BCS Breakdown: Alabama and Florida are at the top, but Missouri could become a player
The top 5 teams in the BCS standings read like a who’s who of college football tradition with the exception of one team – Missouri.
The party crashers of the first week of the BCS standings found their way to the top of the heap with wins over ranked Georgia and Florida teams and losses by six teams in the top 10 of the coaches poll, one of the components of the BCS.
The Tigers round out a Top 5, which includes No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Florida State, No. 3 Oregon and No. 4 Ohio State.
Alabama has been at the top of the polls since the end of last season when it won its second consecutive national title. Florida State is a surprise at No. 2, but it's 51-14 win against then-No. 3 Clemson was the most dominating performance of a ranked team this season.
However, Oregon is nipping at the Seminoles heels and are just .0028 points behind in the rankings. The matchup of the Crimson Tide and Ducks was one many were anticipating last season before both teams suffered losses. Alabama was able to climb back into the national championship game, Oregon was on the outside looking in much like they are now.
Ohio State squeaked by Iowa on Saturday and is probably considered the weakest of the group despite holding the nation’s longest winning streak at 18 games. The Big Ten has struggled this season, which won’t help the Buckeyes move up in the rankings. Similarly, Florida State has one ranked team remaining on its schedule – No. 7 Miami – and then a bunch of weak opponents before meeting a currently unranked Florida team at the end of the regular season. That opens up a lot of opportunities for the teams behind the Seminoles.
Which brings us back to Missouri.
Missouri is in an interesting position because it has several opportunities to make up ground on the teams ahead of it. But the Tigers have to keep winning, and with the most daunting schedule of the five top teams, that’s not going to be an easy task. Even if the Tigers do win out and make it to the SEC title game, they’ll have to topple Alabama for a chance at a national title.
But that’s quite a ways down the road and as we’ve seen in past seasons, the first BCS standings don’t often look like the one in six weeks that will determine who plays for the BCS trophy.
- - - - - - -
is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!
Follow @YahooDrSaturday
