only allowing 302 yards, the defense could not get the job done when it mattered most.

Marvin McNutt of Iowa hauled in a crucial 3rd-and-7 on Michigan's 34, which eventually led to a Hawkeyes touchdown to put Iowa on top 17-6.

McNutt was the only Iowa player who had more than two catches for the game, hauling in nine for 101 yards. Michigan had no excuses turning it over twice and they could not score in the final moments of the game, despite having it 1st-and-goal from Iowa's 3-yard line.

Denard Robinson threw four incomplete passes to end the game. Now the Wolverines must be able to bounce back in time for their home game against Nebraska in two weeks. 

Contender: Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma 41, Texas A&M 25

Should we still consider them the best one-loss team (minus Bama) in America with the loss of star receiver Ryan Broyles?

Landry Jones and the Sooners offense did not go bonkers, but they were consistent, totaling 255 through the air and 149 on the ground.

Jaz Reynolds filled in admirably as the go-to guy, hauling in six passes for 75 yards and a touchdown. Kenny Stills also hauled in a touchdown from his two receptions.

Their sole loss is certainly devastating, because you wonder if the pollsters would judge this team differently if they were to run the table.

Bedlam will be amazing, but the Sooners better get by Baylor and Iowa State first. They may not need Broyles for those two opponents, but will they have enough fireworks against the Pokes when it matters most?

Contender: Stanford Cardinal

Stanford 38, Oregon State 13

Same old, same old for the Cardinal of Stanford and Andrew Luck. They gashed the Beavers for 300 yards, while limiting them to just 33 yards rushing.

Luck threw for 206 yards with three touchdowns and one pick, though his star receiver Chris Owusu (two catches for six yards) left the game in an ambulance with a concussion; Owusu has taken three huge hits this season.

Fortunately, Luck has a bevy of options in the passing game. 

Stanford's defense really was relentless, and if they can find a way to slow down the Ducks next weekend, they may have a chance to run the table and play for the BCS National Championship. 

Contender: LSU Tigers

Should we crown them? Most people will undoubtedly label them as the best team in the nation, but they still need to decide what to do with Jordan Jefferson. 

After all, Jefferson was the winning signal-caller and avoided turning the ball over, unlike Jarrett Lee, who nearly cost the Bayou Bengals the victory.

Their defense was flat out sensational and were fortunate the Crimson Tide were unable to convert three field goals (with one blocked).

Still, LSU found ways to run the ball and avoided making the crucial mistakes in crunch time. Hats off to the Tigers as they will certainly be the top-ranked team for the rest of the season, barring a loss. 

Pretender: Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama would certainly love to have a kicker right about now, but they forced two huge interceptions. No play was bigger than the interception by Eric Reid's at the goal-line.

The play was questionable, as Michael Williams' knee was down when Reid appeared to have taken it away. 

Alabama had their chances though—just look at the opening drive. Furthermore, AJ McCarron took way too many sacks and threw an awful pass to LSU's Morris Claiborne. 

The Tide still have a shot at the BCS national title, if LSU were to lose to Arkansas. Of course a three-way tie would take place, in which the Tide would likely win out after thumping Arkansas at home.

Alabama needs to catch a few breaks and should drop to No. 4;they should play in the Sugar Bowl at the very worst.

Contender: Oklahoma State Cowboys

They may have allowed Collin Klein to run circles around their defense, but give the Cowboys credit for continuing to find ways to win.

With Sooners wideout Ryan Broyles going down with a torn ACL, Justin Blackmon and Brandon Weeden may now be the best duo in the nation. But how much longer can the defense just get by?

Kansas State refused to run the ball and allowed the Cowboys to escape with the seven-point victory. They will be huge favorites until Bedlam, but clearly that game could be a national play-in.

The Sooners could sneak past Boise State before Bedlam, but if the Cowboys go undefeated they will be playing for it all. Texas Tech in Lubbock should NOT be a challenge, but you just never with the pressure mounting by the week.

The Sooners offense is arguably the best in the nation, and if their defense can continue to bend but not break, they may just be playing for it all.

Contender: Arkansas Razorbacks

Arkansas 44, South Carolina 28

The defense limited the Gamecocks to just 208 yards, and that was all quarterback Tyler Wilson needed, ending up with 299 yards and two touchdowns in the victory.

The Razorbacks found a way to run the ball as well, which is impressive against a stout South Carolina defense. In fact, if it were not for a pick-six from Wilson, this game would have been a complete blowout.

The Razorbacks will await LSU in the Bayou with a Sugar Bowl on the line, and perhaps even more if Alabama were to lose another.

The Razorbacks are a lock for a good bowl, but if they can knock off the top-ranked team in the nation, they will be a lock for Louisiana.

Pretender: South Carolina Gamecocks

This was far from a top 10 team, but you can't blame them for missing much of their offense; the consistency has taken a hit without star running Marcus Lattimore.

Alshon Jeffery hauled in three passes for just 19 yards, which says it all. The All-American caliber WR needs to be stretching the field, or else South Carolina will be struggling to put up any points.

They can still play in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, while Clemson at home in the season finale could be close game if this defense can create a few more turnovers.

Contender: Houston Cougars

The Houston Cougars are getting closer to the top 10, and if Boise State or Oregon were to lose another, they would have an outside chance of playing in a BCS bowl.

I would not give them a great chance, but it all depends if they run the table.

Southern Miss just has one loss in the other division and they likely will meet in the C-USA championship to determine the BCS fortunes of Houston.

Pretender: West Virginia Mountaineers

Well, the Mountaineers are all of a sudden a huge bust in the Big East.

They had a blocked punt returned for a touchdown, while Geno Smith ended up throwing for 410 yards and three touchdowns.

They outgained Louisville by over 150 yards and yet they still could not find a way to win at home.

The blocked punt and two lost fumbles ultimately cost this team a BCS bowl and a Big East championship (with Cincinnati winning out). 

Contender: Cincinnati Bearcats

The only team without a Big East loss, the Bearcats all of a sudden looks like a lock to win the Big East. They had also been Big East BCS representatives as of late, with Brian Kelley at the helm.

This team, however, has been avoiding the crucial turnovers and are led by star running back Isiah Pead. 

Pead ran for 118 yards and received some help from signal-caller Zach Collaros, who ended up with two rushing touchdowns (overcoming his two picks). 

Pretender: Arizona State Sun Devils

UCLA 29, Arizona State 28

Three missed field goals likely cost the Sun Devils a victory, but the rush defense got gashed by the Bruins, allowing 220 yards and three touchdowns.

UCLA has a chance to play in a bowl game, with Colorado on the schedule in two weeks. This speaks volumes considering the Bruins were 3-4 at one point.

ASU quarterback Brock Osweiler did not struggle, but they had their chances to pick up a bunch more yards against a suspect Bruins pass-defense which was allowing 238 yards per game (good for 81st in the nation).