Sooners Look to Defend Top Spot in BCS Standings

Now that the first BCS standings have been released, we can get going on all the heated debate sure to accompany them. This week’s college football preview has a number of games that could impact the title picture, and several more great games.
*Please note that, unlike previous columns, subsequent articles will use the BCS standings for team rankings
1. #1 Oklahoma at #11 Missouri— This is probably the week where Mizzou gets exposed. Despite a 6-0 record, Missouri’s best win is either Illinois or San Diego State, and the Tigers were hardly dominant in either victory. Oklahoma’s lived on the edge this season, but has two wins over BCS-ranked teams. The game is under the Missouri lights, which may keep the Tigers in it early, but the Sooners should pull away and stay at #1.
2. #6 LSU at #4 Auburn– The first of what could be many SEC bloodlettings in the coming weeks pits arguably the nation’s best quarterback and Heisman candidate Cam Newton of Auburn against LSU’s star cornerback Patrick Patterson, who probably would be a Heisman hopeful if the committee believed in such things like rewarding defensive players. I’m not exactly sure how LSU has managed to escape defeat so far, but here they are at 7-0. I don’t think Newton’s going to put up 65 points on Patterson and company, but he’ll get his. The winner of this game is a win over Alabama for a likely SEC title.
3. #13 Wisconsin at #15 Iowa– Iowa’s upcoming slate will determine who goes to the Rose Bowl from the Big 10, and this is the first of three compelling conference match ups they get at home. The Badgers have to stay focused after their upset of Ohio State, and they’re not exactly known for their road prowess. The Hawkeyes have arguably the country’s best defensive line, which may provide problems for Wisconsin’s smash-mouth offense.
Other compelling games: #7 Michigan State at Northwestern, #16 Nebraska at #14 Oklahoma State, Air Force at #5 TCU