Oct 21 2009
BCS Game Projections for Oct. 21
The first BCS standings were released Sunday. Florida and Alabama at the top. That’s not a big surprise considering they’re widely-believed to be the two best teams in college football at the moment. There’s a big argument over which team is better but, should both squads continue to win, the argument will be settled Dec. 6 at the SEC Championship Game. Keep in mind automatic BCS bids have been projected to the conference leader. In case of a tie, the BCS standings broke the tie.
Southeastern: #1 Florida (6-0)
The Gators struggled with Arkansas (3-3) but rallied to survive with a last-second field goal, 23-20, in Gainesville. Florida heads to Starkville to face SEC also-ran Mississippi State (3-4). The Gators must not look past the Bulldogs toward the annual grudge match against Georgia (4-3).
Florida’s remaining schedule
Oct. 24: At Mississippi State
Oct. 31: Vs. Georgia in Jacksonville
Nov. 7: Home vs. Vanderbilt
Nov. 14: At South Carolina
Nov. 21: Home vs. Florida International
Nov. 28: Home vs. Florida State
Automatic At-Large: #2 Alabama (7-0)
The Crimson Tide systematically dispatched #24 South Carolina (5-2), 20-6, at home last week. Alabama is now number one in the Associated Press poll but the coaches and computers didn’t see things that way. The Tide hosts Tennessee (3-3) Saturday.
Alabama’s remaining schedule
Oct. 24: Home vs. Tennessee
Nov. 7: Home vs. Louisiana State
Nov. 14: At Mississippi State
Nov. 21: Home vs. Chattanooga
Nov. 27: At Auburn
Big 12: #3 Texas (6-0)
The Longhorns edged Oklahoma (3-3), 16-13, in the Red River Rivalry game Saturday in Dallas. Texas has played only one true road game, at Wyoming, so far this year. That’ll change as the Longhorns contest three of their four games at Big 12 opponents’ fields. The first comes this week against Missouri (4-2).
Texas’ remaining schedule
Oct. 24: At Missouri
Oct. 31: At Oklahoma State
Nov. 7: Home vs. Central Florida
Nov. 14: At Baylor
Nov. 21: Home vs. Kansas
Nov. 26: At Texas A&M
Western Athletic: #4 Boise State (6-0)
The Broncos squeaked past host Tulsa (4-2) Wednesday, 28-21. Pollsters weren’t impressed as the coaches and Harris voters ranked BSU sixth. The computers like the Broncos though so they start in fourth position. BSU visits Hawaii (2-4) Saturday.
Boise State’s remaining schedule
Oct. 24: At Hawaii
Oct. 31: Home vs. San Jose State
Nov. 6: At Louisiana Tech
Nov. 14: Home vs. Idaho
Nov. 20: At Utah State
Nov. 27: Home vs. Nevada
Dec. 5: Home vs. New Mexico State
Big East: #5 Cincinnati (6-0)
The Bearcats handled host South Florida (5-1) its first loss Thursday, 34-17. However, Cincinnati also lost its oft-injured quarterback, Tony Pike, during the game. Pike underwent surgery this week to fix the plate in his surgically-repaired left (non-throwing) arm. Pike’s status for Saturday’s game against Louisville (2-4) is in doubt.
Cincinnati’s remaining schedule
Oct. 24: Home vs. Louisville
Oct. 31: At Syracuse
Nov. 7: Home vs. Connecticut
Nov. 13: Home vs. West Virginia
Nov. 27: Home vs. Illinois
Dec. 5: At Pittsburgh
Big Ten: #6 Iowa (7-0)
The Hawkeyes are now the only unbeaten team in the conference. Iowa won at #21 Wisconsin (5-2), 20-10, Saturday while #19 Ohio State (5-2) was stunned at Purdue (2-5), 26-18. Michigan State (4-3), Iowa’s next opponent is one of the teams tied for second with one conference loss. The Hawkeyes must continue to be focused so the fate that befell the Buckeyes last week doesn’t hit them Saturday.
