BCS top five: week nine
The battle for the top two spots in the Bowl Championship Series standings and an opportunity to play for the national champions is in full swing. With the final third of the season set to begin, the top-five ranked clubs in the country are all neck-and-neck,
making week nine one of the most important of the season
Auburn Tigers
Auburn was able to jump into the top spot from third place, after defeating the former number six ranked LSU Tigers. Auburn has had an outstanding season and currently sits at 8-0 , leading the Southeastern Conference.
However, the team still has plenty to prove as the AP Top 25 poll has the Tigers in third behind the Oregon Ducks and the Boise State Broncos. Auburn has an easy game against the Mississippi Rebels in week nine and should be able to maintain their number
one ranking into week 10.
Nevertheless, the Tigers' real challenge will come on 26 November when they take on the Alabama Crimson Tide. The outcome of their match-up against Alabama will likely determine whether or not they play for a national championship.
Oregon Ducks
The Ducks continue to struggle to gain respect in the BCS standings. Oregon trounced a decent UCLA Bruins side 60-13 over the weekend, yet could not make the jump into first place and was instead leapfrogged by Auburn. The Ducks have powered through a difficult
schedule this season, but still have one more game against a ranked side.
If the Ducks are able to go undefeated, they will be guaranteed a title shot. However, Oregon’s schedule to end the year is arguably the most difficult among top five teams, with games against the USC Trojans, the California Golden Bears, the Arizona Wildcats
and the Oregon State Beavers, still remaining.
Boise State Broncos
The Broncos were once again passed over in the BCS standings. However, their idle schedule in week eight may have had more to do with it than their poor conference. Fortunately for Broncos nation, Boise State pushed past Louisiana Tech on Tuesday 26 October,
maintaining their unbeaten record.
Unfortunately for the Broncos they continue to get penalized for their easy schedule, leaving their championship hopes in the hands of Auburn and Oregon. Both teams will have to lose if the Broncos have any chance of playing in the national championship.
Complicating matters even more is the strong play of the Missouri Tigers, who currently sit in sixth with a 7-0 record. If Missouri continues to win, Boise is likely to drop.
TCU Horned Frogs
The Horned Frogs continue to find themselves in a similar position to the Broncos. TCU was able to jump up one spot, replacing Auburn as the fourth ranked side. However, the Horned Frogs have trouble gaining traction in the BCS standings because of their
weak conference. The Frogs have one game left against a ranked team, when they play Utah on 6 November.
Nevertheless, like Boise, TCU has to rely on the teams in front of them to lose if they have any chance at a top-two ranking.
Michigan State Spartans
One of the biggest surprises of the season is the play of the Michigan State Spartans, who were the newest addition to the top five, after defeating Northwestern in week eight. The Spartans may be able to push their way even further up the standings, as
they have a fairly difficult schedule to end the season.
However, their ascension is only possible with a win over the nation’s 18th ranked Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday 30 October. If the Spartans are able to defeat the Hawkeyes on the road, they could jump over TCU and cement themselves in the top five.
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