By JOHN P. WISEOne Great Season
The BCS announced on Tuesday its list of eight teams being considered for at-large berths in the five elite bowl games. This, of course, is in addition to the teams still competing for automatic berths awarded for winning their conferences.
These teams are: TCU, Boise State, LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, Nevada, Utah and Arizona.
Here are One Great Season's BCS bowl-game projections:
Rose Bowl — Wisconsin beats Stanford. This could be the best bowl game of them all, BCS or otherwise. The Badgers are on everyone's hot list right now and many of those same observers have loved Jim Harbaugh, Andrew Luck and the Cardinal all season. I think Wisconsin might be a little too physical though, and I could see it grinding out a six- or eight-point win.
Fiesta Bowl — Oklahoma State beats whichever weak sister the Big East puts in front of it, probably Pittsburgh. The Panthers haven't met expectations this year, but likely will win the weakest of the six power conferences. Its reward? A nationally televised blowout loss at the hands of one of the most explosive offenses in the country.
Orange Bowl — Like Wisconsin, Virginia Tech has become an it team as well since its 0-2 start. But I think its winning streak ends here against an LSU squad that travels well, thus earning the at-large slot ahead of also-deserving TCU.
Sugar Bowl — Two weeks ago I thought it was Alabama, last week it was LSU and now this week, I think Auburn is the team that will break the hearts of Ohio State fans long starving for a bowl win over an SEC squad. Stay hungry, Columbus.
BCS National Championship Game — Thanks to Auburn's first loss Friday, the slot opposite Oregon will be wide open and two non-AQ powers will both have a justifiable claim to it. Unfortunately, only one of them can have it, and by virture of having two games (read: wins) left, one against a ranked Nevada team, Boise State gets the nod ahead of TCU. And in a high-scoring game that could very well end up being one of the most exciting title matchups in the BCS era, Chip Kelly and the Ducks take home the Coaches' Trophy.