Update on Conference Championships

Pac-12: Well, they've done it. By blowing a 10-point 4th quarter lead at home to 2-8 Arizona in the Territorial Cup, the Arizona State Sun Devils - who were once #18 in the country and 5-1 - have successfully eliminated themselves from contention in the Pac-12 South. (They've lost three in a row to UCLA, Washington State, and Arizona!) It's now down to two teams. Utah is in if they can win at home against 2-9 Colorado and if UCLA loses at USC. So what I'm saying is that the Bruins are going to the Pac-12 Championship.

Update: I guess I'm wrong. ASU can still win the division with a win against Cal and a UCLA loss to USC and a Utah win against Colorado, creating a 3-way tie that the Sun Devils would win. That's too bad. Of course, that'd be better than all three teams losing, which would send 6-6 UCLA to the conference championship.

The one silver lining on Oregon's 38-35 loss to USC is that it means it all comes down the Civil War. Ducks win, they go to the Pac-12 Championship as the North Division champs and are one win away from the Rose Bowl. Beavers win, and Stanford is in. And the Ducks get the Alamo Bowl.

SEC: Georgia, who, you'll remember, lost to Boise State 35-21, is in as the East Division champs.

#1 LSU still needs to beat Arkansas on Friday to win the West Division. If they lose, they can still get in if Alabama beats Auburn, and the Tide end ahead of Arkansas in the BCS rankings. (Likely, not assured.) If Arkansas beats LSU and Auburn beats Alabama, then Arkansas wins the division. If Arkansas beats LSU and Alabama beats Auburn and LSU falls behind both teams in the BCS rankings, then Alabama wins the division. Basically, if you like Chaos, root for Arkansas. If you like Order, root for LSU.

Big Ten: Michigan State is in, and will play the winner of Wisconsin-Penn State. Wasn't that easy?

ACC: Who cares? Clemson will play the winner of Virginia Tech-Virginia. They beat Virginia Tech 23-3 on October 1st, but haven't played Virginia.

Big 12: If Iowa State beats Oklahoma next weekend, Oklahoma State wins the conference. If Oklahoma wins, then it will be a winner take all between the Sooners and the Cowboys on December 3rd.

Big East: Oh, right. This is still a BCS conference... sigh.....

There are currently five teams with two conference losses in the Big East. Louisville (6-5) currently holds the tie breakers against West Virginia and Rutgers. Pittsburgh (5-5) holds the tiebreaker over Louisville. Cincinnati (7-3) holds tiebreakers over Louisville and Pittsburgh. Rutgers (8-3) holds tie breakers over Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. West Virginia (7-3) holds tie breakers over Rutgers and Cincinnati.

One of these teams will be going to the Orange Bowl.