Week 12 BCS standings released
The beginning of each week seems to bring a little bit more uncertainty for college football’s two primary outsiders looking in, the No. 3 TCU Horned Frogs (11-0, 7-0 MWC) and the No. 4 Boise State Broncos (9-0, 5-0 WAC). And, unless either of those often
overlooked squads gets a little bit of outside help from the Oregon Ducks or Auburn Tigers (the nation’s top two teams respectively), both the Broncos and Horned Frogs will essentially be playing for little more than third place.
As the season winds down, each week’s BCS (Bowl Championship Series) standings carry just a little more influence in terms of college football’s championship race. And, although nothing has changed over the past week in regards to placement amongst the top
five teams, a minor shift has occurred because of how each team won their most recent contest.
Oregon remained atop the leader board, narrowly escaping the weekend with a 15-13 road victory over the California Golden Bears. Likewise, Auburn handled their business at home, remaining in the thick of the national title hunt with an impressive win over the
pesky Georgia Bulldogs, 49-31.
The Horned Frogs, meanwhile, got through their toughest test of the season, stifling a late run by the San Diego State Aztecs to win 40-35 and keep their title hopes alive. Boise State was also able to keep pace, winning 52-14 over their in-state rivals, the
Idaho Vandals, whom they’ve beaten in 12 consecutive attempts.
Still, both the Horned Frogs and Broncos must hope against hope that either the Ducks or Tigers falter down the stretch, as each team has two games remaining before this season’s bowl invitations are announced.
Oregon still has to face the Arizona Wildcats (currently ranked No. 22), and make a trip to Corvallis, Oregon, to take on their arch-rivals, the Oregon State Beavers, in what has been a hotly contested match-up in recent years. Auburn, meanwhile, must get past
their rivals, the Alabama Crimson Tide (currently ranked No. 11), before turning their attention to the South Carolina Gamecocks, who they will meet in this year’s SEC (Southeastern Conference) Championship game.
However the rest of the season plays out, one could certainly assert that as successful members of non-BCS conferences, both Boise State and TCU are pushing the boundaries of college football’s very foundation.
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