BCS Standings Week 10: Stanford Moves Up BCS Rankings After Big Win Over USC

BY RALPH D. RUSSO, Associated Press

Stanford's first win of the season against a ranked team helped Andrew Luck and the Cardinal move up in the BCS standings.

While LSU (8-0), Alabama (8-0) and Oklahoma State (8-0) remained locked into the top three spots in the standings released Sunday, Stanford moved up two places to fourth after beating Southern California 56-48 in triple overtime.

Boise State (7-0) slipped a spot to fifth, while Clemson (7-1) fell from fifth to 11th after its first loss.

Scroll Down For Full BCS Standings

LSU and Alabama will play Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Ala., for first place and the inside track to the BCS national championship game.

Oklahoma State seems to be in position to win out and reach the title game in New Orleans on Jan. 9. The computer ratings have the Cowboys No. 1.

The BCS standings use the Harris poll, the coaches' poll and computer ratings to determine which teams play for the national championship.

LSU is No. 1 in both polls and Alabama is No. 2 in each. The Tigers and Crimson Tide are tied for the second-best computer rating.

Oklahoma State is No. 3 in the Harris poll and No. 4 in the coaches' poll, and Stanford is No. 4 and No. 3. But the difference between the Cowboys (.9310 BCS average) and the Cardinal (.8615) is the computer ratings.

Stanford is sixth in the computers because of a weak early season schedule. The Cardinal should be getting a boost from here on out.

After a road game Saturday against Pac-12 rival Oregon State, the Cardinal play Oregon, eighth in the BCS standings, at home. They finish with California and Notre Dame at home, and could play in the Pac-12 championship, too -- probably against Arizona State.

It might not be enough to catch Oklahoma State. The Cowboys face Big 12 rival Kansas State, 14th in the BCS standings, on Saturday, have road games against Texas Tech and Iowa State, and finish with a home game against Oklahoma.

The Big 12 no longer has a championship game.

For Boise State, the formula is the same as it has always been. The Broncos' conference schedule -- this year in the Mountain West -- presents few stiff challenges, so Boise State probably needs to go undefeated just to play in one of the four marquee bowl games. The Broncos have done that twice. To reach the national championship game for the first time, Boise State will need the teams ahead of it to lose.

1 LSU 8-0
2 Alabama 8-0
3 Oklahoma State 8-0
4 Stanford 8-0
5 Boise State 7-0
6 Oklahoma 7-1
7 Arkansas 7-1
8 Oregon 7-1
9 South Carolina 7-1
10 Nebraska 7-1
11 Clemson 8-1
12 Virginia Tech 8-1
13 Houston 8-0
14 Kansas State 7-1
15 Michigan 7-1
16 Penn State 8-1
17 Michigan State 6-2
18 Georgia 6-2
19 Arizona State 6-2
20 Wisconsin 6-2
21 Texas 5-2
22 Auburn 6-3
23 Georgia Tech 7-2
24 West Virginia 6-2
25 Southern Miss 7-1

Comments

[John Kirk De Ritis]

12:15 AM on 11/06/2011

HEY HUFFPO LEARN TO SPELL CHECK..
it STANFORD.... NOT STAND FORD.
gezzuz.

[spikedawg71]

02:49 AM on 11/04/2011

This was Stanford's second victory over a ranked team this season, not their first.

[Thomas Nagano]

04:04 PM on 10/31/2011

My University of Southern California Fans/Friends were very disappointed that Sanford University won 56 to 48.

I said to them, just remember you and 93,606 others in LA Coliseum attendance, saw Heisman Trophy winner, Andrew Luck tie and then win in triple over-time by scoring three TDs and a two point conversion.

Besides, USC can blow out Sanford next year at their Palo Alto homefield.

-"TK"

[Californiagrove]

12:14 PM on 11/02/2011

Thomas, Don't think that just because Andrew Luck will be gone next year that Stanford won't contend. We've been down this road before in the 1970's. Jim Plunkett and then Don Bunce. It was Don Bunce who took Stanford to the Rose Bowl and won!

[MASSIVEminiature]

02:23 PM on 10/31/2011

GEAUX TIGERS!!!

[petey64]

01:23 PM on 10/31/2011

Great game saturday as a USC fan it was a drag watching them come up short, but it was a great effort by both teams, well played Stanford you earned it, I do look forward to them playing Oregon.

[OhManOhMan]

12:55 PM on 10/31/2011

Put Stanford in SEC right now and they will lose 5 games guarantee

[Alpharius]

02:31 PM on 10/31/2011

Maybe, but the Stanford players can actually read above a 1st grade level.

[OhManOhMan]

04:54 PM on 10/31/2011

So WHAT!!! look at the job market for college educated folks, zilch!!

[Californiagrove]

12:15 PM on 11/02/2011

Dream on. Stanford could beat them all.

[frank day]

08:18 AM on 10/31/2011

I have them at 10. They showed a lot of weaknesses Saturday.

Alabama or LSU would beat them badly.

