The BCS bowl games are where it’s at, though. They provide us with matchups between the premier teams in college football, which make for some exciting football. All of the games have their own storylines and intriguing factors, but here is how I ranked this year’s five BCS bowl matchups.

5. Discover Orange Bowl
No. 15 Clemson vs. No. 23 West Virginia
Jan. 4, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

This game may not be as close as some people expect.  First of all, West Virginia’s schedule was relatively easy and they still managed to lose three games and eek out wins in their last three games of the regular season. Clemson struggled over the last month of the regular season as well, but finished the season strong after crushing Virginia Tech 38-10 in the ACC championship game.   Both quarterbacks, Geno Smith and Tajh Boyd, had tremendous seasons, combining for 7,556 yards and 56 touchdowns.  So if you’re looking for offense, look no further than the Orange Bowl.  I give Clemson the edge in this one, though, judging from who they’ve beaten this season, most notably Virginia Tech by 20 points or more twice.

4. Allstate Sugar Bowl
No. 11 Virginia Tech vs. No. 13 Michigan
Jan. 3, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

The Hokies didn’t finish the season the way they would’ve liked after getting spanked by Clemson, but that doesn’t mean this can’t be one of the top games of the bowl season.  Michigan’s Denard Robinson is one the most exciting players to watch in college football and should provide us with plenty of entertainment.  Virginia Tech doesn’t lack much in the exciting player department either, especially with their dual-threat quarterback, Logan Thomas, who combined for over 3.200 total yards and 29 touchdowns as well as running back, David Wilson, who rushed for 1,627 yards and nine touchdowns.  If the Hokies can contain Robinson, they should run away with this one.

3. The Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO
No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 10 Wisconsin
Jan. 2, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)

This game features the last two Rose Bowl losers, each of which are trying to avenge those defeats and put themselves into the win column.  Wisconsin lost 21-19 to TCU in last year’s contest and Oregon fell to Ohio State, 26-17 in 2010.  This matchup also features two of the nation’s top running backs in LaMichael James and Montee Ball.  This game should be played at an excellent pace and will certainly not lack in the scoring department.  But I think Oregon will dictate the pace of this one, which will be too much for Wisconsin to handle.

2. Allstate BCS National Championship Game
No. 1 LSU vs. No. 2 Alabama
Jan. 9, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

I know this is supposed to be the No. 1 game on the list with it being the national championship and all, but I always have a problem seeing a rematch in the same season.  Let’s face it, this game was a bit boring last time around.  There were zero touchdowns, five field goals, four missed field goals and a goal-line interception.  I enjoy defensive battles from time to time, but not in the national championship game.  Needless to say, I don’t think it will be another 9-6 game, but I don’t see there being many points scored either.  Both defenses are formidable, so the keys to this game will be the same as the last time they met – which offense will make more mistakes and which special teams unit will come up with the big play.  I’ll take LSU.

1. Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
No. 3 Oklahoma State vs. No. 4 Stanford
Jan. 2, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

This game features two of the nation’s best quarterbacks – Oklahoma States’ Brandon Weeden and Stanford’s Andrew Luck.  It also features two high-flying offenses – Oklahoma State at 49.3 points per game (2nd in nation) and Stanford at 43.9 (6th in nation).  The Cowboys were a 37-31 double overtime loss to Iowa State away from reaching the national championship, so you know they will be ready to go in this one.  Stanford’s lone defeat was a 53-30 beatdown at the hands of Oregon.  There will be no shortage of big scoring plays in this one, which should make for the most exciting game of the bowl season.  That being said, I see Oklahoma State being too much for Luck and his boys.

Scott, who was named the 2010 Most Valuable Oriole after batting .284 with 27 home runs and 72 RBI, was a popular player in the clubhouse as well as with fans. The “Luuuuuuke” chant was a regular occurrence when Scott stepped in the batter’s box at Camden Yards. His popularity had some to do with his friendly personality toward the media and fans, but the tears he would go on throughout the course of the season were a part of it as well. Scott went through stretches as an Oriole when it just seemed like nobody could get him out. Conversely, he also went on some tough stretches where he couldn’t buy a hit, too.

Scott was definitely one of a kind, both on and off the field. And just as popular as he was with fans, who actually gave him a standing ovation on his 33rd birthday this past June, he was not as popular with Obama supporters when he implied the current president wasn’t born in the United States. He was never afraid to express his views on touchy subjects, whether it was politics or religion, or get on people who didn’t share the same beliefs as him.

On the field, Scott was a valuable addition to the O’s when he came here in December 2007. He was acquired by the O’s in a deal that sent then-Oriole Miguel Tejada to the Houston Astros for five players, one of which was Scott. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 2001, but didn’t hit the big leagues until 2005, when he played in 34 games with the Astros. Since then, he has averaged in the mid-20′s in homers and around 70 RBI per season.

