Pac 10 BCS Chances

Right now, the entire conference should be hoping that Arizona State does not pull it's regularly scheduled meltdown at the end of the season, and actually beats Arizona. They will go to a BCS game if they win. If they do not, the Pac 10 most likely will not have two representatives in the BCS and the conference will forfeit the extra 4.5 million for the second BCS entry.

USC is most likely going to go to the Rose Bowl. If they lose, they still have 9 wins and will probably make a game somewhere in the BCS. If UCLA goes to the Rose Bowl, I think I will never watch another college football game. USC has got to win for the good of the conference.

The BCS has a difficult issue this year. The limitation of only two teams for BCS games means that the Big 12 and the SEC can only have two each. The Big 10 currently only has one eligible ( with Illinois being the closest to being eligible at 15). Oregon is at 18, but has another game to play, and would probably slide over Illinois in the polls. They already are ahead in the computers. The ACC currently has two teams eligible but Boston College will be eliminated when they lose to Virginia Tech again in the ACC championship game. Or else Virginia Tech will be eliminated. Either way, there is only one team from the ACC, Big East (West Virginia) and Big 10. With Hawaii sneaking in (with the worst strength of schedule in the history of the BCS), that leaves the requirement that the SEC, Big 12 and Pac 10 provide two conference picks. The voters saved the BCS this week by putting Hawaii in the top 10 for votes. If they lose to Washington, the BCS will have to change it's rules to allow a non-top 14 team into the series. Which would be either the loser of the ACC championship game (could be likely if VA Tech loses) or Illinois. If Oregon wins, ASU loses and USC wins, Oregon may make it back into the BCS mix.

For the second time this season, both the number 1 and number 2 teams lost the same weekend. In fact, both times, it was LSU who was number 1. I do not think that a number 1 teams has lost twice in the same season and been number 1 both times before. What a whacky season. Of course, the last time that happened was when Cal lost to Oregon State.

Ohio State is in the hunt for the National Championship game, waiting for Missouri to lose the Big 12. Based on what I saw during the game, the Big 12 championship game is going to be a doozy. I think that Missouri wins, giving Kansas the slot for the Big 12. Missouri is a damn good team. What a game that was. Hopefully they do not lose, since I, for one, do not think that the Big 10 deserves to have their champion play for the top prize. Nor, frankly, do I think that West Virginia deserves to play for it either. The Big East was fairly weak. Kansas, by virtue of losing yesterday, is guaranteed a spot in the BCS since they do not have the ability to lose another game in the Big 12 championship.

It was nice to see Tennessee win the SEC east. I hope they beat the crap out of LSU, whose boss is busy this week negotiating with Michigan. If Tennessee wins, they go to the Sugar Bowl. If they lose, they are not eligible for a BCS berth, and LSU will go to the Sugar Bowl. No matter what, Georgia goes to a BCS bowl game, as the second rated SEC team. Lucky for them they do not have to play in the SEC title game.

Cal, by the way, is 43rd in the BCS standing. Good news - we are the highest rated 6-5 team!