2011 BCS Predictions: Who's In?

[Paperback Writer]

It's that time of year where I'm reading a lot of pre-season predictions of favorites to win conferences. Thought I'd start a thread to post predictions of who will win conferences and other teams who will get an at-large BCS invite. IIRC, 6 conference champs and 4 at-large - no more than 2 from each conference. My predictions:
Oregon, Stanford, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Alabama, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, and Boise St.

[Portland Ute]

It's that time of year where I'm reading a lot of pre-season predictions of favorites to win conferences. Thought I'd start a thread to post predictions of who will win conferences and other teams who will get an at-large BCS invite. IIRC, 6 conference champs and 4 at-large - no more than 2 from each conference. My predictions:
Oregon, Stanford, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Alabama, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, and Boise St.

Not sure about TAMU or WV.

[Hot Lunch]

It's that time of year where I'm reading a lot of pre-season predictions of favorites to win conferences. Thought I'd start a thread to post predictions of who will win conferences and other teams who will get an at-large BCS invite. IIRC, 6 conference champs and 4 at-large - no more than 2 from each conference. My predictions:
Oregon, Stanford, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Alabama, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, and Boise St.

Those are all pretty safe bets. I really like TAMU this year BTW. They bring back almost everyone not named Von Miller and they have settled in on a good q.b. that can make plays both in the air and on the ground. They also have some other big time playmakers on offense. Could be a great season for the boys in College Station.

[Uncle Ted]

Those are all pretty safe bets. I really like TAMU this year BTW. They bring back almost everyone not named Von Miller and they have settled in on a good q.b. that can make plays both in the air and on the ground. They also have some other big time playmakers on offense. Could be a great season for the boys in College Station.

I am kind of excited for TAMU this year as well. Jeff Fuller, a local boy from our area and A&M's top receiver, decided to return for his senior year. I just hope they don't beat up on Texas too bad.

[Babs]

Not sure about TAMU or WV.

Not sure is generous. They won't win the Big 12, and the Big 12 - without a champ game - won't have two teams in the BCS.

[Coach McGuirk]

Oregon and Standford are in the same division. Take a small miracle for them both to get in.

[Babs]

Oregon and Standford are in the same division. Take a small miracle for them both to get in.

so were Oklahoma and Texas. You're actually more likely to get in if you're the second place in the winning division, because you don't take the hit from losing the conference title game.

[BoylenOver]

Easy picks: Oklahoma, Alabama, LSU, Virginia Tech, Oregon
Relatively assured picks: Stanford, Wisconsin
Bold picks: USF, So Miss, Texas

BCS title game: Oklahoma-Alabama
Rose Bowl: Wisconsin-Oregon
Sugar Bowl: LSU-USF
Fiesta Bowl: Texas-Stanford
Orange Bowl: VaTech-So Miss

-I think Florida St and Nebraska will be very good this year, but losing in the conference title game will hurt them severely.
-That second Big-12 bid (I do think they get 2 over the Big Ten) will come down to Thanksgiving night in College Station, TX. I could see that being a battle between two top-15 or even top-10 teams.
-There's always a ton of parity in the C-USA. They've had some good teams come out of there, but there always seems to be enough pesky teams that can pick off the top dog in any one season to prevent them from sending a team to the BCS. I think that changes this year with Southern Miss. This is a very bold pick because I don't see Boise doing worse than 11-1, and if that one loss comes in week one at the Georgia Dome, they'll probably be the first non-BCS team to get the auto bid without being undefeated.
-USF has a tricky schedule, playing at Pitt on a Thursday and finishing the season with WVa at home on a Friday. But I think this is the year they manage to put it all together and win the conference.

[Paperback Writer]

Not sure is generous. They won't win the Big 12, and the Big 12 - without a champ game - won't have two teams in the BCS.

Actually, I think not playing a CCG will be more helpful to the Big 12 when it comes to BCS invites. Since the beginning of the BCS in 1995, both the Big 12 and SEC have sent two teams to BCS bowl games half the time (8 of 16 seasons). The Big Ten who didn't play a CCG during those years sent two teams to BCS bowl games 12 of 16 seasons. Playing in a CCG means another loss to what may be a 1 or 2 loss team going in and that additional loss could put them out of the BCS while another team who didn't play in a CCG gets in.

But it really can work both ways like in 2003 when KSU upset OU to win the Big 12 despite 3 losses which put two Big 12 teams in (OU and KSU). But I think it works mostly against a conference - when a highly ranked team puts another loss on a conference foe that gets BCS consideration until that 2nd or 3rd loss from the CCG.

Edit: Actually, I think you're saying much of the same thing in post #7 when you cite two good teams in the same division (UT and OU) and the runner-up isn't subject to getting an additional loss in the CCG.

[Paperback Writer]

I am kind of excited for TAMU this year as well. Jeff Fuller, a local boy from our area and A&M's top receiver, decided to return for his senior year. I just hope they don't beat up on Texas too bad.

I'm excited as well. Also have to mention another Aggie local boy who should see more catches at WR: #7 Uzoma Nwachukwu. While not as accomplished at WR as #8 Jeff Fuller, it gives me a chance to mention two local boys while omitting mention of another good Aggie WR #25 Ryan Swope because he's from that hippy, redneck town to the south.

[Uncle Ted]

I'm excited as well. Also have to mention another Aggie local boy who should see more catches at WR: #7 Uzoma Nwachukwu. While not as accomplished at WR as #8 Jeff Fuller, it gives me a chance to mention two local boys while omitting mention of another good Aggie WR #25 Ryan Swope because he's from that hippy, redneck town to the south.

Oh, yeah, I remember Nwachukwu doing some damage while at Allen. I remember seeing his handy work live and in color during the play-offs and at the state championship game down in H-town. That was a great year for eagle football. Of course, it is kind of hard to find a bad year in recent history for that team.

[BoylenOver]

I'm bumping this thread because I want to hear more predictions from CUFfers.

[DrumNFeather]

I'm bumping this thread because I want to hear more predictions from CUFfers.

Some commentator...Herbstreet maybe? Had Florida St. as his darkhorse candidate for the national title game, which would be interesting...particularly with the recent struggles of Florida and the U.

[Surfah]

Some commentator...Herbstreet maybe? Had Florida St. as his darkhorse candidate for the national title game, which would be interesting...particularly with the recent struggles of Florida and the U.

FSU won't be a darkhorse for long. They're getting lots of love and hype.

[Babs]

FSU won't be a darkhorse for long. They're getting lots of love and hype.

Oklahoma plays FSU at Tallahassee in week three. I'm very nervous.