BCS Rankings Week 12: Will Voters Hold Title Loss to Auburn Against Oregon?

With a statement victory over No. 4 Stanford last night, the Oregon Ducks have put themselves back in the BCS championship conversation. 

The Ducks commanded the game from start to finish in the 53-30 victory and now sit as one of the best one loss teams remaining.

All it takes is a loss by Oklahoma State and the BCS title picture is wide open.

But do the Ducks already have something working against them?

Possibly.

In last years BCS championship game, the Ducks lost to the Auburn Tigers of the SEC.

Could that loss be a factor in this year's voting? 

It shouldn't, but it certainly could for one reason—the human element.

In no way will the BCS rankings computers be able to use the championship loss to Auburn against the Ducks, as they only use the data that is given to them but the human voters could even if they don't realize it.

The voters will have in the back of their heads that Oregon lost in last year's championship game, but it is unlikely that this will be a factor.

Having done this so many times before, the BCS voters know the criteria that they are to use for voting, and last year's performance is not part of it. 

One thing that could be a factor, though, is  the Ducks' loss to the team that is likely to finish the season at No. 1 in the BCS standings, the LSU Tigers. 

In the first game of the season, the Ducks got blown out by the Tigers, 40-27, but luckily for them one of the one-loss teams they would be competing against for the spot in the championship game also lost to LSU, the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Of course all this relies on Oklahoma State losing, and if they should lose there could be as many as many as seven teams vying for that BCS championship bowl bid.

The BCS voters will sure have their hands full with a Cowboys loss, and it should be an exciting end to an already exciting college football season.