2012 BCS Rankings Update: Week 12

The fifth BCS rankings came out Sunday. This ranking is important because it decides which if a school makes a BCS bowl game or not and which two schools goes to the BCS National Title Game. I don't really like the BCS because it doesn't give every team a chance to compete for a National Title. There will be a 4 team playoff in starting in the 2014 season which is a start. I would prefer a 16 team playoff, that way if you lose you can still compete for the National Title. The top was shaken up a lot after #1 Alabama feel at home to Texas A&M and Louisville also lost at Syracuse. There are now 4 undefeated teams left, Kansas State, Oregon, Notre Dame and Ohio State. No madder how good Ohio State is this year they will not appear in the BCS rankings due to their postseason ban for this season.

1. Kansas State Wildcats 10-0 (7-0)

Next Game: @ Baylor. 

Last Game: @ TCU, W 23-10.

Last Week Rank: 2nd ↑

Projected BCS Bowl: BCS Title / Fiesta

More Information: Kansas State takes over the #1 spot in the BCS after Texas A&M toppled Alabama. Their offense is great, scoring 40 or more 7 times out of 10 games. They are averaging 42.2PPG which 8th in the nation. Collin Klein continues to look like the Heisman front runner with 2768 total yards and 31 total touchdowns but Johnny Manziel might have something to say about that. They have two games left and if they win out they should be in the BCS Title game. They have to travel to Baylor this week and they have to end the season at home vs. #15 Texas which will somewhat tough. I think Oregon is a better team but Kansas State I think can compete with Oregon if they match up in the BCS Title game. My Rank: 2nd

2. Oregon Ducks 10-0 (7-0)

Next Game: vs. Stanford.

Last Game: @ California, W 59-17.

Last Week Rank: 3rd ↑

Projected BCS Bowl: BCS Title / Rose

More Information: Oregon has a great at offense averaging 54.8 PPG which is 1st in the nation. Oregon's defense isn't bad either. They traveled to California this week and started at slow but after only winning 24-17 in the 3rd quarter than scored 35 straight points. Marcus Mariota has been a great QB for only being a freshman just like Johnny Manziel from Texas A&M. Mariota has put Heisman like numbers with 2680 total yards and 31 total touchdowns. Kenjon Barner didn't have the a great game but still looks like the best RB in the nation. He is 5th in the nation in rushing yards with 1360 yards and is tied for 2nd in the nation with 19 rushing TDs. Barner stills remains in the Heisman race if with the sub par game. They host #13 Stanford this week and if they win they will clinch the Pac-12 North Title.They have to end the season at #16 Oregon State. They will have to play either USC or UCLA in the Pac-12 Title game assuming they will the North. If they win out they will be in primed position to play in the BCS Title game. My Rank: 1st

3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish 10-0

Next Game: vs. Wake Forest.

Last Game: @ Boston College, W 21-6.

Last Week Rank: 4th ↑

Projected BCS Bowl: BCS Title / Any one besides the Title Game

More Information: Notre Dame's defense has looked great. They are tied for 1st in the nation allowing 11.1 PPG on defense. Manti Te'o has led the defense with 6 INTs and 90 tackles and is looking like a Heisman candidate. Notre Dame is looking very likely they will go undefeated this season. They do end the regular season at USC which could be a tough game for them. If they can keep winning they might have a chance to make the BCS Title game depending on how Oregon and Kansas State finish. If Oregon and Kansas State win out I think they will be in the BCS Title game and Notre Dame will get to play either in the Rose Bowl or Fiesta Bowl instead. I think Notre Dame is a very talented team but I think Oregon and Kansas State are more deserving to play for National Title. My Rank: 3rd

4. Alabama Crimson Tide 9-1 (6-1)
Next Game: vs. Western Carolina.  
Last Game: vs. Texas A&M, L 24-29.

Last Week Rank: 1st ↓

Projected BCS Bowl: Sugar

More Information: Just like last year Alabama's defense is great. They are tied for 1st in the nation at 11.1 PPG allowed on defense. Alabama offense has been very good as well. AJ McCarron also has been very solid. He has 2158 passing yards, 20 TDs and 2 INTs. Just like most people in the nation, Alabama learned how good Johnny Manziel is. Texas A&M played at Alabama for the first time ever and came at with the huge upset. This is Alabama's 1st loss since their loss at home to LSU last season. With this lost it looks very unlikely that Alabama will make it back to the BCS Title game. If 2 of the top 3 teams were to lose I think they would be deserving to go but I think that is very unlikely to happen.  Alabama can still win the SEC even with the loss. They will have to beat Auburn the last game of the regular season now to win the SEC West. I think now they will most likely play in the Sugar Bowl assuming they beat #5 Georgia the SEC Title game which will be a tough game. With this loss this year will most likely now end the SEC's 6th straight BCS Natioanl Title streak. My Rank: 4th

5. Georgia Bulldogs 9-1 (7-1)

Next Game: vs. Georgia Southern. 

Last Game: @ Auburn, W 38-0.

