Watch your back Boston College. The Eagles are the new number two ranked team this week by virtue of the fact that they had a bye, and thanks to previous number two South Florida losing to Rutgers. In college football number two is playing like, well, number two, having lost the last three weeks. That trend has to stop at some point, but BC faces number eight Virginia Tech on the road Thursday, so it could be four weeks in a row soon.
Undefeated Ohio State is still number one, but faces a tough test on the road against Penn State, who are unranked but have a 6-2 record this season. The Buckeyes played half of a good game Saturday against Michigan State, winning 24-17, but they'll have to play better against the Nittany Lions. The Big 10 is weak this year, but if Ohio State can win out they deserve to play in the championship game.
At number three LSU could be the new number two if Boston College loses. Of all the one-loss teams, LSU seems to have the inside track to the BCS championship game. The Tigers beat Auburn on a last second touchdown pass Saturday. They have a bye week this week, but should face a tough Alabama team on November 3 (former LSU coach Nick Saban is 'Bama's coach now). If LSU can win out their schedule and if Arizona State and Boston College fail to go undefeated (highly likely), the Tigers go to the big dance.
Oklahoma and Oregon round out the top five. Both teams need to concentrate on winning and let what happens happen. That old cliche that you control your own destiny applies most to these teams. It's not unfathomable that Ohio State, Boston College and LSU could all lose one or more games before the season is done. That might mean the Sooners and the Ducks in the BCS championship game (if both teams take care of business, obviously), which would be interesting in light of their recent history against one another.
-CK1
UPDATE: New BCS Standings
Once again, the BCS is a flawed system. Let's get a playoff. Here's the latest numbers:
1. Ohio State
2. Boston College
3. LSU
4. Arizona State
5. Oregon
6. Oklahoma
7. West Virginia
8. Virginia Tech
9. Kansas
10. South Florida
-CK1
