Boise State fans need to pull for Texas, root against Oklahoma State

The top seven teams in this week's rankings are the same as last week. The race for at-large spots, though, is becoming murkier, and the ultimate BCS nightmare scenario might be unfolding.

There are four at-large spots in the BCS to go along with the six automatic qualifying conference champions. One rule is that those bids have to go to teams from different conferences. That helps to keep the money spread around a little more evenly.

Also, there are ways to automatically qualify for an at-large berth. One spot goes to the highest rated non-major conference champion -- as long as it is in the top 12 of the rankings.

TCU, after a 55-28 pasting of Utah this week, remains the leader for that at-large berth and is as much of a lock for that spot as you can be in this system -- providing the Horned Frogs win their final two games.

Boise State did its part to stay in the hunt with a 63-25 victory against in-state rival Idaho. The Broncos would need a major upset to catch the Frogs at this point, but even if they aren't an automatic at-large, they still go into the pool of teams eligible to be picked.

Unfortunately for them, they are not an attractive team to the bowls. They have a relatively small fan base and don't draw eyes to the television sets. For them to be chosen willingly, there would have to be no other good choice.

However, that is the nightmare scenario I referred to earlier. It is a virtual certainty that the SEC and Big Ten, two leagues with a ton of teams the bowls love, will get at-large spots. For that final at-large berth, though, the better choices seem to be fading fast.

Two weeks ago, it was Oklahoma's loss to Nebraska that ended the Sooners' chances of reaching a BCS game. Even though Oklahoma has been to the BCS three years in a row, those bowls would have loved to have them again.

Remember when Boise State beat Oklahoma in this Fiesta Bowl classic? Now, Oklahoma can help BSU get back there by beating OSU. (US Presswire)

This week, it was Southern Cal going down in flames. The Trojans got pummeled by Stanford 55-21. They fell to 18th in the rankings this week, which means there is some outside chance they could climb back to the top 14 and squeeze into the at-large pool.

USC is one of those teams that brings in good TV ratings. The BCS really needs that. Since the change to the five-bowl format, the ratings have taken a beating, especially for the Fiesta, Orange and Sugar bowls. Those three bowls have produced seven of the eight lowest-rated games in BCS history since the format change three years ago. Forcing a non-major into the mix virtually every year has hurt. Three of those seven games had a non-major, and three of the others had the Big East champion, which is also proving to be a ratings drain.

Oh, and the one low-rated game not from the past three years? The 2004 Fiesta Bowl, which had both a non-major and the Big East champ.

So, TV appeal might get as much focus as fan base in bowl selections this year. But with the demise of Oklahoma and USC, nobody is really left with much more appeal than Boise State. Looking at the current rankings, once you take away the leftover Big Ten and SEC teams, the only at-large possibilities left are Pittsburgh and Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys would be a likely replacement for Texas in the Fiesta Bowl if the Longhorns get kicked up to the title game. The Fiesta Bowl would have a hard time taking $4.5 million out of its conference partner's pocket. Oklahoma State would not seem to hold much more appeal than the Broncos to the other bowls, though. And Pitt -- or Cincinnati, should Pitt win the Big East -- has no appeal whatsoever.

Virginia Tech is No. 15 and the Hokies are probably the most attractive ACC team. The problem for them is that the Orange Bowl has the first choice of at-large teams and already has the ACC champion. They are probably too geographically unfriendly for the Fiesta Bowl, and by the time the Sugar gets to pick, there probably wouldn't be any more openings.

So Boise State fans need to root against Oklahoma State, and for Texas to win the Big 12 title. If the Longhorns get upset Dec. 5 in Arlington, they will be an at-large team for sure, which means we won't see two non-majors play in the BCS this year.