Last Week Rank: 5th ↔

Projected BCS Bowl: Sugar / Any one besides the Title Game

More Information: Georgia has struggled quite a bit this season. They did clinch the SEC East with the win this week vs. Auburn. They have two easy game left before the SEC Title game. They play Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech both at home. They most likely will have to play #4 Alabama in the SEC Title game which will be very tough. If they pull the upset they could get into the BCS Title game if 2 of the top 3 teams were to lose. If they win out and lose to Alabama in the SEC Title game at 11-2 they will have a chance to make a BCS Bowl it will depend on how the other teams finish. Aaron Murray has looked good this year with 2656 passing yards and 24 passing TDs. My Rank: 5th

6. Florida Gators 9-1 (7-1)   

Next Game: vs. Jacksonville State.  
Last Game:  vs. LA-Lafayette, W 27-20.

Last Week Rank: 6th ↔

Projected BCS Bowl: Any one besides the Title Game

More Information: Florida's defense is very strong. They are 3rd in the nation at 12.9 PPG allowed on defense. They haven't allowed 20 points or more in an of their games. With Georgia's win Florida will finish 2nd in the SEC East. They struggled again this week with only beat LA-Lafayette by 7 in the final seconds after returning a blocked punt for a touchdown. They do have another game that should vs. Jacksonville State. Their last game of the year is at #10 Florida State. If If they go 11-1 they might a make a BCS Bowl it will depend on how the other teams in the SEC finish since only 2 teams per conference can play in BCS Bowls. My Rank: 7th

7. LSU Tigers 8-2 (4-2) 
Next Game: vs. Mississippi.  
Last Game: vs. Mississippi State, W 37-17.

Last Week Rank: 7th ↔

Projected BCS Bowl: Unlikely to make one

More Information: Like most SEC teams, LSU has a defense which is very strong. They are 10th in the nation at 15.5 PPG allowed on defense. They have also held all their opponents under 22 points. Their QB, Zach Mettenberger, has struggled at times. LSU has struggled quite a bit during their 6 SEC games. Before this week they only won by 2 points, 2 points and 5 points. They also lost to Florida by 8 points and to Alabama by 4 points. They have a pretty easy schedule left with Mississippi at home and Arkansas on the road. At 10-2 they are unlikely also to make a BCS bowl with 3 SEC teams in front of them in the rankings. LSU is a very solid team but they will probably have to settle for a non-BCS Bowl this season. My Rank: 8th

8. Texas A&M Aggies 8-2 (5-2) 

Next Game: vs. Sam Houston State.  
Last Game: @ Alabama, W 29-24.

Last Week Rank: 15th ↑

Projected BCS Bowl: Any one besides the Title Game

More Information: Texas A&M shocked the football world this week. They went to Alabama for the first time ever and beat the defending National Champions. With the huge win they moved up 7 ranks in the BCS. Texas A&M has a very strong offense. They are averaging 43.1 PPG which is tied for 4th in the nation. Also with their big win the whole nation knows who Johnny "Football" Manziel is now. Before this game he was quietly in the Heisman discussion but now he might be the 2nd best candidate. He has 3794 total yards and 33 total touchdowns. Those numbers are better than Klein's whose is considered the Heisman front runner. More amazingly he is just a freshman. This week he became only the 2nd freshman QB to have more than 2000 passing yards and 1000 rushing yards in a season. They did lose Florida by 3 to open the season and to LSU by 5 earlier in the year but with the win vs. Alabama some experts have them making a BCS bowl rather than Florida or LSU even though they are ranked lower. They can still win the SEC West if Auburn beats Alabama and they beat Missouri. If Alabama, Texas A&M and LSU all tie at the top of the SEC West with a record of 6-2 the winner will be the highest ranked team in the BCS since each team loss to one of the two teams and beat the other. My Rank: 6th

9. South Carolina Gamecocks 8-2 (6-2) 

Next Game: vs. Wofford.  
Last Game: vs. Arkansas, W 38-20.

Last Week Rank: 8th ↓

Projected BCS Bowl: Unlikely to make one

More Information: They have looked very week at times. They lost to LSU by 2 and Florida by 33. They did beat Georgia by 28. They did beat Arkansas this week to improve their record. They are in 3rd place in the SEC East and can't win the SEC East Title. Thanks to the 2 team per conference limit in the BCS Bowls and 5 SEC teams are ranked higher then them, they are extremely unlikely to make a BCS Bowl. They have a really easy game this week vs. Wofford before their last game of the regular season which is at #11 Clemson which will be a hard game. Most likely they will finish 10-2 and miss a BCS Bowl game. My Rank: 10th

10. Florida State Seminoles 9-1 (6-1)   

Next Game: @ Maryland.  
Last Game: @ Virginia Tech, W 28-22.

Last Week Rank: 10th ↔

Projected BCS Bowl: Orange

More Information: Florida State has looked strong but they had a very week schedule. They do have a strong offense and defense. They are averaging 43.1 PPG which is tied for 4th in the nation and are only allowing 13.0 PPG on defense which is 4th in the nation. They have only played one ranked team. They beat then #10 Clemson by 12. They did fall to NC State by 1 point or else they would have a good chance to make the BCS Title game. This week they got a scary from Virginia Tech. They did win by 6 but they had to rally and score late to come out with the win. With the win this week vs. Maryland they will clinch the ACC Atlantic Division assumming they win. Their last remaining hard game will is at home vs. #6 Florida in 2 weeks. They will have to beat the ACC Coastal Division Champion in the ACC Title game. They should easily win the ACC and play in the Orange Bowl regardless of what happens in the Florida game. My Rank: 9th