Championship Week Will Lack the Tumult of Last Season

This upcoming week of college football will seem absolutely sedate compared to last season. Instead of Oregon and Oregon State playing for a playoff slot, the Ducks are already in. Unlike last season when Alabama and Florida were the top two in the country and headed for a showdown in the SEC championship, none of the current projected ten tourney teams are playing one another this week. As Iowa sat on a thin bubble last season as the tenth seed and had to survive threats by Pitt (vs Cincy) and Nebraska (vs Texas) to steal their spot, this year's bubble team Arkansas just needs to root for Auburn to beat South Carolina. And if Pitt and the Huskers both won in 2009, then undefeated Boise State may have fallen out of the tourney. Next to last at-large Ohio State seems impervious this year to such threats.

Even different scenarios of championship week conference showdowns will only change the names, not the seedings of the conference champs. The Big East champ will get tenth seed, and, assuming Auburn wins the SEC, the ACC champ will be ninth seed, and the Big XII winner will be eighth. And South Carolina winning would only boost the latter two up one seed each.

So South Carolina winning is the only game that could shake things up at all. Auburn would probably steal Arkansas' at large slot, while tumbling down in the rankings, perhaps ruining the Stanford/Wisconsin dreamy Rosey Bowl scenario. Oh yeah, I guess Oregon could lose the "Civil War" to their in-state Beaver rivals, but after Stanford thrashed OSU last week, the chances seem low. But, then again, those crazy rivalry games can be unpredictable.

In my current projections, it might seem a lower seed can have its advantages. Ohio State is a notch lower than Wisconsin, so it appears that the Badgers will get the pride of the automatic bid along with a trip to Pasadena. But are the Buckeyes in a better place as an at-large, playing last year's tourney flop TCU (lost to lower seed Florida 29-10), and not having to play cardinal-hot Stanford in their home state? Is it better to be second seed for Oregon than top seed like Auburn? Instead of getting a experienced tournament foe out of the 8/9 game between Oklahoma and Virginia Tech, the Ducks could get inexperienced tourney teams Arkansas or Connecticut from the 7/10 game. Plus, say both top teams make it to the semis, would you rather be #2 and face the TCU/OSU winner, or be #1 and face the Stanford/Wisconsin winner? Number two doesn't sound so bad.

So even though this week doesn't have the minute by minute crazy scenarios of last season, there is still a chance the Beavers and Gamecocks can keep things interesting.

Week 13: The tournament concrete is beginning to settle

Whew what a weekend of college football! I started the weekend with 25 teams that could make my tournament. Then two teams were eliminated due to outcomes of other games, NC State and Syracuse. The BCS standings from tonight eliminated seven more, so 16 teams remain alive for ten spots.

Only one game this weekend threatens the at-large teams sitting on the bubble. A South Carolina win not only gives them a spot, but likely drops Auburn to the point that they would take an at-large bid from SEC comrade Arkansas.

Michigan State sits with the biggest gripe: 11-1, and below Arkansas, even though most of their eyes will point to the Big East champ as the usurper of their slot.

The Rose Bowl looks to get Stanford/Wisconsin; they will pray for Auburn and Oregon to keep winning to seeds don't scramble. Late in the season, the Hogs and Huskies make their first entrance into the projections; welcome Arkansas and Connecticut!

The Boise State game was unbelievable! Boise State just couldn't give their defense enough of a break in the second half to be effective. Even their exciting TD run to give the Broncos the lead back at 31-24 was SO fast, it put the winded defense right back on the field, and the Wolf Pack went for the kill.

I am one who was disappointed. I guess I don't have a dog in the championship hunt (I went to, well, Illinois), but I want to see once in a generation/lifetime type things. People always want to diss the non-BCS automatics, but they are 3-1 head to head with the automatics in BCS bowls, with teams like Alabama and Oklahoma hanging above their mantels. I just wanted to see what BSU would do against a top team. Maybe they would be destroyed, who knows. In my tourney last season, Boise beat Cincinnati 38-24 in the Orange Bowl, beat Texas without Colt McCoy by 2 in the semis, and then were destroyed by Florida in the championship game. I wondered if they would go all the way this season. But like Michigan State, they will be on the outside looking in.

