Expand / Collapse search
Watch TV
Menu

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

Sports

Alabama, FSU on BCS collision course

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Irving, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Alabama and Florida State were predictably the top two teams in the latest installment of the BCS standings.

Thanks to Oregon's loss to Stanford this past Thursday, the Crimson Tide and Seminoles figure to stay atop the poll should they both win out, since their BCS averages are considerably higher than third-ranked Ohio State.

Alabama (9-0, .996) stayed No. 1 for the fourth straight week following a convincing 38-17 victory over nationally-ranked LSU on Saturday. The Crimson Tide, who have outscored their last seven opponents by an average of 34.4 points, have relatively easy tests against Mississippi State and Chattanooga the next two weeks before taking on arch-rival Auburn.

The Seminoles (9-0, .962) also have a manageable remaining slate with games against Syracuse, Idaho and Florida prior to the ACC title game, which they secured a berth in with Saturday's 59-3 thumping of Wake Forest.

Stanford certainly deserves an assist in keeping FSU at No. 2 after dumping Oregon in a 26-20 final that appeared closer than it was. For their effort, the Cardinal (8-1, .869) moved into the fourth position behind unbeaten Ohio State (9-0, .893). The Buckeyes were off last week, and their remaining schedule -- Illinois, Indiana and Michigan -- will likely not be enough to vault them anywhere close to the coveted second spot if Alabama and FSU stay undefeated.

The only other unblemished program from a power conference, Baylor (8-0, .862), came in at No. 5 after a dominating win over Oklahoma on Saturday, while Oregon (8-1, .767) fell three spots to sixth.

Auburn, Clemson, Missouri and South Carolina round out the top-10.

No. 14 Fresno State (9-0) and No. 15 Northern Illinois (9-0) are the nation's top two squads from outside the automatic qualifying conferences.

This is the final year the national championship will be determined by the BCS standings, which factor in the USA Today Poll, the Harris Poll and six computer rankings.

A highly anticipated four-team playoff will be installed for the 2014 season.

Alabama and Notre Dame played in the BCS final last year, and the Crimson Tide won handily, 42-14, en route to their third championship in four years. The win also extended the SEC's streak to seven consecutive national champions.