Iowa’s remaining schedule
Oct. 24: At Michigan State
Oct. 31: Home vs. Indiana
Nov. 7: Home vs. Northwestern
Nov. 14: At Ohio State
Nov. 21: Home vs. Minnesota
At-Large: #7 USC (5-1)
The Trojans jumped to a 34-13 fourth-quarter lead against Notre Dame (4-2) last week but holding off a furious rally to beat the Fighting Irish, 34-27, in South Bend. USC will try to get revenge for last season’s shocking loss in Corvallis when it hosts Oregon State (4-2) this week.
USC’s remaining schedule
Oct. 24: Home vs. Oregon State
Oct. 31: At Oregon
Nov. 7: At Arizona State
Nov. 14: Home vs. Stanford
Nov. 28: Home vs. UCLA
Dec. 5: Home vs. Arizona
Pacific-10: #11 Oregon (5-1)
The Ducks were off last week. Therefore, Oregon remains the only team in the Pac-10 without a conference loss. Four teams, most notably USC, have one league defeat. The Ducks host the Trojans on Halloween. Before that game, Oregon must travel to Seattle to face a greatly improved Washington (3-4) squad that’s already beaten USC at Husky Stadium.
Oregon’s remaining schedule
Oct. 24: At Washington
Oct. 31: Home vs. USC
Nov. 7: At Stanford
Nov. 14: Home vs. Arizona State.
Nov. 21: At Arizona
Dec. 3: Home vs. Oregon State
At-Large: #13 Penn State (6-1)
The Nittany Lions blanked Minnesota (4-3), 20-0, on Homecoming Saturday. The week was highlighted by the earliest recorded snowfall, Oct. 15. The weather was cold and so was the Golden Gopher offense. PSU needs help to win the Big Ten but successfully navigating the rest of its conference slate will be more than enough to get the Lions a BCS at-large berth. First stop: Ann Arbor to face Michigan (5-2).
Penn State’s remaining schedule
Oct. 24: At Michigan
Oct. 31: At Northwestern
Nov. 7: Home vs. Ohio State
Nov. 14: Home vs. Indiana
Nov. 21: At Michigan State
Atlantic Coast: Virginia (3-3)
Yes, the Cavaliers opened the campaign by losing at home to Division I-AA William and Mary, 26-14. Yes, Virginia began the year 0-3. True, Virginia started October winless. However, the Cavaliers have won their past three games. Virginia is the only ACC team without a conference blemish. That said, the Cavaliers have beaten North Carolina (4-2) and Maryland (2-5) so far in the league. The competition gets tougher Saturday when Georgia Tech visits Charlottesville.
Virginia’s remaining schedule
Oct. 24: Home vs. Georgia Tech
Oct. 31: Home vs. Duke
Nov. 7: At Miami
Nov. 14: Home vs. Boston College
Nov. 21: At Clemson
Nov. 28: Home vs. Virginia Tech
The other teams in the at-large pool are:
#8 Texas Christian (6-0), Mountain West
#9 Louisiana State (5-1), SEC
#10 Miami (5-1), ACC
#12 Georgia Tech (6-1), ACC
#14 Virginia Tech (5-2), ACC
The BCS Championship Game would pit Florida against Alabama. Iowa and Oregon are projected to meet in the Rose Bowl. The Sugar Bowl would choose USC to replace the lost SEC squads. Since two SEC teams would be included, LSU is now ineligible.
The Sugar Bowl would then choose Penn State. The Orange Bowl would select Cincinnati next. Finally, Boise State heads to the Fiesta Bowl. The BCS game projections for Oct. 21 are as follows:
BCS Championship: Florida vs. Alabama
Rose: Iowa vs. Oregon
Sugar: USC vs. Penn State
Fiesta: Texas vs. Boise State
Orange: Cincinnati vs. Virginia