Here is the current status:

They are officially in:
Oregon (Pac 10 champ)

They are unofficial shoe-ins:
Texas Christian (non-BCS automatic)
Stanford
Wisconsin
Ohio State

They control their own destiny:
Auburn
Virginia Tech
South Carolina
Nebraska
Connecticut
Florida State
Oklahoma

They need help:
Arkansas
Michigan State
Pittsburgh
West Virginia

They are out:
North Carolina State
Syracuse
Alabama
Missouri
Oklahoma State
Texas A&M
Nevada
Boise State
Louisiana State

SUMMARY:

SEVEN AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS:
Oregon
Auburn/South Carolina winner
Oklahoma (or Texas A & M)/Nebraska winner
Virginia Tech/Florida State winner
Wisconsin, Ohio State, or Michigan State
Connecticut. West Virginia, or Pittsburgh
Texas Christian

THREE AT-LARGE:

Stanford
Ohio State or Wisconsin
Arkansas
------------------------
Auburn (if they lose SEC championship)
Michigan State

On to the current projections!:

"In college football, one day you're in, and the next day you're out." -Major Applewhite

OUT- Boise State, Louisiana State, Pittsburgh
IN-Ohio State, Arkansas, Connecticut

FIRST ROUND:

In East Rutherford, NJ: #7 Arkansas (at-large) vs #10 Connecticut (Big East champ)

In Arlington, TX: #8 Oklahoma (Big XII champ) vs #9 Virginia Tech (ACC champ)


BCS BOWLS (Quarterfinals):

Sugar: #1 Auburn (SEC champ) vs the Oklahoma/Virginia Tech winner

Rose: #4 Stanford (at-large) vs #5 Wisconsin (Big Ten champ)

Fiesta: #2 Oregon (Pac-10 champ) vs Arkansas/Connecticut winner

Orange: #3 Texas Christian (non-BCS conference automatic) vs #6 Ohio State (at-large)

Semi-finals in St Petersburg FL

BCS Championship in Glendale AZ

Week by week seedings:

Week	10	11	12	13
Auburn	2	2	2	1
Oregon	1	1	1	2
TCU	3	3	3	3
Stanford	6	6	6	4
Wisconsin	7	7	7	5
Ohio State	n/a	n/a	n/a	6
Arkansas	n/a	n/a	n/a	7
Oklahoma	n/a	n/a	n/a	8
Virginia Tech	9	9	9	9
Connecticut	n/a	n/a	n/a	10
Boise State	4	4	4	n/a
LSU	5	5	5	n/a
Oklahoma St	n/a	n/a	8	n/a
Pittsburgh	10	10	10	n/a
Nebraska	8	8	n/a	n/a
Utah	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Alabama	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Michigan State	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Missouri	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Florida State	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
West Virginia	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Miami	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Florida	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Texas	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

Week	5	6	7	8	9
Auburn	8	8	4	1	2
Oregon	4	2	2	2	1
TCU	5	3	5	4	3
Stanford	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Wisconsin	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	8
Ohio State	6	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
Arkansas	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Oklahoma	3	4	1	n/a	n/a
Virginia Tech	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	9
Connecticut	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Boise State	2	1	3	3	4
LSU	7	7	6	n/a	n/a
Oklahoma St	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Pittsburgh	n/a	n/a	n/a	10	10
Nebraska	n/a	6	n/a	n/a	7
Utah	n/a	n/a	n/a	8	5
Alabama	1	n/a	8	7	6
Michigan State	n/a	n/a	7	5	n/a
Missouri	n/a	n/a	n/a	6	n/a
Florida State	n/a	9	9	9	n/a
West Virginia	10	10	10	n/a	n/a
Miami	9	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Florida	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Texas	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

Week	Pre	1	2	3	4
Auburn	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Oregon	9	8	7	8	7
TCU	6	5	8	7	4
Stanford	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Wisconsin	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Ohio State	2	4	3	3	5
Arkansas	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Oklahoma	7	n/a	4	5	6
Virginia Tech	8	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Connecticut	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Boise State	5	2	6	6	2
LSU	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	8
Oklahoma St	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Pittsburgh	10	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Nebraska	n/a	7	n/a	n/a	n/a
Utah	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Alabama	1	1	1	1	1
Michigan State	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Missouri	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Florida State	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
West Virginia	n/a	10	10	10	10
Miami	n/a	9	9	9	9
Florida	3	6	5	4	3
Texas	4	3	2	2	n/a

And then there were....

