The latest BCS rankings are far from shocking at the top end of the latest list with LSU and Alabama the obvious top two teams in the country, but as far as the Big Ten is concerned, the newest rankings are far from pleasing.
The highest rated Big Ten team after a great weekend of football is the Michigan State Spartans who beat previously undefeated Wisconsin. Mark D'Antoni's crew comes in at just 11th, and is quite a few points behind the "big boys" like Oklahoma State, Stanford, Oregon, and even Clemson or Boise State.
The Big Ten--understandably and not surprisingly--is not receiving much credit at all. Wisconsin was ranked sixth last week and fell all the way down to 15th after getting beat by a hail mary on the road against one of the best defensive teams in the country.
You be the judge.
At least the BCS is being favorable to one little guy in the Boise State Broncos, who come in this week at fourth. Boise State likely will run the table, and it's going to be impossible for both LSU and Alabama to finish the season undefeated since they play each other on November 5th. Depending on what happens in that game as well as the SEC championship game, I could easily see BSU climbing those rankings in the next couple of weeks, and possibly clinging to one of the top two spots.
There is a lot that has to unfold between now and the end of the season, namely conference championship games. I think the Big Ten will earn some more respect in the BCS with a championship game, and then obviously Oklahoma will have a chance at redemption (they fell to 9th) in the Big 12 championship.
I think it's almost a given that whoever wins the SEC will have a spot locked up in the national championship game unless it's a true dark-horse or a two-loss team. At this point, that team could be Arkansas or South Carolina.
One thing is for sure--nobody is going to agree with these rankings when all is said and done and there will never really be any true consensus.
So, for the avid college football fan, you always have to approach this time of year thinking, "If life gives me lemons, I may as well make some lemonade."