Below is a list of the 11 conference races around the nation, along with each individual conference tiebreaker rules. Each conference has a winner or championship game matchup based on "if the season ended today." (x-clinched division; y-clinched share of conference; z-clinched conference) -- Updated Nov. 9
ACC Championship
Clemson
Dec. 5 Tampa, Fla. 8 p.m., ESPN
Georgia Tech
Comment: According to conference tiebreakers rules -- For a two-team tie: 1) Head-to-head competition between the two tied teams. With Clemson's 25-7 victory over Boston College earlier in the year, the Tigers are in the driver's seat to claim the Atlantic Division. If there is a three or more team tie, the following will be followed: 1) Combined head-to-head record among the tied teams; 2) Records of the tied teams within the division; 3) Head-to-head competition vs. the team within the division with the best overall (divisional or conference) record, and proceeding through the division. Multiple ties within the division will be broken first to last; 4) Overall record for non-divisional teams; 5) Combined record versus all common non-divisional teams; 6) Record versus common non-divisional with the best overall Conference (divisional) and non-divisional record and proceeding through the other common non-divisional teams based on their order of finish within the division; 7) The tied team with the highest ranking in the BCS Standings following the conclusion of regular season games shall be the divisional representative in the ACC Championship Game, unless the second of the tied teams is ranked within five-or-fewer places of the highest ranked tied team. In this case, the head-to-head results of the top two ranked tied teams shall determine the representative in the ACC Championship Game. In the Coastal, Georgia Tech is 5-1 and in control of winning the division. Georgia Tech defeated Clemson earlier in the year 30-27. The winner of the ACC Championship will earn an automatic bid to the Orange Bowl.
Comment: According to conference rules -- For a two-team tie: 1) The winner of the game between the two tied teams shall be the representative. Texas is 5-0 and in the driver's seat in the South with victories over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State already. In the North, with Kansas State's win over Kansas, the Wildcats need to beat Missouri and Nebraska to claim the division. If there is a three or more team tie, the following rules will be followed: If only two teams remain tied after any step, the winner of the game between the two tied teams shall be the representative. 1) The records of the three teams will be compared against each other; 2) The records of the three teams will be compared within their division; 3) The records of the three teams will be compared against the next highest placed teams in their division in order of finish (4, 5 and 6); 4) The records of the three teams will be compared against all common conference opponents; 5) The highest ranked team in the first BCS Poll following the completion of Big 12 regular season conference play shall be the representative.
Comment: The Big East champion is the team that finishes the regular season with the highest winning percentage in conference games. If more than one team has the same winning percentage, the tied teams are declared co-champions. In order to determine the Conference's representative to the BCS, the procedures listed below will be followed: Two-team tie: The winner of the head to head match-up will represent the Big East in the BCS. Three-way tie: Scenario I: All three teams have either a 6-1 or 5-2 record and have each won one and lost one against the other tied teams in the mini-conference. In this case, the highest ranked team amongst the three earns the bid. If two of the three teams are tied for the highest ranking, the bid is earned by the team winning the head-to-head match up. Scenario II: All three teams have 5-2 records, and within the mini-conference, Team A is 2-0, Team B is 1-1, and Team C is 0-2. Team A earns bid regardless of ranking.
Comment: According to conference rules, if there is a tie for the Big Ten champion, the winner of the game between these two teams shall represent the conference in the BCS. If there is still a tie, or if the tied teams did not play each other, the representative shall be determined on the percentage basis of all games played. If there is still a tie, the most recent team earning BCS automatic selection shall be eliminated. The way the conference is shaping up, the winner of the Iowa vs. Ohio State game on Nov. 14 should decide the conference champion. If more than two teams tie for the championship, the same selection procedures shall be followed with the following exceptions: a) If three teams are tied, and if one team defeated both of the other teams, then that team shall be the representative. b) If three teams are tied, and if two of the three teams defeated the third team, the third team is eliminated, and the remaining two teams shall revert to the two team tie procedure. c) If three teams are tied, and there is a tie game between two of the three teams, or if two or all three of the teams did not play each other, the representative shall be determined on a percentage basis of all games played in the schedule.