Updated 27Nov10, 21:14

Twenty-three....(with four teams holding onto a slight at-large prayer), all these Thanksgiving weekend games and I only eliminated two to six teams!

This is the really, really fun part of the college football season! I would add infinite exclamation points, if I could. It seems like every waking moment of Friday and Saturday will feature a game with big implications for the tournament.

At the beginning of the week, I counted 24 teams still with a shot of getting into my tournament. But, I didn't know that the BCS actually would produce their own list of who is still eligible for their bowls, and they listed 27. Oops, I thought, who did I miss! Well, the BCS still puts Nevada, Utah, and Arizona in the mix. And they are right that the non-BCS conference schools have a chance if both TCU and Boise State lose, but I still think the Notre Dame loss really eliminated Utah. And I don't think Arizona has a shot for my tourney, but the BCS probably left them in as a safety valve for both the Rose and Fiesta, in case they need a team to come to the rescue to fill a slot.

So as much as I wanted to have 24 teams with a chance for my tourney, so I could proceed with a whole '24' and Jack Bauer motif to counting down as teams are eliminated, I think Nevada needs to be included for the potential qualifiers list, and crank it up to 25.



So in my tourney scenario, 25 teams have a shot at the national title. In the current BCS system, what is it, maybe five to ten?

But things would be different in my tourney. Alabama-Auburn would have a different feel, in that an Auburn loss would just cost them a shot at number one seed, as they still will make the tourney if they beat South Carolina. Alabama's shot at the national championship would be more critical in this match-up, to try to get an at-large slot with a win over the Tigers. I still think it would be a HUGE game (because I am definitely psyched at its tourney implications) in my system, but just different.

Here I will tally and update this weekend's activity, with lists below of team status. Let the games begin!

--------------------
1) WVU beats Pitt, moves UConn to "control destiny," and Pitt to "needing help"
2) Oregon clinches first automatic birth with win over Arizona
3) Nevada beats Boise St, moves BSU from "control destiny" to "needing help"
4) Arkansas beats LSU, moves LSU from "control destiny" to "needing help"
5) Maryland beats NC State, moves NCSU from "needing help" to "OUT!"; and moves Florida State from "needing help" to "control destiny"
6) Texas Christian beats New Mexico, Boise State loses to Nevada, TCU moves from "control destiny" to "Unofficially IN"
7) Connecticut beat Cincinnati, eliminating Syracuse into "OUT!"
8) Oklahoma beats Oklahoma State, moving Oklahoma State to "needing help"

* denotes that the team needs at at-large birth and their chances are low

They are officially in:
Oregon (Pac 10 champ)

They are unofficial shoe-ins:
Texas Christian (non-BCS automatic)

They control their own destiny:
Auburn
Virginia Tech
South Carolina
Nebraska
Connecticut
Florida State

They need help:
Stanford
Wisconsin
Ohio State
Michigan State
*Alabama
Arkansas
*Missouri
Pittsburgh
West Virginia
Oklahoma
*Oklahoma State
Texas A&M
*Nevada
Boise State
Louisiana State

They are out:
North Carolina State
Syracuse

SUMMARY:

SEVEN AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS:
Oregon
Auburn/South Carolina winner
Oklahoma (or Texas A & M)/Nebraska winner
Virginia Tech/Florida State winner
Wisconsin, Ohio State, or Michigan State
Connecticut. West Virginia, or Pittsburgh
Texas Christian

THREE AT-LARGE:

(based on BCSguru and BCSknowhow projections)
Stanford
Ohio State or Wisconsin
Arkansas

(based on BCSevolution projections)
Stanford
Ohio State or Wisconsin
Boise State

Other implications of the weekend:
The projected match-up of Stanford/Wisconsin or Stanford/Ohio State moves that game to the Rose Bowl, Oregon may be Fiesta bound

Week 12: Controversy On My Tournament Horizon

Of course, I like my ten team tournament. But it is not perfect, as far as potential controversy if it were in place. After all, there is controversy after selection of the 65 team men's hoops, much less a ten-team football tourney. It could be easily 12 or 16 teams. Last year, there would not have been much controversy, the top ten BCS ranked teams made the tourney. However, this season could have lots of issues:

1) The Deserving Big East:

The fact that the Big East gets a BCS bowl even raises talk show discussion with the current system. A Pitt team with four losses could make it, while a one or two loss at-large will stay home. Since I use BCS automatic births, I use the same rules the BCS does about when a conference loses an automatic bid. And right now, the Big East is "in," so I have no gripes.

