Minimal Changes in BCS Rankings

Here’s a look at the BCS rankings for November 22, 2009:

Florida remains No. 1, followed by Alabama, Texas, TCU, Cincinnati, Boise State and Georgia Tech. Oregon jumped up three spots, to No. 8, with their dramatic victory over Arizona. Pittsburgh and Ohio State remained ninth and 10th.

Only one non-Big Six team is guaranteed a spot in the BCS if it meets the criteria. Any others would be at-large candidates. At-large candidates must have at least nine victories and finish in the top 14 in the final BCS standings.

From Rivals.com:

The three components of the BCS standings are the coaches’ poll; the Harris poll, voted on by media members and by former players, coaches and administrators; and six computers. Each of the components counts one-third. The best and worst computer rankings are thrown out, and the sum total of the remaining four is divided by 100 (the maximum possible points) to come up with the BCS’ computer rankings percentage.

While strength of schedule isn’t a BCS component, all six computers have a strength-of-schedule factor in their rankings.

The fourth-place team in the BCS is important because Alabama and Florida play each other in the SEC championship game, meaning the fourth-place team has a chance to jump to second should Texas lose either its regular-season finale to Texas A&M or to Nebraska in the Big 12 championship game.

Ducks Vs. Beavers for a Trip to the Rose Bowl

After the Ducks thrilling victory over the Arizona Wildcats in double overtime, the stage is set.

What a Civil War it is going to be on December 3.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say this is the biggest Civil War game in history and probably the biggest sporting event in the history of the state of Oregon.

So…who’s gonna win?

I’ve got both a Ducks and a Beavers hat sitting in front of me. Which will I wear? Tune in on December 3!

 

No Surprises in New BCS Rankings

If you were expecting big changes in the BCS rankings this weekend, well, you’re not going to be happy.

The top 8 teams remained the same for a second straight week with only minor changes to the top ten.

With so many undefeated teams, I wonder if this is the year people finally realize that we NEED a playoff in college football. Whether it’s an 8 or 16 team tournament, we MUST have it, and have it soon. I have a feeling that we will have at least 3 undefeated teams when all is said and done in January.

Here are the top ten teams in this week’s poll:

Florida

Alabama

Texas

TCU

Cincinnatti

Boise State

Georgia Tech

LSU

Pittsburgh

Ohio State

Stanford made the leap up to #17 and USC fell to #18.

USA Today has the full rankings.

 

LeGarrette Blount Reinstated by Oregon Ducks

Suspended running back LeGarrette Blount has been reinstated by the University of Oregon and will be eligible to play this weekend when Oregon Ducks take on the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Not sure how I feel about this. I was fine with him sitting out the season, but on the other hand, I’d like to see Oregon make it to a BCS Bowl 🙂

What do you think? Was the suspension too harsh? Should he be allowed to play in 2009?

From ESPN:

Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount, who was suspended for the season after punching a Boise State player in the wake of the season opener, has been allowed to rejoin the Ducks.

The university requested Blount’s reinstatement, which was approved by Pacific-10 Conference Commissioner Larry Scott on Monday.

Blount issued a statement saying he was grateful to Oregon coach Chip Kelly for giving him a second chance.

“Now it is up to me to prove to people that their lasting impressions of me are not what they saw in Boise,” he said.

Blount punched Byron Hout following the nationally televised opener, bringing the Broncos’ defensive end to his knees. The next day he was suspended for the season by Kelly, but he was allowed to keep his scholarship and practice with the team.

Florida Remains Atop BCS Standings; Texas Moves to #2

Some changes in the BCS Rankings this week as although Florida remained #1, the Texas Longhorns leaped past the Alabama Crimson Tide and took over the #2 spot. Alabama slipped to #3.

Iowa remained in the fourth spot but lost some ground in the computer rankings with their struggles against the Indiana Hoosiers.

