BCS Rankings: Which One-Loss Team Has Best Shot at Title Game?

With the results in from last night’s SEC clash of the titans, the race for the BCS championship game begins in earnest. LSU controls its own destiny at the top, and the few remaining unbeatens are jockeying for position to face them.

For the schools that have already suffered a loss, though, all it will take is a couple of key upsets to put them right back in the championship picture. This trio has the best chances of climbing back to a No. 2 BCS ranking by season’s end:

3. Oregon

The Ducks have the advantage of controlling their own destiny in Pac-12 play, as they get a head-to-head shot at unbeaten Stanford next weekend. A win in that showdown will all but assure the Ducks of a conference title, though they’ll still need some help to reach the national championship game.

Even with the Pac-12 title, the Ducks would need an Oklahoma State loss and probably an Alabama loss to make it to the Superdome for the championship game.

Of course, all these chances will go out the window if Oregon can’t pull off the (substantial) upset in Palo Alto.

2. Alabama

The ugliness of the Tide’s loss to LSU has far more to do with the brilliance of the Tiger defense than any failings on Alabama’s part. The odds are excellent that Nick Saban’s team will win out in its remaining games, as only the Iron Bowl with Auburn is going to pit them against a ranked opponent.

With Alabama presumably out of contention for the SEC championship game, they won’t have too many opportunities to build their BCS resume, making losses from Stanford and Oklahoma State imperative for their chances.

Assuming that LSU is the only major-conference unbeaten, though, a one-loss Alabama team would be a prime contender for a rematch with the Tigers for all the marbles.

1. Oklahoma

Another team with a great opportunity to help themselves (and others), the Sooners face Oklahoma State in the season finale. A win there coupled with a Stanford loss puts the Sooners back in the driver’s seat for the title game.

Crimson Tide fans will cry foul if a team that lost to unranked Texas Tech finishes above one beaten only by LSU, but Oklahoma had better scheduling luck. They’ll have rebounded from their one loss with two wins over ranked opponents (Kansas State and Oklahoma State), and a season-ending win over the Cowboys will be fresh in the minds of voters when the final regular-season polls come in.