2) The Big Ten Triumvirate:

During the 4th quarter of the Michigan State-Purdue game last Saturday, my tournament committee had to be secretly rooting for Purdue to reduce potential controversy. Unfortunately for them, Purdue played in the fourth quarter like a team manipulated in a Buffalo Wild Wings commercial. Did you see that blocked punt? It was snuffed out like a candle at the end of church. I have never seen a punt blocked in such a smothering fashion that the ball didn't even bounce away.

The reason the committee was rooting for the Boilers is because there is a good chance that three Big Ten teams will finish at 11-1, whereas only one may make the tourney. And since they didn't play a complete head to head (MSU beat Wisc, Wisc beat OSU, and OSU did not play MSU), all can make a case that they should be the chosen one, and create their own 'lil uproar if they don't make it. Next year, the conference championship game might help solidify things, but not 100% of the time.

So the committee will silently root this weekend for Penn State to give the Spartans their second loss, and, if Ohio State wins, hope that LSU can be upended (they have been playing with fire, haven't they?) so that an at-large slot opens to allow the two Big Ten teams to make it in.

3) The "other" USC

Normally, South Carolina making the tourney would be welcome. They haven't been in my tourney for a generation, so they are a fresh face with a familiar face (Spurrier) leading the way. But South Carolina beating an undefeated Auburn creates its own issues. The Gamecocks grab the SEC automatic, and Auburn most likely swallows up an at-large bid, sending Stanford out of the mix.

This could have happened last year, but the undefeateds survived. But if Nebraska beat Texas and Pitt beat Cincy last season, Iowa, and maybe Boise State (who ended up second in the tourney) would have been out of the tourney mix.

And if LSU sticks around as an at-large, a South Carolina win would put three SEC teams in the tourney. That is one deviation from the BCS system for my tourney, I don't limit conferences to two teams. When the BCS went to ten teams, and so did my tourney, the first season, Wisconsin was the clear 7th seed. Michigan and Ohio State were in the top of the seedings, and if Wisconsin didn't make it, I would have to throw in some less deserving team just for the sake of it. I was against it then, and there can be three, even four SEC teams in my tournament.

4) The Iron Bowl Leap Frog

If Alabama does beat Auburn this week, they probably will jump high in the standings, and perhaps grab an at-large bid. With two losses, the Tide could roll over teams with a single loss for the precious at-large bids. 'Bama squeezing out a team with Stanford or the Big Ten teams will lead to lots of griping.

Right now, it looks like 24 teams have a shot at my ten-team tourney.Eleven of them control their own destiny (keep winning and they are in), and 13 need some help (I include Stanford here because teams like South Carolina could push them out even if they win). Here they are:

They control their own destiny:
Oregon
Auburn
Boise State
Texas Christian
LSU
Oklahoma State
Virginia Tech
Pittsburgh
South Carolina
NC State
Nebraska

They need help:
Stanford
Wisconsin
Ohio State
Michigan State
Alabama
Arkansas
Florida State
Missouri
Connecticut
West Virginia
Syracuse
Oklahoma
Texas A&M

On to the current projections!:

"In college football, one day you're in, and the next day you're out." -Mary Pat Pelini, wife of Bo Pelini

OUT- Nebraska
IN-Oklahoma State

FIRST ROUND:

In Green Bay:#7 Wisconsin (Big Ten champ) vs #10 Pittsburgh (Big East champ)

In Norman, OK:#8 Oklahoma State (Big XII champ) vs #9 Virginia Tech (ACC champ)


BCS BOWLS (Quarterfinals):

Rose: #1 Oregon (Pac-10 champ) vs Oklahoma State/Virginia Tech winner

Orange: #4 Boise State (at-large) vs #5 LSU (at-large)

Sugar: #2 Auburn (SEC champ) vs the Wisconsin/Pittsburgh winner

Fiesta: #3 Texas Christian (non-BCS conference automatic) vs #6 Stanford (at-large)

Semi-finals in St Petersburg FL

BCS Championship in Glendale AZ

Week by week seedings:

