BCS Rankings: Analysis Of The Week 14 Standings

A brief overview of the Week 14 BCS rankings.

Stanford got its BCS bowl berth. The Cardinal are fourth this week, and it would seem impossible for any team from below fourth to pass Stanford before next week’s final BCS rankings. Therefore, Stanford fans can probably prepare for a BCS bowl game — likely the Orange Bowl, probably against the ACC’s champion.

Wisconsin and Oklahoma both got rewarded, too. The BCS rankings this week have given the Badgers and Sooners a projected Rose Bowl berth and a chance to earn a BCS bowl berth, respectively. The squads can thank some tough schedules for their lofty placement in this week’s standings.

Auburn and Oregon have big leads on the field, but Auburn’s is safer. The Tigers and Ducks are almost as far ahead of TCU as TCU is ahead of Wisconsin, but only Oregon would likely fall behind the Horned Frogs with a loss to Oregon State this coming weekend. Auburn, because of a stronger computer portfolio, might only fall to second after a loss to South Carolina, and if that happens, expect a ton of BCS vitriol next Sunday night.

And finally, the BCS rankings love the SEC: two-loss Arkansas leaps past one-loss Michigan State, two-loss LSU is a spot ahead of Boise State, and the three-loss Alabama Crimson Tide remain ahead of the one-loss Nevada Wolf Pack, fresh off an upset of last week’s fourth-ranked team. In case you were wondering why Auburn’s lead is so solid: the Tigers have beaten all three of those teams, and 19th-ranked South Carolina and 22nd-ranked Mississippi State.