Football Follies

[cactuswatcher]

The main contenders for BCS spots include:
Florida has a spot in the SEC championship already. If it beats South Carolina, wins its last two non-conference games (The Citadel which should be a laugher and Florida State which should not present too much problem this year.) they stand a decent chance of getting to the BCS championship game.
Alabama also is in the SEC championship game, for the BCS champoinship they still have two conference games. Mississippi State isn't much good, and Auburn which with all its troubles this year is only mediocre.

Looks like the Florida-Alabama winner will get one BCS championship slot and the loser goes to the Sugar Bowl. The other BCS Championship slot still seems bound to the Big 12, but not as tidily.

Texas Tech still has a tough game against Oklahoma, a week from Saturday. They have to play in Norman which, of course, is something Texas never has to do. I would not be surprised if Oklahoma wins. After that they finish with Baylor which is been scrappy for a change this year if not particularly successful.
Texas plays at Kansas this week and vs A&M about Thanksgiving. Kansas lost too many of its best players after last season, and Texas A&M probably is the worst team in the Big 12 South this year.
Oklahoma plays Texas Tech and Oklahoma State in Stillwater. If Oklahoma can get by the Red Raiders, the Cowboys are still a very dangerous team especially against their in-state rivals.

Everyone knows if Texas Tech wins out they are in the BCS Chamionship game. But beating Oklahoma isn't going to be easy. Then too, Missouri probably matches up better against Texas Tech than any of the other top 4 teams in the South. It would be an upset for Missouri to win, but far from unimaginable. If Texas Tech loses to Oklahoma or Missouri, their logical successor to the BCS chamionship game would be Texas. However, should Oklahoma beat Texas Tech and all other regular season games go as predicted, the Big 12 South would end in a 3-way tie. The representative from the south for the Big 12 championship would be determined by order in the final regular season BCS poll. Given the pollsters love for teams who've shown off the most recently, Oklahoma could get the slot in the league championship and a very good chance of being in the BCS Championship. Kansas and Nebraska still have faint hopes of getting to the Big 12 championship. If Missouri beats Iowa State (the worst team in the whole conference) this week, Nebraska is out. Should Texas also beat Kansas as they likely will this week, the Missouri-Kansas game will be just for pride.

Texas will probably get a BCS bid. Oklahoma has to beat Texas Tech. Texas Tech has to beat Oklahoma or get lucky. Missouri could get a bid and screw up everything by an upset in the conference championship.

The ACC picture still looks chaotic. The Big East should be decided in the Pitt-Cincinnatti game a week from Saturday. I say "should be" a bit tongue in cheek here because if Pitt wins, they still have two serious games ahead. Should Cincinnati win they probably have the BCS bid for the conference.

I would imagine the Fiesta Bowl is praying for Oregon State to win out and go to the Rose Bowl. The writers are correct that the Fiesta Bowl would be happy with Utah, and okay with Boise State, if Oregon State doesn't do it. But the Fiesta Bowl has the first free choice this year, and if USC is available, they will take them, barring a serious behind the scenes exchange of money. Should USC go to the Rose Bowl, the other at-large BCS bid will likely go to Ohio State. But, the Fiesta Bowl would be much more likely to pass on them.