Week	10	11	12
Oregon	1	1	1
Auburn	2	2	2
TCU	3	3	3
Boise State	4	4	4
LSU	5	5	5
Stanford	6	6	6
Wisconsin	7	7	7
Oklahoma St	n/a	n/a	8
Virginia Tech	9	9	9
Pittsburgh	10	10	10
Nebraska	8	8	n/a
Utah	n/a	n/a	n/a
Alabama	n/a	n/a	n/a
Michigan State	n/a	n/a	n/a
Missouri	n/a	n/a	n/a
Florida State	n/a	n/a	n/a
Oklahoma	n/a	n/a	n/a
West Virginia	n/a	n/a	n/a
Ohio State	n/a	n/a	n/a
Miami	n/a	n/a	n/a
Florida	n/a	n/a	n/a
Texas	n/a	n/a	n/a

Week	5	6	7	8	9
Oregon	4	2	2	2	1
Auburn	8	8	4	1	2
TCU	5	3	5	4	3
Boise State	2	1	3	3	4
LSU	7	7	6	n/a	n/a
Stanford	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Wisconsin	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	8
Oklahoma St	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Virginia Tech	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	9
Pittsburgh	n/a	n/a	n/a	10	10
Nebraska	n/a	6	n/a	n/a	7
Utah	n/a	n/a	n/a	8	5
Alabama	1	n/a	8	7	6
Michigan State	n/a	n/a	7	5	n/a
Missouri	n/a	n/a	n/a	6	n/a
Florida State	n/a	9	9	9	n/a
Oklahoma	3	4	1	n/a	n/a
West Virginia	10	10	10	n/a	n/a
Ohio State	6	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
Miami	9	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Florida	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Texas	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

Week	Pre	1	2	3	4
Oregon	9	8	7	8	7
Auburn	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
TCU	6	5	8	7	4
Boise State	5	2	6	6	2
LSU	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	8
Stanford	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Wisconsin	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Oklahoma St	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Virginia Tech	8	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Pittsburgh	10	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Nebraska	n/a	7	n/a	n/a	n/a
Utah	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Alabama	1	1	1	1	1
Michigan State	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Missouri	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Florida State	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Oklahoma	7	n/a	4	5	6
West Virginia	n/a	10	10	10	10
Ohio State	2	4	3	3	5
Miami	n/a	9	9	9	9
Florida	3	6	5	4	3
Texas	4	3	2	2	n/a

Week 11: It's déjà vu all over again

As I said last week, none of the currently projected ten teams seeded in my college football tournament will play one another this regular season. Going into this past weekend, none of the ten even seemed to have major challenges this last week. But, at times during the day, Auburn (even with Cam Newton under center) and TCU were both down by 14, then "at-large team in waiting" Ohio State was losing by a decent margin at halftime, and later Oregon won by a slim two points, so it seemed like a strange day in college football. When all was said and done, none of the ten projected teams lost, and the standings did not budge.

This may happen again next week. Nebraska plays a ranked team on the road (T A&M), Stanford travels to Berkeley to play their rival, and tourney outsider Ohio State travels to Iowa, but those are the only obvious land mines. Then, the next week's match-ups (post Thanksgiving) of Arizona at Oregon, Auburn at Alabama, Boise State at Nevada, LSU at Arkansas, plus the possible games with tourney implications, Michigan at Ohio State, Oklahoma at Oklahoma State, and Michigan State at Penn State make this upcoming week seem positively barren.

Did you see the Oregon coach after the win over Cal last weekend? He could have smiled and said "A win's a win," but instead, he kept answering the sideline reporter with a gruff, seemingly about to eat artificial turf on toast attitude, to say, "A win's a win." Sure, Nike can buy you lots of uniforms, but it can't buy you post-game charm when you're number one.

I was in a lay over in the Detroit airport Friday and saw quite a few Utah Utes fans walking between flights, heading to Notre Dame. That is dedication, to fly to the Midwest to see their team play, but it probably was cool to see them play on such an historic field. But (and I speak from experience flying to watch Eastern Illinois in the Zia Bowl in Albuquerque, only to watch them lose on a cold New Mexico Saturday), to travel from Salt Lake City to Indiana, only to see the Utes get whipped, in the rain; well, sorry traveling Utes fans! This decaffeinated, non-alcoholic beverage is for you!

