Cincinnati fails to gain ground in BCS standings
November, 8, 2009
11/08/09
6:41
PM ET
Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
I really thought Cincinnati would move up to No. 4 in the latest BCS standings after Iowa's loss.
Instead, TCU leapfrogged right past the Bearcats into the No. 4 spot, as Cincinnati stayed at No. 5. The Bearcats have the better computer rankings, and in fact are ranked third in the composite computer numbers, surprisingly two spots ahead of Texas. But TCU has the advantage in both human polls.
It looks like Cincinnati's near second-half collapse against UConn on Saturday may have indeed cost it some style points, at least with Harris Poll voters who jumped the Horned Frogs ahead this week. TCU won big this weekend, but it was over San Diego State, a team that is nowhere near as good as UConn.
Now you have to wonder if, even if Texas were to lose, Cincinnati could jump ahead of TCU for the BCS title game. The closing stretch of games for the Bearcats -- West Virginia, Illinois and Pitt -- will be much stronger than what TCU faces -- Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico. So maybe that would turn the tide in Cincinnati's favor in the court of public opinion.
TCU's best win this year is at BYU, which is No. 22 in the BCS standings this week. Cincinnati has beaten Oregon State (23) and South Florida (24) on the road. So you make the call.
Another disappointing showing in the BCS standings is Pitt. Though the Panthers are No. 9 in both BCS polls, they check in at N0. 12 in the overall standings, thank to some weak computer numbers (average computer ranking: 13th). Again, though, the Panthers have almost zero chance of getting an at-large bid at 10-2 and simply need to focus on winning the Big East.
South Florida, as mentioned earlier, is No. 24 and West Virginia is 25th, meaning half the Big East is represented in the BCS standings. Not bad for a league whose BCS merits was being debated in the offseason, huh?
I really thought Cincinnati would move up to No. 4 in the latest BCS standings after Iowa's loss.
Instead, TCU leapfrogged right past the Bearcats into the No. 4 spot, as Cincinnati stayed at No. 5. The Bearcats have the better computer rankings, and in fact are ranked third in the composite computer numbers, surprisingly two spots ahead of Texas. But TCU has the advantage in both human polls.
It looks like Cincinnati's near second-half collapse against UConn on Saturday may have indeed cost it some style points, at least with Harris Poll voters who jumped the Horned Frogs ahead this week. TCU won big this weekend, but it was over San Diego State, a team that is nowhere near as good as UConn.
Now you have to wonder if, even if Texas were to lose, Cincinnati could jump ahead of TCU for the BCS title game. The closing stretch of games for the Bearcats -- West Virginia, Illinois and Pitt -- will be much stronger than what TCU faces -- Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico. So maybe that would turn the tide in Cincinnati's favor in the court of public opinion.
TCU's best win this year is at BYU, which is No. 22 in the BCS standings this week. Cincinnati has beaten Oregon State (23) and South Florida (24) on the road. So you make the call.
Another disappointing showing in the BCS standings is Pitt. Though the Panthers are No. 9 in both BCS polls, they check in at N0. 12 in the overall standings, thank to some weak computer numbers (average computer ranking: 13th). Again, though, the Panthers have almost zero chance of getting an at-large bid at 10-2 and simply need to focus on winning the Big East.
South Florida, as mentioned earlier, is No. 24 and West Virginia is 25th, meaning half the Big East is represented in the BCS standings. Not bad for a league whose BCS merits was being debated in the offseason, huh?
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Andrea Adelson
Adelson joined ESPN.com in 2010 after spending time as a college football columnist at The Orlando Sentinel. She has covered college football since her days as a University of Florida student, and lives in Orlando, Fla.
BIG EAST SCOREBOARD
Saturday, 12/17
Final Temple 37 Wyoming 15 Final Ohio 24 Utah State 23 Final San Diego State 30 Louisiana-Lafayette 32
Tuesday, 12/20
Wednesday, 12/21
Final 18 TCU 31 Louisiana Tech 24
Thursday, 12/22
Saturday, 12/24
Final Nevada 17 21 Southern Miss 24
Monday, 12/26
Tuesday, 12/27
Final Western Michigan 32 Purdue 37 Final Louisville 24 North Carolina State 31
Wednesday, 12/28
Final Toledo 42 Air Force 41 Final California 10 24 Texas 21
Thursday, 12/29
Final Florida State 18 Notre Dame 14 Final Washington 56 12 Baylor 67
Friday, 12/30
Final Brigham Young 24 Tulsa 21 Final Rutgers 27 Iowa State 13 Final Mississippi State 23 Wake Forest 17 Final Iowa 14 14 Oklahoma 31
Saturday, 12/31
Final Texas A&M 33 Northwestern 22 Final/OT Georgia Tech 27 Utah 30 Final Illinois 20 UCLA 14 Final Cincinnati 31 Vanderbilt 24 Final Virginia 24 25 Auburn 43
Monday, 1/2
Final 19 Houston 30 22 Penn State 14 Final Ohio State 17 Florida 24 Final/3OT 17 Michigan State 33 16 Georgia 30 Final 20 Nebraska 13 9 South Carolina 30 Final 10 Wisconsin 38 5 Oregon 45 Final/OT 4 Stanford 38 3 Oklahoma State 41
Tuesday, 1/3
Final/OT 13 Michigan 23 11 Virginia Tech 20
Wednesday, 1/4
Final 23 West Virginia 70 15 Clemson 33
Friday, 1/6
Final 8 Kansas State 16 6 Arkansas 29
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