Scott’s locker room presence and play on the field will be missed, but the O’s needed to make a decision and I think they made the right one in this situation. The risk wasn’t worth the reward when it came to keeping Scott around considering the money he was due to make.  But hopefully the O’s and Scott can work out a deal for a lesser salary so he can come back and play for the O’s next season.

Submitted by Steve Giles

Baltimore Sports Report Ballot – Week 15

Rank	Team	Delta
1	LSU Tigers	–
2	Alabama Crimson Tide	–
3	Oklahoma St. Cowboys	–
4	Stanford Cardinal	1
5	Oregon Ducks	3
6	Arkansas Razorbacks	1
7	Boise St. Broncos	2
8	Wisconsin Badgers	6
9	South Carolina Gamecocks	6
10	Virginia Tech Hokies	-6
11	Kansas St. Wildcats	6
12	Baylor Bears	6
13	Michigan Wolverines	3
14	Oklahoma Sooners	-2
15	Clemson Tigers	6
16	Georgia Bulldogs	-5
17	Michigan St. Spartans	-4
18	TCU Horned Frogs	1
19	Nebraska Cornhuskers	1
20	Southern Miss. Golden Eagles	5
21	Houston Cougars	-15
22	Penn St. Nittany Lions	–
23	West Virginia Mountaineers	1
24	Florida St. Seminoles	–
25	Texas Longhorns	-2
Dropouts: USC Trojans

SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings »

Submitted by Steve Giles

Submitted by Steve Giles

Baltimore Sports Report Ballot – Week 12

Rank	Team	Delta
1	LSU Tigers	–
2	Oklahoma St. Cowboys	–
3	Alabama Crimson Tide	1
4	Oregon Ducks	3
5	Oklahoma Sooners	1
6	Arkansas Razorbacks	3
7	Clemson Tigers	1
8	Virginia Tech Hokies	2
9	Stanford Cardinal	-6
10	Boise St. Broncos	-5
11	Houston Cougars	–
12	Georgia Bulldogs	1
13	Kansas St. Wildcats	-1
14	South Carolina Gamecocks	2
15	Michigan St. Spartans	–
16	Wisconsin Badgers	1
17	Nebraska Cornhuskers	3
18	TCU Horned Frogs	–
19	Michigan Wolverines	3
20	Southern Miss. Golden Eagles	5
21	Penn St. Nittany Lions	-7
22	Notre Dame Fighting Irish	–
23	Auburn Tigers	–
24	Texas Longhorns	-5
25	Baylor Bears	–
Dropouts: USC Trojans, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Cincinnati Bearcats

SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings »

Submitted by Steve Giles

Baltimore Sports Report Ballot – Week 11

Rank	Team	Delta
1	LSU Tigers	–
2	Oklahoma St. Cowboys	1
3	Stanford Cardinal	1
4	Alabama Crimson Tide	-2
5	Boise St. Broncos	–
6	Oklahoma Sooners	–
7	Oregon Ducks	–
8	Clemson Tigers	1
9	Arkansas Razorbacks	-1
10	Virginia Tech Hokies	1
11	Houston Cougars	1
12	Kansas St. Wildcats	1
13	Georgia Bulldogs	4
14	Penn St. Nittany Lions	4
15	Michigan St. Spartans	-1
16	South Carolina Gamecocks	-6
17	Wisconsin Badgers	-1
18	USC Trojans	2
19	Texas Longhorns	2
20	Nebraska Cornhuskers	–
21	Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets	3
22	Michigan Wolverines	-7
23	Auburn Tigers	-1
24	Cincinnati Bearcats	1
25	Southern Miss. Golden Eagles	–
Dropouts: Arizona St. Sun Devils, West Virginia Mountaineers

SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings »

Submitted by Steve Giles

Baltimore Sports Report Ballot – Week 10

Rank	Team	Delta
1	LSU Tigers	–
2	Alabama Crimson Tide	–
3	Oklahoma St. Cowboys	–
4	Stanford Cardinal	–
5	Boise St. Broncos	–
6	Oklahoma Sooners	3
7	Oregon Ducks	–
8	Arkansas Razorbacks	5
9	Clemson Tigers	-3
10	South Carolina Gamecocks	5
11	Virginia Tech Hokies	–
12	Houston Cougars	4
13	Kansas St. Wildcats	-5
14	Michigan St. Spartans	-4
15	Michigan Wolverines	3
16	Wisconsin Badgers	-4
17	Georgia Bulldogs	4
18	Penn St. Nittany Lions	–
19	Arizona St. Sun Devils	1
20	USC Trojans	–
21	Texas Longhorns	1
22	Auburn Tigers	1
23	West Virginia Mountaineers	2
24	Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets	–
25	Cincinnati Bearcats	-1
Dropouts: Nebraska Cornhuskers, Texas A&M Aggies, Texas Tech Red Raiders

SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings »

Submitted by Steve Giles

Baltimore Sports Report Ballot – Week 9

Rank	Team	Delta
1	LSU Tigers	–
2	Alabama Crimson Tide	–
3	Oklahoma St. Cowboys	2
4	Stanford Cardinal	3
5	Boise St. Broncos	1
6	Clemson Tigers	3
7	Oregon Ducks	1
8	Kansas St. Wildcats	3
9	Oklahoma Sooners	-6
10	Michigan St. Spartans	6
11	Virginia Tech Hokies	3
12	Wisconsin Badgers	-8
13	Arkansas Razorbacks	-3
14	Nebraska Cornhuskers	-1
15	South Carolina Gamecocks	3
16	Houston Cougars	4
17	Texas A&M Aggies	-2
18	Michigan Wolverines	1
19	Texas Tech Red Raiders	–
20	Arizona St. Sun Devils	3
21	Georgia Bulldogs	–
22	Texas Longhorns	–
23	Auburn Tigers	-6
24	Cincinnati Bearcats	–
25	West Virginia Mountaineers	-13
Dropouts: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Penn St. Nittany Lions, Washington Huskies, Illinois Fighting Illini

SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings »

Submitted by Steve Giles

Baltimore Sports Report Ballot – Week 8

Rank	Team	Delta
1	LSU Tigers	–
2	Alabama Crimson Tide	–
3	Oklahoma Sooners	–
4	Wisconsin Badgers	–
5	Oklahoma St. Cowboys	–
6	Boise St. Broncos	–
7	Stanford Cardinal	–
8	Oregon Ducks	1
9	Clemson Tigers	-1
10	Arkansas Razorbacks	–
11	Kansas St. Wildcats	5
12	West Virginia Mountaineers	2
13	Nebraska Cornhuskers	-1
14	Virginia Tech Hokies	4
15	Texas A&M Aggies	8
16	Michigan St. Spartans	9
17	Auburn Tigers	5
18	South Carolina Gamecocks	-1
19	Michigan Wolverines	-8
20	Houston Cougars	4
21	Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets	-8
22	Penn St. Nittany Lions	–
23	Arizona St. Sun Devils	-8
24	Washington Huskies	–
25	Illinois Fighting Illini	-6
Dropouts: Baylor Bears, Texas Longhorns

SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings »

Wisconsin needs help in BCS standings

The Badgers are off to a 6-0 start this season and have absolutely dominated their opponents in the process.  But the BCS computer polls aren’t showing them as much love as they would like.  Their average rating in six computer polls was 11th, and they were even ranked as low as No. 17 in Kenneth Massey’s ratings.  The reasoning for such a low ranking is simple, though.  The Badgers’ non-conference schedule hasn’t been as tough as the teams ahead of them.  They have only played one ranked team thus far, which resulted in a 48-17 home win against then-No. 8 Nebraska.  But their three nonconference FBS opponents, UNLV, Oregon State and Northern Illinois, have a combined record of 6-13.  The Badgers can’t help that their schedule hasn’t been very tough.  So their only hope at this point is to win out convincingly and hope a couple of the teams ahead of them lose.

The Badgers travel to Spartan Stadium this Saturday to face a Michigan State team who just got done handing in-state rival Michigan their first loss of the season in what will be their toughest test to date.  If they are able to get out of there with a win, which I think they will, they will surely help their case in the BCS standings.  The Badgers have a few more games left that will impact where they end up in the BCS rankings as well, including games at No. 25 Illinois and at home against Penn State, who are currently 5-1.  They will also face a ranked opponent if they are able to get to the Big Ten championship game, which would help their case as well.

Marcus Lattimore’s injury all but ends South Carolina’s hopes for big season

Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier said it best when he described the injury suffered by his superstar running back Marcus Lattimore, “Our worst fears were realized.”  Well, Spurrier was exactly right.  Lattimore was the focal point of South Carolina’s offense and had already rushed for 818 yards and ten touchdowns before going down with a knee injury.  He led the SEC in rushing for most of this season and was all but a lock for being voted an All-American.  Lattimore’s injury comes at the worst possible time for the Gamecocks, too.  Quarterback Stephen Garcia was dismissed last week after what his father said was a positive test for alcohol.  Garcia was struggling on the field as well, which put a lot more pressure on Lattimore to carry more of the offensive load.

Now, the Gamecocks must rely heavily on their star receiver, Alshon Jefferey, for the offensive production.  Jeffery will be catching passes from sophomore, Connor Shaw, who led his team to a 14-12 comeback win against Mississippi State with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Jeffery with just under four minutes to go.  Freshman Brandon Wilds will start in place of Lattimore, at least for South Carolina’s next game, an Oct. 29 meeting at Tennessee.  Wilds began the season as the fourth running back on the depth chart, but quickly moved up to No. 1 after injuries to Kenny Miles, Erin Baker and most recently, Lattimore.  It will be interesting to see how Spurrier’s team deals with not having possibly the best running back in the nation for the remainder of the season.