Alabama, Florida Headline First BCS Rankings

In an unexpected twist, it's Alabama and Florida at the top of this season's first set of BCS rankings:

1. Alabama
2. Florida
3. Oregon
4. Kansas State
5. Notre Dame
6. LSU
7. South Carolina
8. Oregon State
9. Oklahoma
10. USC

The SEC has half of the top 12, which is a pretty remarkable place to be. It won't last, but for a week at least as the season goes along: S-E-C! S-E-C!

The main story in the top five is the computers overruling the humans on the matter of Florida. The coaches have the Gators at No. 4 and the Harris has them at No. 3, but the CPUs love of the Gators pushed unanimous human poll No. 2 Oregon down to third. The algorithms also like Oregon State over Oregon, interestingly, and South Carolina over LSU despite the results of the head-to-head game. Keep in mind the formulas can't include margin of victory, so weirdness in them is to be expected.

So with that said, here is what the top ten teams have done and what they still have remaining:

1. Alabama

Best win: None.

Best remaining opponents: No. 6 LSU, No. 12 Mississippi State, No. 18 Texas A&M, possibly No. 2 Florida, No. 7 South Carolina, or No. 11 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game

With the West on a downward trajectory and Bama's East opponents being Tennessee and Missouri, there has been some grumbling of late about the Crimson Tide's schedule. It's well founded when talking about Michigan's and Arkansas's disappointments, but the team will face four ranked opponents between now and the end of the season if it wins the division. The team hasn't been tested much yet, but there are trials coming.

2. Florida

Best wins: No. 6 LSU, No. 18 Texas A&M

Best remaining opponents: No. 7 South Carolina, No. 11 Georgia, No. 14 Florida State, possibly No. 1 Alabama or No. 6 LSU in the SEC Championship Game

The Gators check in as the first team of three in the top ten rankings with multiple wins over ranked teams. The LSU win was buoyed by the Tigers' recovery against the Gamecocks, and the way they held Johnny Manziel in check is only looking more and more impressive as the season goes along. There's no rest for the team, though, as back-to-back top 11 opponents are on the way with South Carolina and Georgia. They possibly could get another top 11 double with FSU and the SEC Championship Game. If this team finishes the season with no more than one loss, that loss not being in Atlanta, it will have a strong claim to one of the top two spots.

3. Oregon

Best win: None.

Best remaining opponents: No. 8 Oregon State, No. 10 USC, No. 20 Stanford, possibly No. 10 USC again in the Pac-12 Championship Game

The same kind of complaints apply to the Ducks' schedule as Bama's, what with them not having played a team that is in the current rankings. It really doesn't have anything to do with disappointments, as the schedule always looked backloaded. They also have four ranked teams to go if they stay on their current course, provided the second win over USC doesn't knock the Trojans out of the poll at the end. If USC takes another loss (to Notre Dame, say) plus two at Oregon's hands, it could happen. That would deprive the Ducks of two wins over a ranked team and leave them with just two on the year, provided Stanford doesn't also sink away.

4. Kansas State

Best win: No. 9 Oklahoma

Best remaining opponents: No. 13 West Virginia, No. 17 Texas Tech, No. 23 TCU, No. 25 Texas

The Big 12 was looking really strong early in the season, but it may have been a result of some truly awful non-conference scheduling. With Oklahoma State rebuilding/reloading and Texas plummeting after Dallas (again), four teams seem to have separated themselves. With K-State being one of them, that plus no conference title game means the Wildcats will only get three marquee opponents most likely. Winning over Oklahoma was good, but it was only by five. They might want to try for some style points in future big games to solidify their claim to be near the top, but Bill Snyder has never been concerned with such things.

5. Notre Dame

Best wins: No. 20 Stanford

Best remaining opponents: No. 9 Oklahoma, No. 10 USC

Like Alabama, Notre Dame also needs to root for the Michigan turnaround potentially in progress to continue. Like Oregon, it also needs to hope that Stanford and USC don't take on any unnecessary losses. In fact, the Irish will be hoping that both of them take out the Ducks for obvious reasons. And also, like Kansas State in the previous slot, they'll be rooting hard for a Miami turnaround. Notre Dame enjoys tremendous advantages from its position as the lone power independent school, but variable schedule strength is one of the pitfalls. It could go either way with this team. Of course, as close as many of its wins have been, just worrying about not losing is probably enough for now.

6. LSU

Best win: No. 7 South Carolina

Loss: No. 2 Florida

Best remaining opponents: No. 1 Alabama, No. 12 Mississippi State, No. 18 Texas A&M, possibly No. 2 Florida, No. 7 South Carolina, or No. 11 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game

The Tigers are far from out of the national championship race after they rebounded at home against South Carolina. Picking up another home win on November 3 would be absolutely titanic. There is plenty here to build a great resumé heading into bowl season if they really have found their way to go forward.

7. South Carolina

Best win: No. 11 Georgia

Loss: No. 6 LSU

Best remaining opponents: No. 2 Florida, No. 19 Clemson, possibly No. 1 Alabama or No. 6 LSU in the SEC Championship Game

Les Miles claimed that Baton Rouge is where opponents' dreams go to die, but the Gamecocks' dreams for everything but a 14-0 season are still on the table. The loss to LSU was unfortunate, but it was to a West team. Carolina still controls its destiny in the East, and a win in Atlanta would wipe away any ill residue from yesterday's tough loss.

8. Oregon State

Best win: None.

Best remaining opponents: No. 2 Oregon, No. 20 Stanford, possibly No. 10 USC in the Pac-12 Championship Game

The Beavers have been a good story so far, but they're going to need Wisconsin to resurrect itself (or Arizona State to keep it up) to get a fourth ranked opponent. They're resigned to laying in the weeds until they hit some of those ranked teams, though, which won't happen until November.

9. Oklahoma

Best win: No. 17 Texas Tech, No. 25 Texas

Loss: No. 4 Kansas State

Best remaining opponents: No. 5 Notre Dame, No. 13 West Virginia, No. 23 TCU

Most of what I said about K-State applies here, except that OU lost to the Wildcats. Also, except that Oklahoma has the benefit of a big time non-conference game against the Irish. That will be a huge game to bolster the resumé, but the uncomfortable fact remains that the Sooners don't control their destiny even in the Big 12 race right now.

10. USC

Best win: None.

Loss: No. 20 Stanford

Best remaining opponents: No. 2 Oregon, No. 5 Notre Dame, possibly No. 2 Oregon again or No. 8 Oregon State in the Pac-12 Championship Game

The Trojans lost early to a decent team, something that doesn't often rule out a team from the national title race. They don't look like real contenders right now, but they have the schedule to get back up near the top if they win out.