BCS Rankings Reaction: Oregon, Kansas State Control Destiny to Championship

The human polls helped Oregon reach second place in the latest BCS rankings, giving them a spot in the national championship game alongside the new top-ranked Kansas State.

November 10, 2012; Berkeley, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Josh Huff (1) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the California Golden Bears during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE

With a .967 average after Alabama lost to Texas A&M on Saturday, the Wildcats reach the top of the BCS for the first time in school history. The Ducks come in second with a .950 average and Notre Dame creeps up very close with a .940 average thanks to the computers.

Oregon is the top ranked team in both human polls that count in the BCS formula. However, the computer average currently rates them in fourth place. The Irish have the top ranking in the computer polls; only two computers have them in second place, the other four have them at number one. Kansas State is ranked second and Florida is ranked third.

Like we’ve known for weeks now, it doesn’t really matter what the computers think at this point. They take the whole season into consideration, and Oregon will likely have to play three ranked opponents to end the season. That will give them a computer boost to possibly even reach the top depending on what all these teams’ opponents do.

Even with the number one ranking in the computers, there’s nothing Notre Dame can do to enter the championship by themselves. Oregon will have 13th-ranked Stanford, 16th-ranked Oregon State, and either 17th-ranked UCLA or 18th-ranked USC in the Pac-12 Championship if they make it there. Kansas State has Baylor and 15th-ranked Texas.

Brian Spaen is the lead editor for Autzen Zoo. See his banter with other FanSided writers and love for his favorite west coast professional teams by following him on Twitter.

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