BCS Standings: Breaking Down The Undefeated Team's Paths To The BCS Championship Game

We are a country divided.

There are college football playoff proponents, and there are ardent BCS defenders.

On Sunday evening, the first BCS standings of the season were released, and they revealed a potential scenario that would provide plenty of ammunition for both sides in this ongoing conflict.

Currently, SEC rivals Alabama and LSU are ranked in the top two in the BCS standings. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, both members of the Big 12, are ranked third and fourth respectively. As most know, each pair has a highly anticipated intra-conference game remaining on the college football schedule. Defenders of the current BCS system will argue that these are de facto playoff games that will decide who plays in the national championship game. From this perspective, the BCS title game is more or less the "plus one" game that people are clamoring for.

On the flip side, if all the other teams that are currently undefeated, and ranked in the top 10, win the rest of their games, it is possible that four teams, including three from BCS conferences could be shut out of the national championship game. This scenario would certainly amp up the drum beat for an overhaul to the current format. Interestingly, two of the most vocal opponents of a playoff system could be the ones hurt most in this scenario. Both Pac 12 commissioner Larry Scott and Big Ten commissioner Jim Delaney have consistently argued against a playoff, but their conferences could have undefeated teams left out of the title game if the rankings hold.

Who will win the national championship? We don't know. But we did break down the paths that every undefeated team ranked in the top ten of the initial BCS standings must likely take in order to reserve a spot in the BCS national championship game. Browse through and tell us what match up you feel is the most likely to occur in the comments section.

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Comments

[liberaldawg]

03:38 PM on 10/20/2011

I am mystified at Les Miles coaching "prowess".

[LSULinebacker64]

02:30 PM on 10/20/2011

The way they are describing there's 4 teams that can stay undefeated right now.... If there would be 4 teams at the end of the season with undefeated records. What would the BCS come to being in the future on the next vote.

Undefeated Kansas St 6-0 in the BIG 12 still has to play Undefeated Oklahoma St & Undefeated Oklahoma... Those are some Larger or Bigger games then people want to put on them.

[beverlyamy1]

10:06 AM on 10/20/2011

lsu will be through when the tide rolls over them.

[CatfishJohn]

10:49 PM on 10/19/2011

Super post HufPo,...Just returned from beautiful Neyland Stadium in Knoxville witnessing the LSU Bayou Bengals maul Tennesseee. watchiNG this LSU juggernaut in person,. i got to say, LSU's secondary is as good, if not better , than the Woodson-lead 1997 National Champion Michigan secondary. LSU linebackers and d-backs fly to the ball in groups of 2 and 3 with perfect tackling angles and techniques. their offense is better than most think and can improve with more use of man- child wideout Randle . their special teams play is superior. If they can stop Richardson in Tuscaloosa in 2 weeks, they will win there and out. I just don't think new Bama QB can beat this incredible LSU secondary by passing more than he wants to....nevertheless, Daddy would want me to root for his school--So ROLL TIDE!

[Cowoak]

04:04 PM on 10/20/2011

Either way, The SEC teams (LSU, ALABAMA) will crush whomever they meet in the big game.

[LuLou Murder]

04:23 PM on 10/19/2011

"Their [Stanford's] weak schedule was reflected by them currently being ranked last of all the undefeated teams in the college football in the initial BCS standings."

Not entirely true, because Kansas State and Houston are undefeated and still ranked lower.