Teams can make their cases for BCS title contention
Louisiana State and Alabama step aside this weekend to offer an open tryout for the second spot in this year’s Bowl Championship Series title game in New Orleans.
Anyone who thinks the winner of next week’s LSU at Alabama game will not cinch one of the berths has not paid attention to college football the last five years.
With BCS No. 1 and No. 2 off enjoying bye weeks, along with No. 4 Boise State, other contenders have a chance to state their cases:
No. 3 Oklahoma State (7-0) hosts Baylor on homecoming; No. 5 Clemson (8-0) travels to Atlanta to play Georgia Tech; No. 6 Stanford (7-0) visits USC; and No. 8 Kansas State (7-0) hosts No. 9 Oklahoma in Manhattan, Kan.
No. 17 Houston (8-0) routed Rice on Thursday night with quarterback Case Keenum throwing for nine touchdown passes, yet it probably won’t convince voters the Cougars are worthy of title contention.
Here’s a look at Saturday’s principals:
Oklahoma State
Victory means: The Cowboys have defeated a formidable opponent and the nation’s leading passer in Robert Griffin III. Oklahoma State would continue to control its own destiny to the BCS title game.
The Cowboys, with their No. 1 computer ranking, are the team most likely to move to No. 2 in the BCS behind next week’s Alabama/LSU winner.
Defeat means: The Cowboys have lost at home to a team that gave up 55 points last week to Texas A&M. Oklahoma State will take a tumble in the polls. Wisconsin fell nine positions to No. 15 last week after a last-second loss at Michigan State. It means Oklahoma State will have to rebound next week against Kansas State, beat Texas Tech and Iowa State in consecutive road games, then defeat Oklahoma in Stillwater on Dec. 3. And it still might not be enough for Oklahoma State to get back in contention unless other teams lose.
Clemson
Victory means: The Tigers have improved to 9-0 with an important win at Georgia Tech. Victory is diminished a bit because it would mark a third straight loss for Georgia Tech after a 6-0 start. Clemson takes another step toward winning its first Atlantic Coast Conference title since 1991. Clemson would still probably need Oklahoma State, Stanford and Kansas State to lose at least one game. The undefeated Tigers figure to ultimately jump No. 4 Boise State in the BCS.
Defeat means: National title dreams are over. The Tigers don’t figure to have enough schedule strength to be a one-loss candidate. Clemson could still win the ACC and earn an automatic bid to the Orange Bowl.
Stanford
Victory means: Stanford has won its nation-leading 16th straight game, this one against the No. 20 team in the Associated Press poll. USC is on NCAA probation, but beating the Trojans in the Coliseum still means something. The Cardinal can impress voters and probably receive a BCS computer jolt. Stanford will have set the stage for Oregon’s arrival in Palo Alto on Nov. 12.
Andrew Luck probably will have taken another step closer to becoming Stanford’s first Heisman Trophy winner since Jim Plunkett in 1970.
Defeat means: Stanford was overrated and can attribute the 15-game winning streak in large part to playing inferior competition. The Cardinal will have to regroup, take care of business at Oregon State next week and then hope a win over Oregon can reignite a back-channel run back to contention. In 2007, two-loss LSU won the national title after going from No. 7 to No. 2 in the BCS on the final regular-season weekend.
Kansas State
Victory means: Kansas State, incredibly, continues to control its BCS title destiny. The Wildcats have pulled off a home shocker against Oklahoma a week after the Sooners lost at Texas Tech. It means Oklahoma will have lost two straight regular-season games for the first time since 1999. Bill Snyder will have clinched national coach-of-the-year honors and enhanced his reputation as one of sport’s finest teachers and turnaround artists.
Victory also means Kansas State can’t rest a second, with upcoming games against Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Texas.
Defeat means: Kansas State met its match after getting to 7-0 with breaks that included defeating Eastern Kentucky, only 10-7.
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