Oklahoma's Lewis Baker, left, and Curtis Lofton put pressure on Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel on Saturday night. The win helped the Sooners move up in the BCS standings. BY STEVE SISNEY, THE OKLAHOMAN
But the computers really, really don't.
That's what the first BCS standings revealed Sunday, bringing clarity to this crazy college football season.
Ohio State, South Florida and Boston College, all unbeaten, top the BCS in that order.
But despite being ranked ahead of LSU in both the coaches and Harris polls, the Sooners are one spot behind the Tigers at a distant No. 5 in the BCS, thanks to OU's poor showing in the computers, which emphasize strength of schedule.
The BCS consists of three components, each weighted equally: the coaches poll, the Harris poll and an average of six computer rankings, with a team's best and worst computer ranking discarded.
In the computers, LSU is No. 2. OU is No. 11.
And because the Sooners have just one regular-season opponent left at the moment in the BCS top 25 (No. 24 Texas Tech), it's highly unlikely OU will pass the Tigers in the computers if both teams win out.
In fact, it's far more likely that LSU will leapfrog OU in the Harris and coaches polls after a strong performance this Saturday at home against No. 17 Auburn.
Essentially, for the Sooners to make the national championship in New Orleans, here's what has to happen:
•OU must win the rest of its regular-season games.
•OU must defeat a strong opponent in the Big 12 championship to raise its computer profile, preferably an 11-1 Missouri or 10-win Kansas.
•And at least three teams among Ohio State, South Florida, Boston College and LSU must lose.
Boston College seems most likely to go down, with games left at No. 11 Virginia Tech, Maryland and Clemson to go along with home bouts against fallen powers Florida State and Miami.
USF has its most challenging game left this Thursday at Rutgers. If the Bulls escape, they'll also have two losable games at home against No. 23 Cincinnati and Louisville.
Ohio State still has two tough road challenges at Penn State and the season-finale at Michigan.
But even then, could a one-loss Ohio State or USF sneak in ahead of OU?
It's possible.
Both USF and Ohio State — which are first and fifth in the computers — probably would need to fall out of the top five in the Harris and coaches polls for OU to climb past them in the BCS.
LSU, meanwhile, seems least likely to lose since the Tigers won't face a ranked opponent after Auburn until the SEC championship.
But if college football in October has revealed anything, it's that anyone can lose, no matter the opponent.
The Sooners need more of that to happen, because they don't yet control their own destiny.
The computers do.
