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 NIU jumped two spots Sunday and Fresno State slipped one to 16th.
The top three teams in the BCS standings were unchanged: Alabama,
Florida State and Ohio State — the remaining undefeated teams in BCS
automatic qualifying conferences.
The other major college unbeatens, Northern Illinois and Fresno
State, are fighting for one automatic bid. They have to finish in
the top 12 of the last BCS standings, which comes out Dec. 8, or
finish in the top 16 while ranking ahead of an AQ-conference
champion.
Central Florida is in position to win the American Athletic
Conference auto-bid, but is 19th in the latest standings.
Northern Illinois reached the BCS last season by being ranked ahead
of the champion of the Big East. The Huskies then lost to Florida
State in the Orange Bowl.
Jordan Lynch and Northern Illinois overtook Derek Carr and Fresno
State this week on the strength of better computer ratings. NIU is
seventh in the computer ratings, while coming in 17th in the Harris
poll and 20th in the USA Today coaches' poll. Fresno State is 13th
in each poll, but 17th in the computers.
Jerry Palm, who analyzes the BCS for CBS.com, said he was surprised
Northern Illinois made such a big move after winning at Mid-American
Conference rival Toledo last week. Fresno State stayed unbeaten with
a win against Mountain West Conference foe New Mexico. Neither team
has played a strong schedule, Palm said.
"What baffles me is we have such a disparity in the computers
between two teams that we're splitting hairs over," he said. "That's
a head scratcher."
Palm said NIU's lead could be temporary as Fresno State plays
tougher opponents the rest of the way.
NIU plays at home against Western Michigan (1-10) on Tuesday and
then faces either Buffalo or Bowling Green in the MAC championship
game. Fresno State plays at San Jose State (5-5) on Friday and then
either Utah State or Boise State in the Mountain West championship.
The Bowl Championship Series is done after this season. The
four-team College Football Playoff replaces it next year.
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The Crimson Tide and Seminoles are still on
course to meet in the final BCS championship game if they can
stay unbeaten. Ohio State is on deck if either of the top two
slip up.
The Buckeyes were in danger of being passed by Baylor, but
Oklahoma State took care of that by blasting the Bears 49-17 on
Saturday night.
Auburn (fourth) and Missouri (fifth) are behind the Buckeyes and
could make an interesting case for being in title game if they
can win out and become SEC champions with just one loss. But the
Buckeyes (.9200 BCS average) have a good-sized lead on both the
Auburn Tigers (.8326) and Missouri Tigers (.8077).
Ohio State is third in each poll, followed by Clemson. Auburn is
fifth and Missouri is sixth. The Buckeyes are also third in the
computer ratings.
"They're not going to pass Ohio State," Palm said of Auburn and
Missouri. "The coaches in particular are not going to allow an
undefeated to not play for the title. They understand how hard
it is to finish unbeaten. It hasn't happened yet in the BCS and
there is no reason to think it would this year."
Alabama (11-0) plays Auburn on Saturday, with the winner
advancing to the Southeastern Conference championship game as
the SEC West winner. Missouri or South Carolina will represent
the East, depending on whether the Tigers beat Texas A&M at
home.
Florida State (11-0) plays struggling rival Florida at home
Saturday and then moves on to the Atlantic Coast Conference
championship game, where Duke, Virginia Tech, Miami or Georgia
Tech will be the opponent.
Ohio State (11-0) finishes its regular season against rival
Michigan at the Big House on Saturday, and then plays Michigan
State in the Big Ten championship game. The Buckeyes have won a
school-record 23 straight games. If they remain unbeaten the
worst they can do is a trip to the Rose Bowl for the first time
since the 2009 season.
[Associated
Press; RALPH D. RUSSO, AP College Football Writer]
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