BCS Rankings 2011: the 5 Best One-Loss Teams Not Named Alabama

Most college football pundits believed LSU and Alabama were the two best teams in the country leading into Saturday night's "Game of the Century," and the overtime thriller did little to change their minds.

While no longer No. 2 in the polls, there is little doubt that the Crimson Tide are the best one-loss team in the country.

With a rematch in New Orleans still unlikely, there are other one-loss teams with a more realistic chance than Alabama of climbing all the way to No. 2 and getting a crack at LSU on January 9th. Here are the five best one-loss teams who did not take part in the "Game of the Century."

No. 5: Virginia Tech

No one paid attention to Virginia Tech prior to their game against Clemson, and no one has really paid attention since the Hokies were humbled at home by the Tigers.

Despite remaining off-the-radar, Virginia Tech finds itself back in the top 10 of the polls as they prepare for a de facto ACC Coastal Division title game at Georgia Tech on Thursday night.

Their best win to date was a narrow escape at home over Miami, so there are still a lot of unknowns with Frank Beamer's Hokies. His teams tend to be at their best late in the season, so it wouldn't be a shock if Virginia Tech finds itself in the top five a month from now.

No. 4: Clemson

Clemson has had a week off to recover from its first loss of the season at Georgia Tech and to prepare for its huge Atlantic Division showdown with Wake Forest.

The game with the Demon Deacons will likely determine whether the Tigers return to the ACC Championship Game for the second time in three seasons.

Losing to the Yellow Jackets is nothing to be ashamed of, as preparing for the triple option offense can take a team out of its weekly routine and desired schemes. The offense is as explosive as any offense in the country, and Clemson remains the class of the ACC.

It will take a miracle for the Tigers to get to New Orleans, but it still should be a very special season in Death Valley.

No. 3: Oklahoma

The Sooners 41-25 win over Texas A&M came at a cost, as star WR Ryan Broyles saw his season and OU career come to an end after tearing an ACL. Of all the one-loss teams, however, the Sooners may find themselves in the best shape to get to New Orleans.

Two of their main competitors, Oregon and Alabama, both have head-to-head losses to LSU. In addition, Oklahoma gets the last opportunity to impress voters, as their game at No. 2 Oklahoma State will kickoff at 8:00 p.m. EST on the season's last day, a mere 24 hours before the final rankings are released.

The impact of losing Broyles cannot be overstated, but the Sooners may be one Stanford loss from controlling its own national title destiny.

No. 2: Arkansas

If there's a team who can block LSU's road to New Orleans, it's Arkansas.

The Razorbacks, winners of three of the past four meetings with the Tigers, including a win over No. 1 LSU in 2007, travel to Baton Rouge on the day after Thanksgiving in a game likely to decide the SEC West title.

The Hogs may need only an Oklahoma State or a Stanford loss to control their own destiny. Their offense is the most prolific in the SEC and should present some challenges for the Tigers' defense.

They've struggled to stop most of their opponents, but the contrast in styles could help Arkansas in Tiger Stadium.

No. 1: Oregon

Most people wrote Oregon off after a season-opening 40-27 loss to LSU in Dallas, but the Ducks have rolled over each of their past eight opponents, and they now face a huge showdown at Stanford on Saturday night. 

Oregon would have benefited from an LSU loss to Alabama, as their head-to-head loss to the Tigers may hurt their chances of getting to New Orleans.

The offense continues to churn out eye-popping numbers, and the defense has held three of its last five foes under 20 points. Oregon may be behind Oklahoma in the pecking order of one-loss teams, but the Ducks are the most complete team in that group.