BCS Bowls Report Week 5

In a week where nothing was expected, nothing happened.  Therefore, we didn’t see any substantive change to the BCS Bowls, with the lone exception of the ACC, which continues to be wacky.

Conference Leaders to date:

SEC:                   Alabama

Big XII:               Texas Tech

Big Ten:             Penn State

ACC:                  Maryland or Miami (FL)

Pac-10:             Oregon St.

Big East:            Cincinnati

Therefore, with that said here is what the BCS Bowls probably would look like as of this week:

#1 Alabama vs. #2 Texas Tech

Florida (Automatic At Large) vs. Utah (Automatic At Large)

Alabama is the #1 team, thus the Sugar Bowl will get the first replacement pick.  They will look to stay in the SEC and will choose Florida who is in automatically because they are #4 and not a conference champion.  Since no BCS conference can have more than two teams per conference (and the non-BCS conferences can’t get more than one automatic bid collectively) that reduces the options for the Sugar Bowl.  The Sugar Bowl will have the fourth selection of teams and have a choice between the Big East Champion and Utah.  Utah will be the more attractive pick and thus will get selected.

Texas (Automatic At Large) vs. USC (At Large)

Since Texas Tech is #2 and in the national title game, the Fiesta Bowl gets the second replacement pick.  They will stay in the Big XII and select Texas.   Texas gets an automatic bid to the BCS because they are #3 and not a conference champion.  USC will get the next selection, because they are BCS eligible and the best team availble when the Fiesta Bowl selects third.

ACC Champion vs. Cincinnati (Big East Champion)

The Orange Bowl is tied to the ACC Champion and will select them.  They will get the final selection and will be forced to take BCS automatic bid that goes to the Big East, which is Cincinnati.

Oregon St. (Pac-10 Champion) vs. Penn State (Big Ten Champion)

The Rose Bowl is tied to the both the Big Ten and Pac-10, and there currently is no senario that will change that.

Interesting games this week, keep an eye on Oregon State at Arizona, the Beavers still control the path to Pasadena.  And of course Oklahoma and Texas Tech, if Texas Tech wins look for them to leap over idle Alabama to become the new #1 team.