BCS Rankings Ramifications: How The Biggest Week 8 Games Will Affect The Standings

With the first official BCS rankings out, fans of BCS championship contenders are now looking beyond conference wins and championships, and dreaming of BCS bowl berths and national title shots. What could this week’s games change? Allow us to answer that:

If Oklahoma wins: Oklahoma’s hold on the top spot in the BCS standings gets stronger, and their road to a BCS Championship Game berth looks fairly easy. The only ranked teams left on the Sooners’ schedule would be Oklahoma State and a probable Big 12 Championship Game clash with Nebraska. Missouri’s long shot at a BCS bowl all but dies

If Missouri wins: Oklahoma’s chances of a BCS Championship Game appearance now require serious help. The Tigers take pole position in the Big 12 North, and look to have an outside shot at a BCS Championship Game appearance with some help.

No. 2 Oregon vs. UCLA, Final: 60-13
Oregon wins: The Ducks continue their roll towards a BCS Championship Game. And UCLA continues a bid for a Las Vegas Bowl berth.

If Auburn wins: The Tigers of the Plains look like the SEC’s best and most battle-tested team, and could vault into the top three in the BCS rankings. LSU’s magical mystery run at a national championship ends, but the Bayou Bengals’ BCS at-large hopes stay alive.

If LSU wins: Les Miles’ improbably awesome string of luck continues, and his Tigers become the SEC’s highest-ranked team in the BCS standings, perhaps leaping past Boise State and TCU. Auburn’s national championship hopes will be on life support, but their at-large candidacy still breathes.

If TCU wins: The Horned Frogs keep their place behind Boise State in this year’s line of impatient BCS busters.

If Air Force wins: Well, there’s always next year, TCU.

If Michigan State wins: The Spartans’ bid to carry the Big Ten’s banner to a BCS Championship Game stays alive.

If Northwestern wins: See you later, Sparty, and probably not in a BCS bowl. Ohio State and the Iowa-Wisconsin winner would likely be ahead of Michigan State in the next BCS rankings, and the Spartans would have to beat the Hawkeyes in Iowa City to take back the inside track to a BCS berth.

If Alabama wins: The Crimson Tide’s low road to a BCS Championship Game berth remains clear, if an uphill road. It would include wins over SEC West powers Auburn and LSU, an SEC Championship Game triumph, and perhaps a bit of help.

If Tennessee wins: Alabama will have virtually no chance at a BCS bowl, and will have lost games to Steve Spurrier and Derek Dooley in the same month.

If Iowa wins: The Hawkeyes have a shot at claiming the Big Ten’s BCS berth, and could well play a de facto Big Ten title game against Ohio State in November if they handle Michigan State at home next week.

If Wisconsin wins: The Badgers would still need help to win a Big Ten title, thanks to an earlier loss to Michigan State, but would have a clear path to an 11-1 season and could be a strong candidate for an at-large BCS berth.