BlueMax breaks down the BCS Top 10
(I did this last year and it pissed everyone off enough that I'm doing it again this year! Suck it!)
10. Louisville 8-0
Best Win: 34-31 (OT) Cincinnati
Best Remaining: Rutgers 7-1
Thoughts: The Cardinals of Louisville make their first appearance in the BCS top 10 this season, something I openly stated might not happen this week. The Cardinals climb towards the MNC features a couple of problems, namely their conferences weak reputation and a schedule devoid of wins over ranked opponents. Their best remaining opponent lost to KENT STATE on Saturday and the only other team with a winning record currently on their schedule is Syracuse, ouch. If only the Big East had a tier 1 historical program like say, Notre Dame, on its schedule to help give them some credibility with the old timey media types.
9. Florida State 8-1
Best Win: 49-37 over #13 Clemson
Loss(es):17-16 @ NCST
Best Remaining: #7 Florida
Thoughts: The Seminoles are another beneficiary of this past Saturday's demolition amongst the middle portion of the rankings as they vault back into the top 10. Sadly the Florida loss removes a bit of their ability to make a big statement just prior to the CCG weekend. And given the weakness of the ACC Coastal they really could have used this boost.
8. South Carolina 7-2
Best Win: 35-7 over #6 Georgia
Loss(es): 23-21 @ #5 LSU, 44-11 @ #7 Florida
Best Remaining: #13 Clemson
Thoughts: The Gamecocks get to ride the "week in and week out toughest conference in the land" mantra into a spot as the highest ranked 2 loss team in the nation. Their 2 losses are road losses to conference foes who are both ranked higher than them. Unfortunately for them, all this means right now is that they could be a top 10 team playing in the Chik-Fil-A Bowl against Duke.
7. Florida 7-1
Best Win: 14-6 over #5 LSU
Loss(es): 17-9 #6 Georgia
Best Remaining: #10 Florida State
Thoughts: When you have a team built around running the football, controlling the clock and letting your defense do the work you can't afford a great multitude of turnovers. Unfortunately for the Gators they turned it over 6 times en route to a 17-9 loss to Georgia. The Gators still have a shot at a BCS Bowl if Georgia slips up again, but for the time being their fate is out of their hands.
6. Georgia 7-1
Best Win: 17-9 #7 Florida
Loss: #8 South Carolina 35-7
Best Remaining: #2 Florida
Thoughts: Last Week I said the Bull dogs had no shot at the MNC but they could screw up the rankings by knocking off Florida. Lo and behold they have done just that, and now they have a slightly improved shot at the MNC. As long as they don't slip up against 4 straight cream puffs they will play in the SEC CCG against likely undefeated Alabama. A win in Atlanta over the Crimson Tide could cause the kind of pandemonium that lands Georgia in the MNC. Even if they don't manage that the Sugar Bowl isn't out of the question.
5. LSU 7-1
Best Win: #8 South Carolina 23-21
Loss: #7 Florida 14-6
Best Remaining: #1 Alabama, #15 Mississippi State
Thoughts: Les Miles is probably pretty happy he didn't have to play last week as his team was able to sit at home, watch several other SEC teams lose and suddenly find themselves as the highest ranked 1 loss team in the nation. Oh and they got to rest up for Alabama, no big deal. This weekend largely will decide the Tigers season, win and they give themselves another shot at the MNC, lose and they are probably playing in the Capital One Bowl.
4. Oregon 8-0
Best Win: 49-0 over Arizona
Best Remaining: #17 USC, #14 Stanford, #11 Oregon State
Thoughts: For the second straight week the Ducks won big and fell in the BCS, what's really worse for them is that 2 top 10 teams on their schedule lost and devalued themselves to the Ducks. While this weekends game in Los Angeles is still monumentally important its entirely possible that the Ducks will beat the mediocre Trojans so bad they'll fall out of the rankings. The best thing for the Ducks and their fans right now is to ignore it all and just focus on winning week to week and see where things fall come the end of November.
3. Notre Dame 8-0
Best Win: #12 Oklahoma 30-13
Best Remaining: #17 USC
Thoughts: Notre Dame got the kind of signature win it has been looking for for about 30 years now. There were a lot of people wondering if the Irish and their defense could slow down Oklahoma or if the offense had the speed to score enough points on the Sooners. Manti Te'o and the rest of the Irish defense controlled the tempo of the game almost from the start and the offense ran for 215 yards and 3 scores en route to a rout of the Sooners. Now the Irish have to fight off complacency and Oregon's stronger November schedule as they hope to make their way into the BCS MNC game.
3. Kansas State 8-0
Best Win: #12 Oklahoma 24-19
Best Remaining: #24 Oklahoma State, #23 Texas
Thoughts: Bill Snyder's Wildcats dispatched a feisty Texas Tech squad with another wonderful effort from Collin Klein (316 yards and 4 TDs combined for the Heisman front runner). The Wildcats have a slightly tougher schedule than Notre Dame, so they need to keep winning and hope that the perceived strength of the Big 12 is enough to keep the Ducks from surpassing them in November.
1. Alabama 8-0
Best Win: #15 Mississippi State 38-7
Best Remaining: #5 LSU, #16 aTm
Thoughts: Yawn, another week of brutally savaging a supposedly competent opponent. As bad as Mississippi State and their supposedly good for the SEC offense looked against Alabama its almost impossible to think LSU and their anemic attack have a chance this weekend. Barring some magic from the Mad Hatter, I have to think the Tide cruise.
