Ohio State, projected to be No. 5 in initial BCS standings next week, is hurt by its strength of schedule to date. ESPN notes Boise has played toughest part of its schedule and OSU hasn't. Top two teams in final BCS standings play in national title game.
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Boise State, led by quarterback Kellen Moore (photo), is expected to be first in next week's initial BCS standings for this season.Cleveland, Ohio -- Ohio State, on the strength of its 6-0 record, history and Alabama's loss to South Carolina on Saturday, is the nation's new No. 1 ranked football team.
That ranking is based on the Associated Press, USA Today/coaches and Harris polls.
Next week, the first Bowl Championship Series standings will be released. The top two teams in the final regular-season BCS standings will play in the BCS National Championship Game.
Brad Edwards projects for ESPN.com that the initial BCS standings for this season will have Ohio State at No. 5. Games to be played this weekend could alter the projection, of course, but Edwards claims Boise State will be No. 1 "by a comfortable margin."
Oregon is anticipated to be No. 2, followed by Texas Christian, Oklahoma and the Buckeyes.
Boise State, of the Western Athletic Conference, and Texas Christian, of the Mountain West Conference, are in non-automatic qualifying conferences. Those leagues don't own an automatic bid to one of the five BCS bowl games.
From the ESPN.com report:
Edwards explained that although the Buckeyes are No. 1 in the two polls the BCS uses -- the Harris and the USA Today coaches' poll -- they're deemed 10th-best by the BCS computer rankings, due in part to the Buckeyes' strength of schedule to date compared to the other unbeaten teams. The computers do not take margin of victory into consideration.
Boise State rated higher because the Broncos are third in the Harris and USA Today polls and second in the BCS computer ranking, Edwards said. But he also noted Boise State has already played the toughest part of its schedule, while Ohio State and the other top 10 teams from automatic qualifying conferences face tougher competition in the weeks ahead.
"Though this is exactly what the BCS standings would look like if they came out today, this is not an indication of what they will look like several weeks from now if all these teams keep winning," Edwards said.
Oregon is ranked No. 2 and Boise State No. 3 in the AP, USA Today/coaches and Harris polls.