BCS Rankings: Oregon Ducks and More Elite Teams on Upset Alert in Week 12

As the regular season winds down, it's more important than ever for teams chasing their BCS dreams to avoid unexpected defeat. That's tougher than it sounds because conference foes are often gunning for the top dogs in order to leave a lasting impact on the season.

With that in mind, here are three elite squads on upset alert in Week 12.

No. 4 Oregon Ducks

Oregon won its ninth straight game by befuddling Andrew Luck and the Stanford Cardinal on Saturday. Darron Thomas has shaken off a potential quarterback controversy and is once again leading a high-flying Oregon offense.

They welcome USC to Autzen Stadium next weekend and can't afford to overlook a talented roster with an upset-minded coach. The Trojans took Stanford to triple overtime and have convincing wins over Notre Dame and Washington.

Look for the Ducks to prevail after some tense second-half moments.

No. 5 Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma has bounced back with two strong victories after its shocking loss to Texas Tech and is still angling toward a national title game appearance. It's a road that just got a little tougher, however, due to Ryan Broyles' season-ending injury.

The Sooners have to go on the road against a Baylor offense that has enough weapons to keep pace. Robert Griffin III is having a terrific season with 34 total touchdowns and his favorite target, Kendall Wright, is already over 1,000 yards.

This game has a trap game feel and should be closer than its two-touchdown spread.

No. 11 Houston Cougars

The BCS didn't reward Houston for its blowout win over Tulane, leaving the undefeated Cougars behind a one-loss Boise State squad for the time being. Case Keenum and Co. are in a tough spot because their schedule doesn't provide any wiggle room.

That includes a visit from Southern Methodist on Saturday. It's a battle with a similar feel to Boise State's loss to TCU in Week 11. A homestanding big favorite against a conference foe who views the clash as its championship game.

Houston has to win every one of its remaining games in blowout fashion and don't be surprised if that pressure catches up with the Cougars soon.