Then, as I arrived home, I walked to baggage return and saw four chauffeurs holding their little signs for their pick-ups. One sign said "Greg Gumbel," and as I approached the driver, I was going to say, "I'm Greg Gumbel," as an obvious joke. But the chauffeur began to put the sign down, ruining the timing of my airport comedic chops. So, I looked behind me, and there he was, Greg (the "Anti-Bryant") Gumbel himself.


I remember Greg from his days as a local Chicago sports guy. I recall that he had thinning hair at the time, because I remember jumping two and a half inches out of my chair when I saw his hair when he went national. I assume, he took the opportunity of changing audiences to increase his follicular status. But, as a man of color, he has to do the Nipsy Russell big "natural" which kinds of dates him, as it did Nipsy. Maybe if I could come up with a hair piece that looked like Denzel, I could make my fortune.





As Greg walked off with his chauffeur, I noticed a bit of a limp. But maybe his foot was asleep from a long ride in coach. He seemed a bit more Bryant-like in person, in that, he wasn't too smiley.

Ohio State sits as the team needing a little help to get into the tourney. Assuming they remain and at large contender, this is the help they need. Assuming Boise St or TCU as given an automatic bid, there are three at-large slots out there. TCU will beat New Mexico, so the Buckeyes have to root for Nevada to upset Boise State, or Arkansas to give LSU their second loss, or Cal's marching band to find a way to beat Stanford, or a loss at home to Oregon State.

Well, this week's projections should look very familiar:

"In college football, one day you're in, and the next day you're out." -Tim Berra, son of Yogi Berra

OUT- None
IN-None

FIRST ROUND:

In Green Bay:#7 Wisconsin (Big Ten champ) vs #10 Pittsburgh (Big East champ)

In Kansas City:#8 Nebraska (Big XII champ) vs #9 Virginia Tech (ACC champ)


BCS BOWLS (Quarterfinals):

Rose: #1 Oregon (Pac-10 champ) vs Nebraska/Virginia Tech winner

Orange: #4 Boise State (at-large) vs #5 LSU (at-large)

Sugar: #2 Auburn (SEC champ) vs the Wisconsin/Pittsburgh winner

Fiesta: #3 Texas Christian (non-BCS conference automatic) vs #6 Stanford (at-large)

Semi-finals in St Petersburg FL

BCS Championship in Glendale AZ

Week by week seedings:

Week	10	11
Oregon	1	1
Auburn	2	2
TCU	3	3
Boise State	4	4
LSU	5	5
Stanford	6	6
Wisconsin	7	7
Nebraska	8	8
Virginia Tech	9	9
Pittsburgh	10	10
Utah	n/a	n/a
Alabama	n/a	n/a
Michigan State	n/a	n/a
Missouri	n/a	n/a
Florida State	n/a	n/a
Oklahoma	n/a	n/a
West Virginia	n/a	n/a
Ohio State	n/a	n/a
Miami	n/a	n/a
Florida	n/a	n/a
Texas	n/a	n/a

Week	5	6	7	8	9
Oregon	4	2	2	2	1
Auburn	8	8	4	1	2
TCU	5	3	5	4	3
Boise State	2	1	3	3	4
LSU	7	7	6	n/a	n/a
Stanford	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Wisconsin	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	8
Nebraska	n/a	6	n/a	n/a	7
Virginia Tech	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	9
Pittsburgh	n/a	n/a	n/a	10	10
Utah	n/a	n/a	n/a	8	5
Alabama	1	n/a	8	7	6
Michigan State	n/a	n/a	7	5	n/a
Missouri	n/a	n/a	n/a	6	n/a
Florida State	n/a	9	9	9	n/a
Oklahoma	3	4	1	n/a	n/a
West Virginia	10	10	10	n/a	n/a
Ohio State	6	5	n/a	n/a	n/a
Miami	9	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Florida	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Texas	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

Week	Pre	1	2	3	4
Oregon	9	8	7	8	7
Auburn	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
TCU	6	5	8	7	4
Boise State	5	2	6	6	2
LSU	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	8
Stanford	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Wisconsin	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Nebraska	n/a	7	n/a	n/a	n/a
Virginia Tech	8	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Pittsburgh	10	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Utah	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Alabama	1	1	1	1	1
Michigan State	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Missouri	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Florida State	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Oklahoma	7	n/a	4	5	6
West Virginia	n/a	10	10	10	10
Ohio State	2	4	3	3	5
Miami	n/a	9	9	9	9
Florida	3	6	5	4	3
Texas	4	3	2	2	n/a