Comment: With Houston's 38-15 victory over SMU earlier in the year, the Cougars are in line to reach the conference title game based on the conference's head-to-head tiebreaker. In the East, East Carolina is 4-1, but there are four teams tied at 3-2. Per conference rules: For a two-team or multiple team tie for divisional champion: 1) Highest regular season winning percentage based on overall Conference USA play. 2) If tied, head to head between tied teams. 3) If still tied, highest winning percentage within division. 4) If still tied, compare records against divisional opponents in descending order of finish. 5) If still tied, compare records with common cross-divisional opponents. 6) If still tied, compare records against cross-divisional opponents in descending order of finish. 7) If still tied, team with highest BCS ranking. 8) If still tied, the representative will be the team that has not participated in the championship game most recently. 9) If at any point the tie is broken in a multiple team tie, the remaining teams will begin the process again at No. 2. For a two-team tie to determine host: 1) Highest regular season winning percentage based on overall Conference USA play; 2) If tied, head to head between tied teams; 3) If still tied, team with highest BCS ranking.
Comment: In a two-team tie, head-to-head competition is used to determine which teams advance to the title game. Temple plays Kent State on Nov. 21 and at Ohio on Nov. 28. Kent State defeated Ohio 20-11 earlier in the year. If the teams finish in a three-team tie, the following rules apply: 1) Head-to-head competition. Teams eliminated in the initial tiebreaker criterion are not included in further consideration in the tie-breaking formula. Head-to-head competition is again used to break the tie between the remaining tied teams; 2) Each team’s winning percentage vs. divisional opponents in rank order of final divisional standings; 3) Overall MAC record by winning percentage; 4) If Team A, B and C have the same cross over record, the combined MAC winning percentage of the team’s cross over opponents determines the tiebreaker; 5) The winning percentage of tied teams vs. cross-division opponents in rank order. [i.e., 1-0 beats 0-0]. Once a team is eliminated in this scenario, Head-to-head competition is again used to break the tie between the remaining tied teams.
Comment: According to conference rules, the regular season champion shall be determined based on conference winning percentage. TCU faces Utah on Nov. 14 in what should determine the conference champion. In the event of a tie between two or more teams, such teams shall be considered co-champions. Tie-breaking procedures are to be used only for the purpose of identifying order of finish for bowl selection consideration. The MWC's bowl partners are not bound by the final standings and may select participants at their discretion, except as specified in the contractual agreements, in consultation with the conference office. Co-champions and other ties in the standings will remain unchanged for conference awards, records and revenue-distribution purposes.
Comment: Despite losing to Stanford, Oregon is still in control of the Pac-10. For multiple-team ties: 1) When three or more teams are tied in conference play, if one has defeated all others, it shall be the Rose Bowl representative. If that is not the case, a comparison of the tied teams' records against the other tied teams shall be made and the team having the best record against the other tied teams shall be the Rose Bowl representative. If two or more teams are still tied after this comparison, the appropriate two-team or multiple-team tie-breaking procedures shall be repeated among those teams still under consideration; 2) If more than two teams are still tied after, each remaining tied team's record against the team occupying the highest position in the final regular season standings shall be compared, with the procedure continuing down through the standings until one team gains an advantage. If at any point in the process the multiple-team tie is reduced to two teams, the two-team tie-breaking procedure shall be applied. If more than two teams are still tied after comparing their records all the way through the Conference standings, the team among the tied teams with the highest ranking in the final BCS standings shall be the Rose Bowl representative.
Comment: According to Sun Belt rules, in the event of a two-way tie for first place, the first tiebreaker is head-to-head. Troy has already beaten Middle Tennessee State and Louisiana-Monroe, so the Trojans are in control of the Sun Belt. In the event of a tie between three times, the head-to-head records are first considered. If the three teams are still tied than the New Orleans Bowl would chose its participant.
Comment: If two teams are tied, the winner of the regular season game between the tied teams shall receive the higher place in the standings. If three or more teams are tied, the team(s) with the best record(s) versus the other tied teams receives the higher place in the standings. If this results in more than one team having the best identical record against the other tied teams, use head-to-head tiebreakers for only those teams. If the tie still cannot be broken, the Bowl Placement Committee shall break the tie. For bowl placement, these are the rules: The top two teams, based upon regular season finish, shall receive guaranteed bowl berths. Once bowl representatives have been determined, a committee consisting of the Commissioner and Athletics Directors not involved in the pool of eligible teams, in consultation with the Conference's bowl partners, shall select and place team(s) according to the "right team, right place" principle.
Comment: According to SEC rules, in a two-team tie, head-to-head competition between the two tied teams will determine who plays in the conference title game. The second tiebreaker is the records of the tied teams within the division. With Florida's undefeated record in conference play, it has already clinched the East Division. Meanwhile, in the West, the game between Alabama and LSU has major implications on the West Champion.