[MisterCee]

11:30 AM on 10/31/2011

Who has Alabama played? An Arkansas team that has an easier schedule than Boise St? Or how about the great Florida Gators who are barely a .500 team? Or what about that dominating Auburn team who's ranked but shouldn't be because of 3 loses? Or how about the 3-5 Tennessee Volunteers?

You're right, Alabama is such a dominating team, too bad it's against teams that suck.

The SEC shouldn't have but 1 team ranked because the rest of the conference sucks. But again, that's how it is every year. Yes, an SEC team has won the last few BCS games, but then the rest usually stink up the joint in their bowl games.

[Scuby]

03:31 PM on 10/31/2011

Arkansas has an easier schedule than Boise State? I don't think so. #1 and #2 are the schedule, as is #10 South Carolina, a ranked Texas A&M team, and a ranked Auburn team. Other than mediocre Georgia, who does Boise State play??

[Californiagrove]

12:19 PM on 11/02/2011

Frank Day you need a reality check. Do you remember how good Virginia Tech. was last year? Stanford wiped the floor with them at the Orange Bowl. Never underestimate Stanford.

[cliffhammond]

04:07 AM on 10/31/2011

The game Saturday between LSU and Alabama is more than likely for the national championship. It's a shame someone has to lose. When that happens the whole issue of NCAA playoffs will be raised again.

[frank day]

08:19 AM on 10/31/2011

Agree

[OhManOhMan]

12:56 PM on 10/31/2011

ncaa refuse to grant the play offs because of the 1% greed.

[cliffhammond]

04:00 AM on 10/31/2011

Texas at 5-2 is ranked 21st. Oh the power of a name brand.

[jgeurian21]

05:37 PM on 10/31/2011

Both are to OU, who was ranked #3 and OSU who was #5.

[xtexun21]

11:10 PM on 10/30/2011

Hardly a big win considering USC wasnt ranked in the BCS, and it took 3 overtimes for a final decision. Oregon is probably a better team and we'll see in 2 saturdays, I would even go out on a limb and say Boise st would take them. Stanford is only in their position because nobody in their conference or the big 12 or 10 is stepping up, and I consider the PAC 10 fourth behind 1. SEC 2. Big 12 3. Big 10. I dont know what the love affair with Pac 10 teams is, but I dont think any of them would stand up with most of the teams in the SEC.

[LuLou Murder]

11:35 PM on 10/30/2011

USC was ranked #20 in one of the polls, and probably would have been ranked higher, except they're still on probation, and ineligible for BCS ranking.

[MisterCee]

12:17 AM on 10/31/2011

USC should have been ranked higher. Texas, Auburn, and a few other teams from the Big 12 and SEC shouldn't be ranked in the top 25 at all and never should have been. The SEC is what they are every year, 1 or 2 good teams followed by mediocre teams. Stanford is in this position because they're a good team, after all, ask Virginia Tech. If Stanford beats Oregon then we just might have a chance to see how they would do against an SEC team.

[frank day]

08:19 AM on 10/31/2011

The PAC 12 shouldn't have any ranked teams.

[Piglet2]

11:06 PM on 10/30/2011

When Boise State finally starts playing actual college football teams week in and week out instead of HS upgrades then they can be in the top 10 of the BCS rankings until then we shouldn't take them seriously.

[rktboy]

01:32 PM on 10/31/2011

That's what I said, until they beat my Sooners in the '07 Fiesta Bowl...with a play that every kid in America learned on their 2nd grade recess. (...Stupid Statue of Liberty.)

[spikedawg71]

03:25 AM on 11/04/2011

I agree piglet, but do remember that not long ago Boise was Div 2. and making any Div 1 conference was an achievement for that program. When they do play those legit schools with a 100 year history, they not only match that team, they usually win. Week conference is the only thing holding them down. And coach Peterson is probably the best coach in college, not coaching a storied elite program. His teams play as a team, his teams are sound fundamentally. He is a great coach and he gets maximum potential from his players. Talk smack if you want, but he would dominate your conference if he was coaching in your conference.

[biglith]

10:51 PM on 10/30/2011

After watching Stanford Saturday night I am going to have to say Oregon is a better team and the Ducks will beat the Cardinal in two weeks..

[frank day]

08:20 AM on 10/31/2011

Yep

[Californiagrove]

12:17 PM on 11/02/2011

Keep dreaming. They are playing at Stanford. STANFORD will beat Oregon.........WE DON'T FORGET.

[rickyallen2]

09:51 PM on 10/30/2011

GO HOGS!

[cliffhammond]

04:02 AM on 10/31/2011

...back into the woods.

[SuperDW]

09:43 PM on 10/30/2011

Great game. Made me wonder why I bother with NFL.

[CatfishJohn]

09:52 PM on 10/30/2011

Dont bother Super.. sweek after week, season after season saturday football is totallysatisfying virtaullyevery weekend.!
Geeky computer fantasy football pervades NFL Sundays for a reason : To add some spice to the fact that significant majority of NFL games themselves are formulaic, homogenized and downright boring!

[rktboy]

01:35 PM on 10/31/2011

I'm with you. Give me a college gridiron rivalry over pro ball any day. They're just....hungrier.