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Projected 2013 BCS Bowls — September 9th
It could have been a classic transition week, just another set of games getting us closer to the thick of conference action. Instead, we got some key upsets — many involving Big Ten schools — with enough implications to throw the early bowl picture into a bit of a tailspin.
| BCS Bowl Projections | |
|---|---|
| Bowl | Matchup |
| Title Game | USC vs. LSU |
| Rose Bowl | Oregon vs. Michigan St. |
| Sugar Bowl | Alabama vs. Oklahoma |
| Orange Bowl | Florida St. vs. Louisville |
| Fiesta Bowl | West Virginia vs. Michigan |
| Scroll down for more | |
And yet, some of the nation’s best — including the already anointed four of USC, Oregon, LSU and Alabama — had a simple time of it in week two, and continue to look the part of BCS bowl bound squads.
Teams are still working their way into midseason form, so it can often feel like it’s too early to look into this crystal football, but we’ve learned plenty in two weeks. What will we learn next?
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BCS National Championship Game: LSU Tigers (BCS No. 1) vs. USC Trojans (BCS No. 2)
Comment: Around this point in the season, it’s easy to slip up, stumble or even lose to the unranked foes that usually stand in the way of the big dogs. LSU and USC could have struggled — like so many others did on Saturday. Both took care of business. And neither looks any less the national standard-bearer for college football than last week.
Rose Bowl: Oregon Ducks (At-large selection) vs. Michigan State Spartans (Big Ten Champion)
Comment: The Big Ten had a rough, rough weekend — Wisconsin lost to Oregon State, Nebraska dropped a tough one to UCLA, Michigan struggled to stay on top of Air Force. Other key conference members suffered losses.
But above the struggles stands Michigan State, which has enjoyed one of the more impressive first two weeks in the country, and now look like the class of the eligible conference members. With that in mind, the Rose Bowl would be the reward if the Spartans can continue this hot start.
Oregon has been equally impressive in the first two weeks, and if they are unable to grab the Pac-12 conference title, they might land here, in the Rose Bowl as a replacement for the title game-bound Trojans.
Sugar Bowl: Alabama Crimson Tide (At-large selection) vs. Oklahoma Sooners (At-large selection)
Comment: Alabama and Oklahoma took week two by storm, handling their lesser opponents with ease. With LSU headed to the title game, Alabama would be a nice fit here. Oklahoma, as a Big 12 runner-up, would be a great get as an at-large for the bowl, as well.
Orange Bowl: Florida State Seminoles (ACC Champion) vs. Louisville Cardinals (Big East Champion)
Comment: Strong performances from Florida State and Louisville make the two squads look the part of conference favorites. As ACC champions, Florida State lands here by bowl fulfillment contract, and Louisville lands here as the last at-large selection — automatically so by winning the Big East.
Fiesta Bowl: West Virginia Mountaineers (Big 12 Champion) vs. Michigan Wolverines (At-large selection)
Comment: While Wisconsin was unable to even beat their tough foe on Saturday, Michigan was able to top Air Force, a tougher foe than many might have expected. With this in mind, Michigan might turn into the better option as an at-large selection from the Big Ten, and a strong fit here in the Fiesta Bowl. Especially if Michigan can stay BCS eligible without risking a loss in the Big Ten championship game, the Wolverines could be sitting pretty for a BCS bowl bid.
As champions of the Big 12, dangerous West Virginia gets a comfy spot in the Fiesta Bowl.
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