Does anyone else feel like this is 2008 and 2009 all over again with Alabama and Florida atop the BCS standings? While there was no movement for the Tide or Gators two weeks into the BCS standings, there sure was for Kansas State and Oregon. The Wildcats are for real, having put together quite the resume thus far with two huge victories on the road.
Overall, the BCS standings are dominated by SEC teams. No surprise there. Six total SEC teams (Alabama, Florida, LSU, Georgia, Mississippi St., and South Carolina) are in the top 14 which is the cut off for an at-large bid in the BCS.
The Pac-12 is represented by only two teams this season and the Big 12 has just three in the BCS top 14.
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Who moved up?
Kansas State jumped over Oregon into the No.3 spot this week after a dominant victory over West Virginia in Morgantown. What is mind boggling is that the Wildcats dropped a spot in the USA Today Coach’s poll which makes me wonder what type of kool aid those fellas are drinking these days because I don’t know what its going to take for them to acknowledge Kansas State is one of the best teams in the nation.
Who moved down?
The Ducks got bumped up one spot to No.4, despite coming in at No.2 in the
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USA Today Coach’s Poll and Harris Poll. Even though Oregon clobbered Arizona State on the road, they’re not getting the love Kansas State is getting and for the right reasons, however Ducks fans need not worry because even though Kansas State leaped into their old No.3 spot, the computers have set them only .0145 apart in BCS average, a tighter margin than any other team in the top 10. Oregon still has their in state rival, No.7 Oregon State, No.9 USC, and No.17 Stanford on the schedule. Kansas State gets home games against No.14 Texas Tech and No.23 Texas.
Translation: The Ducks will have to wait at least two weeks to get back into the No.3 spot since they get Colorado this weekend, assuming they’re both still undefeated at that point.
Remaining Thoughts:
Alabama controls its own destiny even though the Tide’s BCS average fell from .9761 to .9625 while Florida, Kansas St, and Oregon saw their average rise slightly. The translation here is the gap is closing on Bama’s lead at No.1.
For the time being, the Fighting Irish remain on the outside looking in at the top four, having seen their BCS average drop even though they (barely) beat BYU by a field goal last weekend. This has created a pretty big gap between Notre Dame and the other top four BCS teams. With the Irish heading to Norman this weekend to face Oklahoma, things could change rather quickly.
Finally, the Big Ten has returned to the BCS standings after last week’s release didn’t see any teams. Michigan comes in at No.22 with Wisconsin at No.25. Neither team has any shot at the national title game obviously, however this has post season implications. The Wolverines remain one spot behind No.21 Boise State and two spots ahead of No.24 Ohio, ruining those teams’ chances of reaching a BCS game because those teams either need to be in the top 14 standings or the top 16 if Boise State or Ohio is ranked ahead of an AQ conference champion.
Game of the week: No. 11 Mississippi State at No. 1 Alabama.
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I’m not insinuating the Bulldogs are going to go into Tuscaloosa and upset the Crimson Tide, however If, and thats a big IF…they somehow find a way to come out on top even though they’re not even close to being half the power house Alabama is (or most of their SEC foes for that matter), this would make the Bulldogs SEC west contenders and therefore national title contenders, shaking up the BCS standings and that would make me very happy.
Raju Kansagra
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