Gators Leap the Ducks

First BSC standings surprisingly list the Florida Gators at No. 2. Here's why:

By Ron Schiltz

(AP Photo/Wade Payne)

The year’s first BCS standings were released this weekend and when the smoke cleared the SEC was once again at the top of the poll.  Alabama retained their No. 1 spot as in all the human polls the week before.  The big surprise, however, was that the Florida Gators had jumped Oregon to take the No. 2 spot from the Ducks.  The Gators had the best computer rankings of any team and that was enough to have them scoot past Oregon. 

The SEC has won the last six BCS national championships including every one since the official BCS National Championship Bowl Game was added in 2007.  This year the Ducks from Eugene seem like the only threat to end that streak.  The only problem is that the computers see the SEC as the best conference, thus every win in that conference counts as more.

The Gators do not play Alabama during the regular season and are in opposite divisions of the SEC, thus if both teams win out they would meet in the SEC championship game.  This was the exact same situation as last year, LSU and Alabama met in a regular season game and even though LSU won Alabama was given a birth into the BCS National Championship because of the strength of the SEC.  This game raised quite a controversy over the BCS system and could have prompted the change to a 4-team playoff starting in 2014.  That however does not cover this year.

The Ducks do have one thing going for them this year though.  They have a very back loaded schedule with games against No. 10 USC, No. 20 Stanford, and No. 8 Oregon State still to come.  If Oregon were to run the table, including the PAC-12 championship, they, theoretically, should have enough to gain a birth in the ‘ship and get a shot at the mighty South Eastern Conference. 

If Oregon comes out with a strong showing this Thursday, and one would imagine they would, that may help appeal them to the computers.  If that is not enough a win in the Nov. 10 meeting at the LA Coliseum with No. 10 Southern California would definitely be good for a few bumps in the computer rankings.

In these last few years of the BCS college football fans will see if the SEC will “Roll Tide” into the new playoff system or if the other football giants can reestablish themselves as dominant powers.