The race for the 2012 BCS National Championship is going to get very intense in the coming weeks. The newest set of rankings have just been released with undefeated LSU coming in at #1 followed by SEC rival Alabama at #2. Even more interesting is that the two will play this weekend in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The loser of that game will effectively be knocked out of contention for the title because both are sitting ahead of undefeated Oklahoma State (BCS #3) and Stanford (BCS #4) which moved ahead of Boise State (BCS #5) after their 3 overtime win against USC. The next few weeks will decide whether these heavy weights can remain undefeated as they all have difficult opponents to overcome. If LSU can escape Tuscaloosa with a win they still have to play Arkansas (BCS #7) in Baton Rouge so assuming they can get through those games (big assumption) they would be in prime position for a spot in New Orleans. Alabama will have to take down LSU then they still have to play Auburn (BCS #22) on the road, which will be no small task. This may seem like good news for the teams sitting right behind the two SEC giants but they have their own concerns to deal with. Oklahoma State (BCS #3) plays against Kansas State (BCS #14) then against former BCS #1 Oklahoma, which is 6th in the current rankings. Both games are in Stillwater, which will give Cowboys fans some relief yet playing there has not bothered Oklahoma in the past. The Sooners have won the last eight matchups against their instate rivals four of which were played in Stillwater. All of which means that Oklahoma State can hardly afford to lose focus on their own season when so much is on the line. Stanford (BCS #4) inched closer to the college football crown after they jumped ahead of Boise State in the rankings. The Cardinal survived an epic game against USC managing to out last the Trojans in triple overtime. Stanford has had the benefit of weaker opponents so far compared to the other contenders yet that will end when they face last year's runner-up national champion Oregon. The Ducks (BCS #8) are sitting in the group just behind the remaining undefeated teams and will be looking for an upset in Palo Alto. Boise State (BCS #5) always seemingly on the outside looking in, will need help in the coming weeks to move up in the rankings. The Broncos most challenging remaining game will be against TCU in Boise. If the top teams slip up and lose a game Boise State could be the team that is rewarded with a spot in the championship game. There is a chance however that things do not turn out that way for the Broncos. The teams right below Boise State (Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Oregon) all play one of the top 5 teams and if they can force an upset voters could view those one-loss teams as more deserving than an undefeated Boise State. Oklahoma is not far behind Boise in the BCS and a win for the Sooners against Oklahoma State will only propel them closer to the top. Right now the Broncos should only worry about what they can do which is win out and win convincingly and see if the football gods are favorable to them in the end. BCS Rankings and Key Remaining Games: 1. LSU (8-0 SEC) @ Alabama Nov. 5, vs. Arkansas Nov. 25 2. Alabama (8-0 SEC) vs. LSU Nov. 5, @ Auburn Nov. 26 3. Oklahoma State (8-0 Big12) vs. Kansas State Nov. 5, vs. Oklahoma Dec. 3 4. Stanford (8-0 Pac12) vs. Oregon Nov. 12, vs. Notre Dame Nov. 26 5. Boise State (7-0 MWC) vs. TCU Nov. 12 6. Oklahoma (7-1 Big12) 7. Arkansas (7-1 SEC) 8. Oregon (7-1 Pac12) 9. South Carolina (7-1 SEC) 10. Nebraska (7-1 Big10) 11. Clemson (8-1 ACC) 12. Virginia Tech (8-1 ACC) 13. Houston (8-0 C-USA) 14. Kansas State (7-1 Big12) 15. Michigan (7-1 Big10) 16. Penn State (8-1 Big10) 17. Michigan State (6-2 Big10) 18. Georgia (6-2 SEC) 19. Arizona State (6-2 Pac12) 20. Wisconsin (6-2 Big10) 21. Texas (5-2 Big12) 22. Auburn (6-3 SEC) 23. Georgia Tech (7-2 ACC) 24. West Virginia (6-2 Big East) 25. Southern Miss (7-1 C-USA) BM
