CBR Official BCS Bowl Projections: LSU, Oklahoma On Collision Course

Written by Kris Brauner on 17 October 2011.

With the first release of the BCS rankings , it is a good time to review the BCS bowl game selection procedures. This should give us some insight as to what the match-ups may be in the BCS bowl games.

We will go through the motions of making the selections as if the season ended today, using the BCS rankings as a guide. The highest ranked team in each conference will be selected as the conference champion.

The first thing that happens is that Nos. 1 and 2 in the BCS rankings are selected to play in the BCS Championship Game. Right now, that would be LSU and Alabama. But we'll use some common sense for this exercise and go with LSU (No. 1) and Oklahoma (No. 3), since LSU and Alabama play each other in a few weeks.

Step 2: Conference Champions

Next, all of the conference champions are assigned to the bowls with automatic tie-ins.

The Big East champion is assured a spot in a BCS bowl. However, the it does not have an automatic tie-in to any of the BCS games. You can mark West Virginia down as one of the BCS bowl teams.

The two bowl games that lost their automatic tie-ins to the BCS championship game get to select a "replacement pick" prior to any other selections being made. The bowl that lost the No. 1 team gets to choose first. Right now, that would be the Sugar Bowl. Selecting Alabama is an easy choice.

The Fiesta Bowl would choose next, and choosing Oklahoma State is also an easy call.

Step 4: Final Selections

Next, the bowls select teams in a pre-determined order that rotates annually. This year, the bowls will select as follows: Fiesta, Sugar, Orange.

The Fiesta is up first and must choose an opponent for Oklahoma State. I see the Fiesta selecting the Oregon Ducks. Vegas might set the over/under for points scored in this game at around 90.

Next, the Sugar Bowl must choose an opponent for Alabama, and the decision is really between two teams – Boise State and West Virginia. With only two teams from one conference allowed, teams like Arkansas, South Carolina and Kansas State are not eligible. So, as things stand right now, Boise State does not have to fear being left out of the BCS entirely.

I believe the Sugar goes with Boise State to provide the Broncos with their ultimate test to date, a match up with Alabama. That sends West Virginia to the Orange Bowl to play Clemson.

Source: http://bloguin.com