2011 Bowl Games Schedule: 3 BCS Hopefuls That Benefit Most from Houston's Loss

Houston managed to spice up an expectedly moribund championship Saturday in college football, albeit to its own detriment. Heisman Trophy contender Case Keenum and the Cougars had hoped to crash the BCS but, instead, will be headed to the TicketCity Bowl or the Hawaii Bowl after getting crushed by Southern Mississippi in the Conference USA Championship Game, 49-28.

That leaves an extra spot in the Big Dance up for grabs for a number of teams still within shouting distance of a big payday. So which squads have the most to gain from the Cougs' shortcomings?

Kansas State

The assumption around college football was that if Kansas State and Michigan both finished in the top 14 in the BCS (but there was only one bid left to give), then the powers that be would take the Wolverines', given their sizable advantage in winning tradition, national following and general "sex appeal."

However, with Houston out of the picture, the BCS bigwigs might not have to choose. Certainly, the Wildcats have done more than enough to merit serious consideration, with wins over Baylor, Missouri and Texas, and losses to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

Of course, if the Sooners beat the Cowboys in the Bedlam Game, then those two will represent the Big 12 at the BCS, thereby leaving K-State empty-handed at the altar. 

Boise State

Should that situation play out, Boise State might actually find itself as the most attractive (if not the only) team outside of Ann Arbor that's still eligible for an at-large berth. South Carolina and Arkansas won't be in the mix, thanks to LSU and Alabama, and neither would Baylor.

For all the flak the Broncos catch for playing a weak conference schedule, they've actually played a more competitive slate than No. 5 Virginia Tech, according to Jeff Sagarin's rankings.

In any case, it just might be that the BCS will have no other choice but to let Kellen Moore play his last collegiate game in the Sugar Bowl, perhaps against aforementioned Michigan...

TCU

That is, unless TCU sneaks its way into the top 16 in the BCS rankings. According to the selection rules, the Horned Frogs, champions of the Mountain West Conference, would earn an automatic berth into the Big Dance in that situation.

An early-season loss to SMU might hold Gary Patterson's squad down a bit, but a fairly strong schedule, peppered with a defeat to Baylor and wins over Boise State and BYU, might be enough to vault the Frogs up the rankings, past the likes of Georgia, Oklahoma (if it loses) and the loser of the Big Ten title game, to tie the BCS' hands into granting them a third straight big-money bowl berth.