Who has the edge?
NORMAN, Okla. – The Oklahoma Sooners are ranked fifth in the first Bowl Championship Series poll of the season, but cornerback D.J. Wolfe isn't discouraged.
"Hey," Wolfe said, "it's a crazy season in college football. If we win the rest of our games, who knows what will happen?"
No one, apparently.
Would winning out ensure tradition-rich programs such as Oklahoma or No. 4 LSU get a shot at the national title? Or will college football fans be treated to a riveting Sugar Bowl showdown between Ohio State and South Florida? The Buckeyes and Bulls occupy the top two slots in the first poll.
"All we're concerned with right now is the Big 12 title," Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray said. "It's pointless to worry about a national title. We don't have any control over that."
Actually, the Sooners would've been a favorite to end up in New Orleans if not for a stunning loss at Colorado on Sept. 29. But the guess here is that Bob Stoops' squad still will get a shot at college football's crown because a) The Sooners are as talented as any team in the country and b) Oklahoma has a favorable schedule.
The Sooners' next three games are against Iowa State, Texas A&M and Baylor. On Saturday those schools lost by a combined score of 149-17. A Nov. 17 road game at Texas Tech and a Big 12 championship tilt – probably against Missouri – are the main two things standing in Oklahoma's path.
Well, that and Ohio State, South Florida and Boston College.
Those three schools are undefeated and ranked ahead of Oklahoma and LSU in the standings. The toughest game remaining on Ohio State's schedule is a Nov. 17 regular-season finale against Michigan – a team the Buckeyes have defeated three years in a row. So Ohio State is a lock for New Orleans if it wins out.
"We know that next Sunday, when the next rankings come out, we'll be up there if we win," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. "If we don't we'll be elsewhere. Our guys understand the task at hand."
The bigger question Sunday was whether Oklahoma and LSU could leapfrog South Florida and Boston College if all four schools win out. The Sooners and Tigers play tougher schedules, yet the gap between No. 3 and No. 4 in the BCS poll is significant.
"I'm not thinking about all that other stuff," South Florida coach Jim Leavitt said. "I'm really not. It's going to be a barnburner the next couple of weeks because the Big East is strong."
Here's a look at the top five teams in the BCS standings and their upcoming schedules. Predictions indicate pre-bowl game records.
• No. 1 Ohio State (7-0): Beating Washington and Purdue was nice, but the Buckeyes haven't exactly defeated a top-tier opponent. Also helping Ohio State's cause is that it competes in a weak Big Ten conference. Look for Tressel's squad to improve to 11-0 by beating Penn State on the road and Michigan State, Wisconsin and Illinois. A regular-season finale at Michigan could knock the Buckeyes out of the national title game. Ohio State owns three straight victories over the Wolverines.
Prediction: 12-0, National runner-up
• No. 2 South Florida (7-0): Enough with the bashing of the Bulls. South Florida owns victories against West Virginia, Auburn and North Carolina. Saturday they pasted a decent Central Florida squad 64-12. This is a legit team, folks. Still, the Bulls have a tough path ahead. Thursday's road game at Rutgers will be a slugfest, as will home games against Cincinnati and Louisville. South Florida never had been ranked before this season. All this attention eventually could wear on the Bulls.
Prediction: 10-2
• No. 3 Boston College (7-0): Take away victories against Wake Forest and Georgia Tech, and it's not as if the Eagles have survived a gauntlet of tough teams. Matt Ryan has blossomed into one of the nation's top quarterbacks, but it will be tough to come through road games at Clemson, Maryland and Virginia Tech without a blemish.
Prediction: 10-2
• No. 4 LSU (6-1): Despite Saturday's triple-overtime loss at Kentucky, the argument still could be made that the Tigers are the best team in the country. The problem is that they play in the SEC, where one bad week could cost you a shot at the title. LSU likely will win the rest of its regular-season games – against Auburn, Alabama, Ole Miss, Louisiana Tech and Arkansas. But even if that happened it'd have to play in the SEC championship, perhaps against Florida.
Prediction: 11-2
• No. 5 Oklahoma (6-1): The Sooners appear to have the easiest path toward New Orleans – mainly because they're benefiting from a down year in the Big 12. Oklahoma's next three games are gimmes. After that the Sooners will be tested by high-scoring Texas Tech in Lubbock and in the Big 12 championship game, likely against Missouri. The Sooners could lose either one of those contests. In the end, though, their superior talent and coaching will prevail.
Prediction: 12-1, national champion
