Great job guys! I love the speculation about the National Championship game already! I hadn't formed my own opinion yet about who I thought we might end up against in the championship game (in the event that we win out). I ended up doing some research, and here are the...
BCS Championship Game Contender Resumes
*Teams in control of their own destinies...*
#1 Ohio State (6-0)
Key Wins: at #2 Texas 24-7, #24 Penn State 28-6, at #13 Iowa 38-17
Key Games Left: at Michigan State (10/14), #4 michigan (11/18)
Upset Alert: Minnesota (10/28) -- I had to put something... Glen Mason will pull out all the stops against OSU
#2 Florida (6-0)
Key Wins: at #13 Tennessee 21-20, Alabama 28-13, #9 LSU 23-10
Key Games Left: at #11 Auburn (10/14), #16 Georgia (10/28), at Florida State (11/25), SEC Championship Game (12/2)
Upset Alert: South Carolina (11/11) -- Steve Spurrier vs Fla. Should be a good one.
#3 USC (5-0)
Key Wins: at Arkansas 50-14, #19 Nebraska 28-10
Key Games Left: #18 Oregon (11/11), #10 California (11/18), #9 Notre Dame (11/25), at UCLA (12/02)
Upset Alert: Arizona State (10/14) -- ASU's two blemishes were against Cal and Oregon. They'll be looking to stop their 2-game losing skid next weekend at USC.
#4 michigan (6-0)
Key Wins: at #2 Notre Dame 47-21, Wisconsin 27-13
Key Games Left: at Penn State (10/14), #15 Iowa (10/21), at #1 Ohio State (11/18)
Upset Alert: at Indiana (11/11) -- Seriously, that's the closest team to upsets them outside of their key games left.
#5 West Virginia (5-0)
Key Wins: ::crickets chirping:: ...Maryland 45-24?
Key Games Left: at #7 Louisville (11/02), at Pittsburgh (11/16), #24 Rutgers (12/02)
Upset Alert: Syracuse (10/14) -- After closer-than-they-look games against East Carolina and Mississippi State, this too may be closer than the media will be predicting it to be...
#7 Louisville (5-0)
Key Wins: #17 Miami 31-7
Key Games Left: #5 West Virginia (11/02), at #24 Rutgers (11/09), at Pittsburgh (11/25)
Upset Alert: at Syracuse (10/21) -- Iowa proved it's hard to play in The Dome.
*Teams that need a little help... (the best of the 1-loss teams thus far)*
#6 Texas (5-1)
Key Wins: at #14 Oklahoma 28-14
Loss: #1 Ohio State 7-24
Key Games Left: at #21 Nebraska (10/21), at Texas Tech (10/28), Big 12 Championship Game (12/02)
Upset Alert: Texas A&M (11/24) -- Texas hate Aggie, Aggie hate Texas. 'Nuf said.
#8 Tennessee (5-1)
Key Wins: #9 California 35-18, at #10 Georgia 51-33
Loss: #7 Florida 20-21
Key Games Left: at South Carolina (10/28), #14 LSU (11/04), at #17 Arkansas (11/11), SEC Championship Game (if Florida losses 2 SEC games-- not likely - 12/02)
Upset Alert: Alabama (10/21) -- The Tide roll in after a bye week for the Vols. Us Buckeyes know what can happen after bye weeks...
#9 Notre Dame (5-1)
Key Wins: at Georgia Tech 14-10, #19 Penn State 41-17
Loss: #11 michigan 21-47
Key Games Left: UCLA (10/21), at #3 USC (11/25
Upset Alert: at Navy (10/28) -- ND's defense doesn't like QB's that run. Meet Navy, who found Nebraska's old option playbook in the trash one day. If the Domers come in to Annapolis with heads as big as their coach...
#10 California (5-1)
Key Wins: #22 Arizona State 49-21, #11 Oregon 45-24
Loss: at #23 Tennessee 18-35
Key Games Left: UCLA (11/04), at #3 USC (11/18)
Upset Alert: Washington (10/21) -- The Fightin' Willinghams already have wins over Fresno State and UCLA, and gave USC a run for their money.
#11 Auburn (5-1)
Key Wins:#6 LSU 7-3, at South Carolina 24-17
Loss: Arkansas 10-27
Key Games Left: #2 Florida (10/14), #16 Georgia (11/11), SEC Championship Game (if Arkansas losses 2 SEC games -- possible - 12/02)
Upset Alert: at Alabama (11/18) -- Traveling to 'Bama for the Iron Bowl and the teams shouldn't disappoint.
#12 Clemson (5-1)
Key Wins: at #9 Florida State 27-20, at Wake Forest 27-17
Loss: at Boston College 33-34
Key Games Left: #13 Georgia Tech (10/21), at #22 Virginia Tech (10/26), South Carolina (11/25), ACC Championship Game (if NC State losses 2 ACC games or losses to Clemson -- very likely - 12/02)
Upset Alert: NC State (11/25) -- May LOOK like a cupcake game the way NCST started the season, but NCST has consecutive wins over #20 Boston College and #17 Florida State on its resume.
Waiting List With Arguments: #13 Georgia Tech (W at VT), #17 Arkansas (W at AUB), #18 Oregon (W vs Okla)
Waiting List Without Arguments (yet): #15 Iowa, #16 Georgia, #19 Missouri, #20 Boise State, #21 Nebraska, #22 Virginia Tech, #24 Rutgers
Note: All games played were with rankings AT THE TIME OF THE GAME and all games to be played are with current rankings (as of October 8th)
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B-20's Honest Opinion: With all respect to our good friends from Texas, I think Tennessee is the best 1-loss team CURRENTLY, with wins over two top 10 teams. Notre Dame's ONLY shot at the championship game is if they win out, including a CONVINCING with at USC, which I will happily put money on them not pulling off. Watch Clemson. They're in a really dangerous spot to pull the #1 one-loss contender spot from Tenn and Texas.
As for the unbeatens, it's hard to get a good read on WV and Louisville because of the poor competition they have faced thus far in the season. However, due to Louisville doing so well without Bush and Brohm, having beaten a reeling Miami team, AND the game being at their place at night, I think the Cardinals pull the upset. USC has a TOUGH schedule yet to play and should have a loud argument if they win out. I'm also gonna be in the minority and pick that scUM losses one of their two big games pre-Nov 18th (at night at PSU, vs Iowa). If Florida wins out, they'll play us in the championship game. Mark that one down. They've played great thus far and have just as hard of a schedule left to play.
I have predictions about who will be in the title game, but I want to keep reading this thread and see what other people think before I post my thoughts