IT'S ABOUT THAT TIME
Well, well, well... after another year of questioning its methodology and even its existence, it seems that the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) ranking is back. For those of you who don't know, the BCS ranking is the computer system that decides the National Championship game matchup and which teams receive at-large bids to other BCS bowl games.
For the past few years, the BCS system has been widely questioned, and many people have wondered why it has not been replaced by a playoff system. The skeptics are not out of line, as in the past five years there has only been one year, the 2006 Rose Bowl game won by Texas, where the BCS system crowned an unquestioned champion. Nevertheless, it seems we must live with this system until the higher-ups get a better idea of what is right and wrong with the system.
Let's begin by looking through the first BCS rankings of the season, and see which teams the BCS is likely to choose for the National Championship.
No. 1 : TEXAS
Considering they beat then-ranked No. 1 Oklahoma 45-35 and had tossed around then-No. 11 Missouri in a 56-31 victory this past weekend, Texas has definitely made the most convincing argument for the No. 1 BCS ranking. Although these signature wins make it look like Texas is essentially in, many people are concerned with the difficulty of their upcoming schedule.
With five games remaining, not including the Big 12 title game, Texas will face three ranked opponents. Two of those teams, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech, are top 10 in the country and are two of the nine remaining undefeated teams. Either one of these teams could beat Texas and possibly take its spot as No. 1 in the country. Make sure to watch this weekend's matchup against No. 6 Oklahoma State. If Texas wins this game, most people believe the Longhorns will have proved their superiority over all competitors and that the BCS rankings will crown them as favorites to land in the National Championship game.
No. 2 : ALABAMA
At the start of this season, everyone was saying whoever won the SEC would win a trip to the National Championship. Through seven weeks of the season, there is only one undefeated team left in the SEC, and it is not the team most people thought it would be. It's not Georgia, Florida or LSU; it's the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Alabama has shown poise and determination unlike any of the_ other SEC powerhouses this season. So far, Alabama defeated then-No. 3 Georgia in a week five matchup with a score of 41-30, and then-No. 9 Clemson in a week one matchup 34-10.
The impressive things about these wins is not just the way they beat their opponents, but the fact they won both of these games on the road. Another reason why many people consider Alabama a likely National Championship contender is because of the five games left on their schedule, not including the SEC championship game. The Tide has only one ranked team remaining, No. 13 LSU. Although this all sounds great, there is still a cause for concern. During their last two contests, against the less-than-great teams Mississippi and Kentucky, Alabama only won by a combined seven points. Even with a loss by Alabama in the upcoming weeks, it does not mean National Championship sights are out of the question. Remember, the past two national championships had at least one team without a perfect record. As of right now, Alabama looks like they are ready to fight anyone for the National Championship.
No. 3 : PENN STATE
As much as it hurts to admit, Penn State is the most dominant team in the Big Ten, bar none. So far this season, Penn State holds a perfect record of 8-0 and has dominated teams with its new highly diverse spread offense. Penn State has won every game this season by at least 14 points and looks to be one of the most effective scoring offenses in the country.
One other positive note for Penn State that many people tend to overlook is the fact that they have only four games remaining on their schedule. When you look at teams like Texas and Alabama who have possibly another six games remaining due to Big 12 and SEC championship games, Penn State holds a major advantage. The only thing missing from the National Championship equation for Penn State is a signature win. Penn State has a chance to fix that this weekend when they have their marquee matchup of the season against No. 9 Ohio State.
Many seem to think that Penn State is essentially playing for a trip to the National Championship this weekend, and they are not far off. With a win this weekend, Penn State can smell a perfect season, as they will have no ranked opponents left on their schedule.
WHAT'S NEXT?
How will it end? That is impossible to predict due to the many ups and downs that come with the college football season, but the way it is looking now, it seems as if Penn State has the easiest trip to Miami for the National Championship game. No matter who goes, it should be a close fight the rest of the way.