If I’d venture to guess right now, I’d have to go with Florida and Texas in the BCS Championship game in a battle of Heisman hopefuls Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy (no Sam Bradford this year!) There could be as many as 6 undefeated teams this year going into bowl games with Florida, Alabama, Texas, Boise State, Cincinnati, TCU and Iowa all undefeated and only one MUST lose a game between now an then (that being the loser of the SEC Championship game which is setting up to be Florida vs. Alabama).

What a crazy year and a year that we NEED a playoff in college football!

From Rivals.com:

Cincinnati moved up three spots, to fifth, after USC tumbled from fifth to 12th after getting blown out at Oregon. TCU remained sixth and Boise State seventh in the BCS standings. Oregon, LSU and Georgia Tech rounded out the BCS top 10. Oregon moved up two spots, Georgia Tech one and LSU remained the same.

TCU remains the highest-ranked team from a non-Big Six league. A non-Big Six team is guaranteed a BCS spot in two ways. One is if it finishes in the top 12; the other is if it is ranked in the top 16 and its ranking is higher than that of a conference champion that has an automatic berth. This week, the Horned Frogs are higher than any team from the ACC and Pac-10.

Under BCS rules, only one non-Big Six team is guaranteed a spot if it meets the criteria. Any others would be at-large candidates.

Florida is No. 1 in both polls used by the BCS and also is No. 1 in the computers. Texas is No. 2 in both polls after being No. 3 last week; the Longhorns also moved up in the computers, from fifth to a tie for third with Alabama. The Tide dropped one spot, to third, in both polls.

Oregon trails Boise State in both polls, but remains ranked ahead of the Broncos in the computers despite having lost to them in the season opener. Boise State is eighth in the computers. Oregon’s average computer ranking was sixth last week; after shellacking USC, the Ducks’ computer ranking dropped to seventh this week.

Florida #1 in First BCS Rankings

UPDATE: Good story on the BS that is the BCS.

ESPN has posted the initial BCS rankings for 2009:

1. Florida

2. Alabama

3. Texas

4. Boise State

5. Cincinnati

6. Iowa

7. USC

8. TCU

9. LSU

10. Miami

Very interesting to say the least. It’s nice to see Boise State at #4 but I am very surprised to see USC at #7. Yes, their loss to Washington was bad, but they did win at Ohio State and Notre Dame. Also, seeing at Cincinnati at #5 is great for their program. What a surprise they have been and they have been VERY good so far!

I’m still not sold on Iowa but they will have a couple of tough tests left. TCU could also make some noise if they defeat BYU this coming weekend. LSU and Miami are right where they should be.

Any thoughts on the standings?

From Fox Sports:

The Gators were the top-ranked team in the first BCS standings of the 2009 season, holding a slight lead over their SEC rivals, .989 to .953. Despite struggling to get past unranked Arkansas on Saturday, Florida was ranked No. 1 in each of the three components used to determine the BCS standings — the Harris poll, the coaches poll and the computer rankings.

Would-be BCS buster Boise State is ranked fourth, and has strong support from both the human voters (No. 5 in both the Harris and the USA Today polls) and the computers (No. 5). Cincinnati, meanwhile, is ranked fifth and doesn’t face a ranked team the rest of the way. While that soft schedule won’t help them in the computers, the Bearcats are looking like a decent bet to finish the season undefeated.

Undefeated Iowa is ranked No. 6, in large part because of the strength of its showing in the computer polls; the computers have the Hawkeyes ranked No. 3, while the human voters are considerably less enamored of the Big Ten frontrunner.

USC, TCU, LSU and Miami round out the rest of the top 10.

From USA Today:

The Gators are No. 1 in both the USA TODAY Coaches’ poll and the Harris Interactive polls used in the formula and they are the top team in the computer rankings. The polls and computers have the Crimson Tide  second.

Texas, Boise State and Cincinnati round out the top five followed by unbeaten Iowa.

Boise State is making the highest debut as a team from a league that does not get an automatic berth. The best previous debut was Utah at No. 7 in 2004.