Buckeyes Hold BCS Top Spot

By Adam Kiefaber

After leading the Bowl Championship standings all of 2006, the Buckeyes lead the first BCS rankings of 2007. The rankings were released on Sunday. South Florida was No. 2.

The top teams in the final standings, which is released December 2nd, should play in the BCS national championship game in New Orleans on January 7th.

However, being the top-two teams doesn’t necessarily mean an automatic berth in the title game. For example, last year Florida was ranked second, but the BCS committee could have overruled the rankings and placed the third-ranked Michigan team in the BCS title game.

Ohio State coasted to a 7-0 record this season with what, some SEC fans could argue, is a cupcake schedule. Not one of the Buckeyes’ wins came against a single currently BCS-ranked opponent. Currently, Michigan (No. 25) is the only Big Ten in the top-25 of the BCS standings.

While LSU (6-1, No. 4 in the BCS) has beaten Virginia Tech (BCS No. 11), South Carolina (BCS No. 6) and Florida (No. 15). The Tigers might still deserve to be the No. 1 team, but because of their loss this Saturday to Kentucky (BCS No. 7) poll voters made them No. 5 in the Harris and coaches’ polls.

OSU was voted No. 1 in each of those polls, which make up two of three components the BCS uses in its standing formula.

The other component is a compilation of six computer rankings. The South Florida Bulls (6-0) were ranked No. 1 by the computers and No. 3 by the Harris and coaches’ polls. Boston College (7-0) is No. 2 in the two polls, but No. 7 by the computers. LSU is ranked No. 2 by the computers. OSU is tied for fifth with Arizona State (7-0), which is ranked No. 8 overall in the BCS. The computer ranks (No. 6 in BCS) South Carolina (6-1, No. 6 in the BCS) third and Kentucky (6-1, No. 7 in BCS) fourth.

South Florida’s big wins came at Auburn (No. 17 in BCS) and versus West Virginia (No. 9 in BCS). The Bulls remaining schedule includes road games at Rutgers, UCONN, Syracuse and Pittsburgh. Home games will be against Cincinnati (No. 23 in BCS) and Louisville.

If the Buckeyes and Bulls win out, that should be the match up for the title game. However, like always, people will argue about the scheduling.

Previously, the problem with the BCS was that the computer had to much control. Now it seems like has little effect on the standings, which could become the next issue.

One thing is for certain - there will always be a problem - that is until there is a playoff.