BCS Rankings: How Far Will Oregon and Oklahoma State Fall?

Just last week, both Oklahoma State and Oregon were riding high.

The Cowboys were No. 2 in the nation, and all that stood between them and New Orleans was a severely overmatched Iowa State team and arch-rival Oklahoma. The Ducks had just knocked off No. 4 Stanford, and they were an Oklahoma State loss away from potentially returning to the BCS title game.

Fast forward six days, and both teams’ seasons have been turned upside down.

Oregon got what it needed when Oklahoma State blew it against the Cyclones Friday night, but the Ducks laid an egg at home against USC, complete with a missed field goal late that would have sent the game into overtime.

Now, both the Cowboys and the Ducks are left to wonder where they go from here.

Despite an otherwise terrible weekend, Oklahoma State did get a favor from their in-state neighbors Oklahoma, who fell to Baylor by way of a 34-yard Robert Griffin III touchdown pass with just eight seconds left on the clock.

With the Sooners’ loss, Oklahoma State still sits atop the Big 12 standings and they control their own BCS destiny. A spot in the title game is out of reach, but a Bedlam victory next Saturday will secure an automatic berth in the BCS for the Cowboys. 

For Oregon, it’s much of the same. It was a heartbreaking weekend for the Ducks, and they aren't going to get a chance at redemption in this year’s BCS title game.

However, as long as Oregon takes care of businesses next weekend against Oregon State in the Civil War, the Ducks will earn a berth in the inaugural Pac-12 championship game where they will meet an inferior opponent from the conference’s moribund South division. Back-to-back season-ending wins for Oregon will mean a spot in the Rose Bowl. 

This isn't how either Mike Gundy or Chip Kelly envisioned things going for their respective programs just six days ago, but it could be worse.

Both teams still control their own destiny, and both will enjoy a spot in the BCS as conference champions regardless of where they sit in the rankings Sunday night—provided they avoid any more hiccups along the way