With Auburn and Oregon now certain to meet in Arizona, the BCS bowls were clarified Saturday.
View full sizeCameron Newton was again the best player on the field -- or above it -- as he hurdled South Carolina's Akeem Auguste in the second half of the Tigers' SEC rout of the Gamecocks.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- With Auburn and Oregon now certain to meet in Arizona, the BCS bowls were clarified Saturday. Here's a look at what should be announced on Sunday.
BCS National Championship, Glendale, Ariz., Jan. 10
Auburn (SEC champ) vs. Oregon (Pac-10 champ)
It's the No. 1 (Oregon) vs. No. 7 (Auburn) scoring offenses in the nation, averaging a combined 92 points per game. There's little debate that these two undefeated teams deserve their spots, with No. 3 TCU (12-0) making the only potential argument. The 12-0 Ducks opened as a 3-point favorite over 13-0 Auburn after both teams won Saturday, but the line quickly dropped to a 1-point edge for Oregon.
This matchup also features the players who should finish in the top two in the Heisman race next Saturday -- Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton, the expected winner, and Oregon running back LaMichael James.
Rose Bowl, Jan. 1
Wisconsin (Big Ten champ) vs. TCU (at-large)
By a one-time BCS rule, the Rose Bowl has to take TCU to replace Pac-10 champ Oregon. It will be TCU's second BCS bowl and first against a major conference opponent -- TCU lost to Boise State, 17-10, in the Fiesta Bowl last season.
TCU has the No. 3 rush defense in the nation, while 11-1 Wisconsin features the No. 12 rushing offense. The Badgers shared the Big Ten title with Ohio State and Michigan State, but get the Rose spot because they have the highest BCS rating.
Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 1
Oklahoma (Big 12 champ) vs. Stanford (at-large)
Since Stanford is ranked in the top four of the BCS standings, the Cardinal must receive an at-large bid. At 11-1 with a loss only to Oregon, Stanford could be chosen by the Orange Bowl, which picks ahead of the Fiesta, but if the Orange Bowl takes the Big East champ instead, this works out geographically for a fan base that isn't as large as some teams in the BCS mix.
Orange Bowl, Jan. 3
Virginia Tech (ACC champ) vs. Connecticut (Big East champ)
Locked into the ACC champ, the Orange Bowl could take Stanford. The Huskies, who opened the season with a loss to Michigan, won the Big East at 8-4 overall. The Hokies are on an 11-game winning streak after starting the season with losses to Boise State and James Madison.
Sugar Bowl, Jan. 4
Arkansas (At-large) vs. Ohio State (at-large)
The Sugar picks a team to replace Auburn, and also has the first at-large pick after that and should jump on the Buckeyes. The only thing that could keep 11-1 Ohio State from this game is if the Sugar Bowl shocks everyone by taking 11-1 Michigan State, which has never played in a BCS game. This would be Ohio State's ninth BCS game in 13 years under this system, the most of any team in the country.