"Hello, Computer."

We are less than a week away from the unveiling of the first BCS rankings. Last weekend's games provided a huge shakeup in the four computer polls that make public their numbers each week. Texas' victory over #1 Oklahoma, losses by Vanderbilt and Northwestern, Missouri's loss to Oklahoma State, and LSU's drubbing at the Swamp made for some interesting plot twists as we near the mid-point of the college football season.

Sagarin Ratings
1. Texas (6-0)
2. USC (4-1)
3. Penn State (7-0)
4. Alabama (6-0)
5. Oklahoma (5-1)
6. Florida (5-1)
7. Georgia (5-1)
8. Boise State (5-0)
9. Oklahoma State (6-0)
10. Ohio State (6-1)

Biggest surprise: 1-loss USC outpacing the Nittany Lions and Crimson Tide.
Biggest beef: BYU only 13th, and Ball State only 19th.

Billingsley Report
1. Texas (6-0)
2. Alabama (6-0)
3. USC (4-1)
4. Oklahoma (5-1)
5. Ohio State (6-1)
6. Penn State (7-0)
7. Georgia (5-1)
8. Florida (5-1)
9. BYU (6-0)
10. LSU (4-1)

Biggest surprise: LSU still in the top 10, and only 2 spots behind Florida, after that beatdown.
Biggest beef: Texas Tech comes in at #23.

Massey Ratings
1. Texas (6-0)
2. Alabama (6-0)
3. Utah (7-0)
4. USC (4-1)
5. Oklahoma State (6-0)
6. Virginia Tech (5-1)
7. North Carolina (5-1)
8. Texas Tech (6-0)
9. Boise State (5-0)
10. Penn State (7-0)

Biggest surprise: Most of the top 10, actually. This is by far the strangest of the 4 models.
Biggest beef: BYU is 26th, and is 8 spots behind 3-2 Duke. Really? LSU drops to 37th

Colley Matrix
1. Texas (6-0)
2. Alabama (6-0)
3. Penn State (7-0)
4. Utah (6-0)
5. Oklahoma State (6-0)
6. Michigan State (6-1)
7. Boise State (6-0)
8. Ohio State (6-1)
9. USC (4-1)
10. Ball State (7-0)

Biggest surprise: The 6-1 Spartans at #6. They host Ohio State this Saturday.
Biggest beef: Oklahoma drops a long way to #13; still ahead of #19 BYU, however. Didn't USC beat Ohio State? I remember reading that somewhere.


All signs point toward a Texas-Alabama 1-2 ranking next weekend when the first BCS numbers are released, assuming Texas defeats Missouri and Alabama defeats Ole Miss. For Auburn fans, that's great news, sort of. You see, never, in the history of the BCS, have the teams ranked in the top two spots upon the release of the first BCS poll of the season both reached the national championship game in January. The odds of a Texas-Alabama matchup in Miami are slim. Whether it's Texas or Alabama who will fall from the top spots is anyone's guess.

Weird Science

Another crazy week in college football means we're one step closer to the first BCS rankings. Last week I touched on the strangeness of having teams like Northwestern and Vanderbilt appear near the top of the rankings for a couple of the computer models that comprise the BCS. Well, thanks to Tony Franklin (and a bye week for Northwestern) we can continue the insanity. For example, Wes Colley and Kenneth Massey are giving us a preview for who they think will be participating in this year's SEC Championship game. We can also add a new crazy team to the list: Ball State. The Cardinals are 6-0, but have no standout wins. They did, however, beat Navy and Indiana. Their toughest remaining games are Western Michigan (5-1) and Central Michigan (3-2). Ball State could be 13-0 after the MAC Championship game . . . and still end up in the Motor City Bowl. Here are the computer rankings through the Oct. 4 games for four of the six computer rankings that comprise a portion of the BCS rankings.

Colley Matrix

1. Alabama

2. Vanderbilt

3. Missouri

4. Texas

5. Utah

6. Oklahoma

7. Penn State

8. Northwestern

9. Ball State

10. Virginia Tech

Surprises: Well, Vandy, Northwestern, and Ball State, for starters.

No respect: BYU is 25th.

Richard Billingsley

1. Alabama

2. Oklahoma

3. LSU

4. USC

5. Texas

6. Missouri

7. Ohio State

8. Georgia

9. Utah

10. BYU

Surprises: How about USC at #4, despite its loss to Oregon State?

No respect: Vanderbilt at #23, Texas Tech at #28, Ball State at #41, and Northwestern at #52.

Massey Ratings

1. Vanderbilt

2. Alabama

3. Missouri

4. Utah

5. Oklahoma

6. Northwestern

7. Penn State

8. Texas

9. Virginia Tech

10. Georgia Tech

Surprises: Uh, Vandy in the top spot. Massey apparently likes their win over Auburn more than Bama's win at Georgia. Imagine where Ga. Tech would be had they held on at Va. Tech.

No respect: LSU at #22 (hey, they beat Auburn, too).

Jeff Sagarin Ratings

1. USC

2. Oklahoma

3. Alabama

4. Penn State

5. Texas

6. Missouri

7. Florida

8. Georgia

9. Boise State

10. Texas Tech

Surprises: Where do we begin? How about at the top, where USC is still #1.

No respect: 5-1 Michigan State at #26, one spot BEHIND 2-3 Oregon State.