The top three teams in the human polls also are in the top 10 in the first BCS standings of the season, which were released Sunday afternoon.
The top three in both polls were the top three in the BCS – Texas, Alabama and Penn State, with the Longhorns a unanimous No. 1 (all six computers plus both polls) and the Crimson Tide a unanimous No. 2.
While it’s still extremely early in the season, in each of the past five seasons the team ranked first in the initial BCS standings of the season finished first in the final standings.
Penn State is third in both polls, and that gives the Nittany Lions – whose average computer rank is seventh – an edge in the BCS over No. 4 Oklahoma. The Sooners’ average computer rank is fourth, but they are fourth and fifth in the polls.
USC is fifth in the BCS thanks to its poll rankings (fourth in the coaches’ poll and fifth in the Harris Poll); the Trojans’ average computer rank is 10th. Oklahoma State, on the other hand, is sixth in the BCS thanks to its average computer ranking of third.
The Cowboys are followed in the standings by Georgia, Texas Tech, Ohio State and Florida.
Expect a lot of movement in the BCS standings next week: There are three games this coming weekend involving two members of the BCS top 13: No. 6 Oklahoma State at No. 1 Texas, No. 3 Penn State at No. 9 Ohio State and No. 7 Georgia at No. 13 LSU.
Utah, at 11th, is the highest-ranked team from a non-“Big Six” league. A non-“Big Six” team is guaranteed a BCS spot in two ways. One is if it finishes in the top 12; the other is if it is ranked in the top 16 and its ranking is higher than that of a conference champion that has an automatic berth. Neither the ACC nor the Big East has a team in the top 15.
Other non-“Big Sixers” in the BCS top 25 are No. 12 Boise State, No. 14 TCU, No. 19 Tulsa, No. 20 Ball State and No. 21 BYU.
Under BCS rules, only one non-“Big Six” team is guaranteed a spot if it meets the criteria. Any others would be at-large candidates.
Boise State and Utah are eighth and ninth, respectively, in average computer ranking. Teams in the BCS top 10 who aren’t in the computer top 10 are No. 8 Texas Tech (11th in the computers) and No. 10 Florida (12th in the computers).
The three components of the BCS standings are the coaches poll; the Harris poll, voted on by media members and by former players, coaches and administrators; and six computers. Each of the components counts one-third. The best and worst computer rankings are thrown out, and the sum total of the remaining four is divided by 100 (the maximum possible points) to come up with the BCS’ computer rankings percentage.
While strength of schedule isn’t a BCS component, all six computers have a strength-of-schedule factor in their rankings.
The final BCS standings will be released Dec. 7. Teams first and second in the final standings meet in the BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 8 in Miami.
Some other items of interest from the first set of standings:
Four Big 12 teams are in the top eight.
USC is the only Pac-10 team in the top 25.
Three SEC teams are in the top 10.
Ohio State is ninth in the BCS because the computers like the Buckeyes more than the pollsters. The Buckeyes are 10th in both polls but fifth in the computers. Indeed, the one-loss Buckeyes are two spots ahead of unbeaten Penn State in the computers.
Of the teams in the top 10, Florida has the most variation in the computer rankings. The Gators are ranked eighth in one (Billingsley) but 20th in another (Wolfe).
The computers don’t much like No. 13 LSU, which is 11th in both polls. The Tigers’ average computer ranking is 19th, with four of them ranking LSU 16th or lower.
No. 23 Kansas is ranked by just one computer (Billingsley has the Jayhawks 15th).
USC is 10th in the computer rankings and has no remaining games against teams currently in the BCS top 25. The Trojans beat Ohio State by 32, yet are ranked five spots behind the Buckeyes in the computers.
Credit: Rivals.com
