BCS Rankings: Alabama and Contenders with Most to Lose in Week 13

The last few weeks of the 2011 college football season figure to wreak about as much havoc on the BCS as the previous Saturdays have. The events of Thanksgiving weekend could have huge repercussions on the national landscape, particularly for these three big-bowl contenders.

Alabama

If the BCSEC (see what I did there? Clever, right? Yeah...) is to put forth the sort of "doomsday scenario" that everyone outside of the South is dreading, then No. 2 Alabama has to take care of business against No. 24 Auburn in the Iron Bowl.

That would seem to be simple enough, seeing as how the Crimson Tide are one of the two best teams in the country (along with LSU), have everything to play for and sport the sort of defense that can and probably will suffocate the Tigers offense as well as, if not better than, LSU's, Georgia's and Arkansas' have this season.

But, let's not forget about the power of rivalry games and the craziness of college football. Auburn will have the home-field advantage in this one and, unlike most of 'Bama's opponents, has a back capable of countering Heisman Trophy contender Trent Richardson in the person of Michael Dyer.

That being said, 'Bama should win this one rather handily, though anything less would be a massive disappointment to folks in Tuscaloosa.

Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech stands to be one of the biggest benefactors of the SEC potentially losing its stranglehold on the BCS. The fifth-ranked Hokies have crept their way into the national title conversation and could really make some noise if they avenge their only loss of the season to Clemson in the ACC Championship Game.

To get there, VA Tech must first take care of business in the Commonwealth against a pretty good Virginia team in what's become a battle for first place in the Coastal Division. Frank Beamer's boys haven't lost to the Cavaliers since 2003, but second-year coach Mike London has the kids from Charlottesville playing with a decidedly different attitude nowadays.

A loss on the road would not only kick the Hokies out of the ACC title game and the hunt for the National Title, but also potentially leave them on the outside of the BCS looking in entirely.

Houston

In that way, then, Houston knows exactly what Virginia Tech is going through at the moment, if not to an even greater extent. Sure, the eighth-ranked Cougars aren't about to play for the crystal football.

Nonetheless, Kevin Sumlin has UH on the verge of playing in its first-ever BCS bowl, thanks in large part to the Heisman Trophy-worthy efforts of sixth-year quarterback Case Keenum. The Cougs are currently 11-0 overall and 7-0 in Conference USA, but even that perfect mark hasn't been enough to clinch the West division just yet.

That'll all come down to Saturday's game against GJ Kinne and Tulsa at Chapman Stadium. The winner will book a berth in the C-USA title game against Southern Mississippi, while the loser will be left wondering what could've been.

With a spot in the BCS on the line, the pain of the woulda's, coulda's and even shoulda's will weigh even more heavily on Houston's heart.