Will Tide Be Tops In BCS Ranking?

Wait for it. Some coach is going to say that the only Bowl Championship Series standings that matter “is the last one.” Tonight, though, we get the first one and it will be interesting to see how the five computer rankings affect the order of things.

Alabama was a unanimous number one in last week’s Associated Press poll (which is not a part of the BCS) and got all but one first place vote -- perhaps Crimson Tide Coach Nick Saban’s -- in the Coaches Poll (which is part of the BCS).

Bama went on the road Saturday and defeated Missouri, 42-10, which would not tarnish the Tide’s standing with human voters. Bama is 6-0, including 3-0 in Southeastern Conference games. There has been speculation that because Alabama’s schedule has proved to be less than stellar that it will hurt Bama with the computer rankings that are a part of the BCS compilation. Nevertheless, most project the Tide to be first in the initial rankings tonight.

The first BCS standings of the 2012 season will be released on at 7:30 p.m. CDT today and will be televised on ESPN..

Last year Bama was second in the final BCS standings, setting up the opportunity to play against fellow SEC member LSU, which was number one in the final BCS standings. Given that opportunity, Alabama proved worthy, defeating the Fighting Tigers, 21-0, at the Louisiana Superdome to win the national championship.

It’s true that all the early competitors in the first BCS standings have plenty of football left to play. Alabama continues on the road and in the SEC at Tennessee Saturday. Game time and television coverage is to be announced later.

Using conference alignment at the time of games played, the SEC has had the most appearances of any conference in the BCS standings (451). The Big 12 is second at 435 and the Big Ten third at 392.

The SEC, ACC and Big 12 have put the most schools in the BCS standings in its history with 11 each. The Pac-12 and the Big Ten have put 10 teams each in the BCS standings.

Five SEC teams have been ranked at one time or another as the top team in the nation in the BCS standings during its history (31 total weeks) – Alabama (6 times), Auburn (3), Florida (7), LSU (10) and Tennessee (5).

Here is a listing of the amount of times each SEC team has been ranked in the BCS standings (using current conference alignment): Alabama (50), Arkansas (31), Auburn (45), Florida (85), Georgia (61), Kentucky (4), LSU (73), Ole Miss (9), Mississippi State (15), Missouri (32), South Carolina (25), Tennessee (52) and Texas A&M (30).

An SEC team has been the top ranked team in 10 straight BCS standings, dating back to the last two weeks of the 2010 season. LSU was the top-ranked team in all 8 BCS standings last season and Auburn was the top-ranked team in the last two standings of the 2010 season. Oregon (Nov. 21, 2010) is the last non-SEC team to be ranked No. 1 in the BCS standings.

The most consecutive weeks for a conference at No. 1 is 12, set by the Big Ten (Ohio State) during the 2006-07 seasons and the Big 12 (using conference alignment at time game was played), with Nebraska and Oklahoma during 2000-01 seasons.

An SEC team has been ranked No. 1 in 24 of the last 32 BCS Standings (dating back to 2008).