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Here's a basic refresher course on how the various rankings turn into points, which turn into deciding who will be Nos. 1 and 2 and playing in this season's title game, hosted by the Rose Bowl on January 3 in Pasadena.
Polls
This is the average of the two main Top 25 polls -- The Associated Press media poll and the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll. So, if a team is ranked No. 1 in one poll and No. 2 in the other, it would receive 1.5 points.Computer rankings
The computer rankings used in the BCS formula include is determined by averaging the seven highest computer rankings, Richard Billinglsey, Kenneth Massey, David Rothman, Jeff Sagarin's USA Today, Matthews/Scripps-Howard, The Anderson & Hester/Seattle Times, Peter Wolfe and Atlanta Journal-Constitution rankings. The lowest and highest computer rankings will be disregarded, and the computer component will be determined by averaging the six other computer rankings.
Low score wins
It's like golf. You want the fewest, not the most. Add 'em up. Low score wins.
Strength of schedule
Rank of schedule strength compared to other Division I-A teams of actual games played divided by 25. This component is calculated by determining the cumulative won/loss records of the team's opponent (66.6 percent) and the cumulative won/loss records of the teams' opponents opponents (33.3 percent).
Losses
Each loss counts as one full point.
Quality wins
A team will be awarded bonus points for beating a team rated in the top 15 in the standings. The bonus points for quality wins will range from a high of 1.5 points for a win over the top-ranked team to a low of 0.1 for a victory over the 15th-ranked BCS team. Should one team defeat the same top 15 BCS team more than once during the season, quality points will be awarded just once.
Eligibility
The champs of these six conferences -- ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 and SEC -- are automatic qualifiers for the BCS games (Fiesta, Sugar, Orange, Rose bowls) and then two at-large teams will be selected.
To be in the at-large pool, a team must win at least nine games and be ranked in the BCS top 12. An at-large team with at least nine victories and ranked in the top six is guaranteed selection into one of the BCS bowls.
Bowl disclaimer
The BCS is quick to point out the system is designed to select the two teams for the national championship game, and shall not be used to seed teams into the three other BCS games, or any other bowl games.