SEC, Big 12 Take Top Spots in 1st BCS Standings

Southeastern Conference rivals first-place LSU and second-place Alabama meet Nov. 5 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The Tigers play defending national champion Auburn at home on Saturday and the Crimson Tide is at Tennessee. If they can get through that, both will be off for a week before a likely No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup that could decide the SEC West.

Third-place Oklahoma and fourth-place Oklahoma State have to wait longer to play their potential Big 12 showdown. The Bedlam rivalry is set for Dec. 3 at Stillwater, Okla.

The only other time the top four teams in the first BCS standings of the season came from two conferences was 2000, when the Big 12 (Nebraska and Oklahoma) and the Big East (Virginia Tech and Miami) did it.

The BCS standings combine the coaches' poll, Harris poll and a compilation of six computer rankings.

The top four teams in the AP Top 25, which is not part of the BCS standings, were LSU, Alabama, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

Boise State was fifth in the first BCS standings, in good position to at least earn a spot in the five most lucrative bowl games, if not the BCS championship game on Jan. 9 in New Orleans.

Wisconsin was sixth, followed by fellow undefeated teams Clemson and Stanford. The other two undefeated major college teams are Kansas State in 11th place and Houston in 19th.

With half the season to play, there is still plenty of opportunities to shake up the standings, but for now the focus will be on the SEC and the Big 12.

Seven times in the 13-year history of the Bowl Championship Series, the teams that played in the national championship game were in the top four of the first standings. But teams have also come from has far back as 12th (LSU in 2003) and 10th (Florida in 2008) to play in the title game.

The SEC has produced the last five national champions and Alabama and LSU are on target to put another SEC team in the championship game this season.

After the Tide and Tigers play each other, both would have three more games and a conference championship to get through after the showdown in Tuscaloosa. If the winner on Nov. 5 can stay undefeated, it'll be off to New Orleans.

In the Big 12, it might not be quite so clear cut.

"I don't know if I'd go so far to say Oklahoma State controls its own destiny, but Oklahoma does," said CBS Sports.com's Jerry Palm, who analyzes the BCS standings.

Oklahoma State is No. 1 in the computer ratings but as Stanford and Wisconsin move into the tougher parts of their schedules, that advantage might go away.

But, as any coach will tell you, it's to early to get too worried about the rankings.

"Keep winning games and hope for the best," Palm said.

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TCU, Boise State and BCS standings

Several big questions loom in the final weeks of the season regarding TCU, Boise State and their quest to become the first non-AQ team to play for a BCS national championship.

Auburn and Oregon are in control of their own destiny. One or both have to lose for TCU or Boise State to sneak in. I asked ESPN BCS guru Brad Edwards two pressing questions on the topic, and here is what he had to say:

Q: If Oregon and Auburn lose, what are the chances TCU and Boise State play for the national title if both stay undefeated?

A: Right now, you'd have to say that's the most likely scenario. Even if voters decide to elevate a 1-loss conference champion to attempt to keep it from happening, they'd need to be on the same page in deciding which team to elevate, and their choice would need to be a team that was strong enough in the computers. It would take a bunch of voters with a common goal. The biggest threat to that matchup, in my opinion, would be Auburn if it lost at Alabama then won the SEC title.

Q: So in that scenario, can the Tigers creep ahead of TCU/Boise State into the national title game?

A: If Auburn loses to Alabama then wins the SEC, the Tigers will still be very strong in the computers. My guess, though, is if Oregon is still unbeaten, most voters are willing to give TCU (or Boise State) a chance rather than try to force a team with a late loss into that spot. Then again, it's a one-loss SEC champ, and that's a decision the voters would have to make.

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