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Friday, December 13, 2002
BCS bowl breakdown
BCSfootball.com
Only one team has clinched a berth in the Bowl Championship Series thus far. Florida State will make its third consecutive trip to the BCS this fall, the only team to make it all three seasons, as Tennessee and Wisconsin won't make it this year.
Here is how the BCS shapes up with three weeks remaining before the bowl pairings are announced on Dec. 3.
Oklahoma
| BCS rank |
Record |
Remaining games |
| 1 |
9-0 |
Texas Tech (Nov. 18), at Oklahoma State (Nov. 25), Big XII Championship Game (Dec. 2) |
| Oklahoma is the only team that has a clear shot to the FedEx Orange Bowl. Win out and the Sooners are there. The biggest test will come in the Big XII Championship Game in Kansas City, where the Sooners would likely face a rematch with Kansas State in a virtual home game for the Wildcats. |
Miami
| BCS rank |
Record |
Remaining games |
| 2 |
8-1 |
at Syracuse (Nov. 18), Boston College (Nov. 25) |
| The Hurricanes need one win to clinch a berth in the Bowl Championship Series. In order to get to the FedEx Orange Bowl, the 'Canes may need either Oklahoma or Florida State to lose. Miami is hampered by a computer ranking that has FSU leading Miami by one full point. |
Florida State
| BCS rank |
Record |
Remaining games |
| 3 |
9-1 |
Florida (Nov. 18) |
| If the Seminoles knock off Florida this Saturday, Florida State will likely move back into No. 2 in the BCS. Either way, the 'Noles have already clinched a berth in the Bowl Championship Series. |
Florida
| BCS rank |
Record |
Remaining games |
| 4 |
9-1 |
at Florida State (Nov. 18), SEC Championship Game (Dec. 2) |
| The Gators have not won in Tallahassee during the Steve Spurrier era. Even if Florida ends its drought at Doak Campbell Stadium, the Gators may need a big margin of victory to overcome their current 3.28 point deficit to Miami. |
Washington
| BCS rank |
Record |
Remaining games |
| 5 |
9-1 |
at Washington State (Nov. 18) |
| Washington needs to defeat 4-6 Washington State and then have Oregon State knock off Oregon in the Civil War to clinch a share of the Pac-10 title. Washington would win the conference tie-breaker and head to the Rose Bowl. If Oregon wins, the Huskies would also have a chance to be an at-large team in the BCS. |
Virginia Tech
| BCS rank |
Record |
Remaining games |
| 6 |
9-1 |
Virginia (Nov. 25) |
| A healthy Michael Vick could be the Hokies playing card. If Vick is healthy, the BCS may call on Va. Tech as an at-large team. The Hokies only other hope is for Miami to be swept up in Presidential chaos and lose to Syracuse and Boston College. |
Oregon
| BCS rank |
Record |
Remaining games |
| 7 |
9-1 |
at Oregon State (Nov. 18) |
| The Ducks clinch the Pac-10 with a win at Oregon State and earn a trip to the Rose Bowl. If they lose, there is a slim chance the BCS would select Oregon as an at-large team. An even more bizarre scenario with a number of teams losing could vault the Ducks into the Orange Bowl. |
Nebraska
| BCS rank |
Record |
Remaining games |
| 8 |
8-2 |
Colorado (Nov. 24), Big XII Championship Game* (Dec. 2) *If Kansas State loses to Missouri. |
| The Huskers have no hope to reach the National Championship Game. If Missouri pulls off an unlikely upset of Kansas State this weekend in Columbia, Nebraska would win the Big XII North Division and head to the Big XII Championship Game. More likely, the Huskers are hoping to sneak into the BCS as an at-large team, but there appears to be more attractive schools available. |
Oregon State
| BCS rank |
Record |
Remaining games |
| 9 |
9-1 |
Oregon (Nov. 18) |
| Oregon State has Oregon right where it wants them, but the Beavers also need Washington State to beat Washington this weekend to earn a trip to Pasadena. If Oregon State defeats Oregon but Washington wins, the Beavers could be as high as fifth or sixth in the BCS, creating pressure for them to be added into the BCS mix. |
Kansas State
| BCS rank |
Record |
Remaining games |
| 10 |
9-2 |
at Missouri (Nov. 18), Big XII Championship Game* (Dec. 2) *If Kansas State beats Missouri. |
| Kansas State can finally earn its first BCS bowl bid with wins over Missouri and Oklahoma (in the Big XII title game). K-State, coming off its second win over Nebraska in three years, first needs to defeat 3-7 Missouri, before a rematch with Oklahoma, who throttled the Wildcats 41-31 in Manhattan. This time, the game will be in Arrowhead Stadium, where K-State won its first game of the season. More importantly, December in Kansas could be more to the likely of K-State than Oklahoma's spread offense. |
Notre Dame
| BCS rank |
Record |
Remaining games |
| 11 |
7-2 |
at Rutgers (Nov. 18), at USC (Nov. 25) |
| The Fighting Irish earn one of the two BCS at-large berths if they win their final two games. Rutgers is struggling, while USC is looking at finishing last in the Pac-10. Expect the Irish in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, although they could end up in the Nokia Sugar Bowl. |
Mississippi State
| BCS rank |
Record |
Remaining games |
| 12 |
7-2 |
Arkansas (Nov. 18), at Mississippi (Nov. 23), SEC Championship Game* (Dec. 2) *If SEC West champions. |
| Mississippi State is in a three-way battle for the SEC West with LSU and Auburn. If the Bulldogs win their final two regular season games and there is a three-way tie, the Bulldogs win the division and get another date with Florida (who they throttled in September). If Auburn drops a game, Mississippi State loses the tie-breaker to LSU. Either way, the Bulldogs pose a serious threat to Florida's BCS hopes. |
Purdue
| BCS rank |
Record |
Remaining games |
| N/A |
7-3 |
Indiana (Nov. 18) |
| The Boilermakers missed their chance to clinch the Big Ten title and a trip to the Rose Bowl last weekend. Purdue needs to defeat Indiana this weekend, otherwise, the Boilers are out. |
Ohio State
| BCS rank |
Record |
Remaining games |
| 13 |
8-2 |
Michigan (Nov. 18) |
| Ohio State will play Michigan before knowing the result of Purdue-Indiana. Nonetheless, if the Buckeyes knock off the Wolverines (John Cooper is 2-9-1 against UM), they will head to the Rose Bowl if Purdue loses. If Purdue wins, Ohio State will end up in a major bowl game, but its chances of gaining a BCS at-large berth are minute. |
Northwestern
| BCS rank |
Record |
Remaining games |
| N/A |
7-3 |
Illinois (Nov. 18) |
| In order to return to the Rose Bowl, Northwestern has to defeat Illinois, plus hope that Ohio State and Purdue both lose. |
Michigan
| BCS rank |
Record |
Remaining games |
| N/A |
7-3 |
at Ohio State (Nov. 18) |
| Michigan already lost one game in Pasadena this season, and the Wolverines will need a lot to return. Michigan needs to win in Columbus and have Northwestern and Purdue both lose. |
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