Bowl Projections for BCS to Get Clearer

The bowl projections are eight days away from being proven right or wrong. Yet the bowl projections for the BCS have stayed the same for a while now. For weeks, Oregon and Auburn have been
placed into the national title game, while the other BCS matchups have been forming below them. However, with several one-loss teams, it seemed that one or two would be on the outside looking in. But with Boise State's defeat, the latest BCS bowl projections are a little bit different now.

The Oregon-Auburn BCS title game is still on, and will be made official if they win one more time. However, the other BCS games also have to be formed, with berths for the Fiesta, Orange, Sugar and Rose Bowls still on the line.

The bowl projections are simple in some cases, as the Rose Bowl seems set to match the Big Ten champion against a mid-major. Yet now that Boise State has lost, the road is clear for TCU to make it to Pasadena, if they can't reach the national championship. Meanwhile, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan State are fighting for their own Rose Bowl berth today.

Now that Boise State won't make the BCS, a one loss team that wouldn't have made the cut could now get in. At this point, the big winner appears to be Stanford, which feared they would be reduced to the Alamo or Holiday bowl. But if they finish an 11-1 regular season against Oregon State, they would make the Fiesta Bowl, according to CBS Sports.

CBS's BCS bowl projections have Stanford facing the Big 12 winner in the Fiesta, which would either be Nebraska, Oklahoma State or Oklahoma. The Cowboys and Sooners will have an elimination game tonight, for the right to face Nebraska in the Big 12 final.

Over in the Sugar, CBS projects that the winner of the LSU-Arkansas game today will get a trip to New Orleans. Meanwhile, Ohio State is expected to be there as well, if they win today and do not win the Big Ten. This would leave Michigan State as the odd Big Ten team out, even if they finish 11-1. Of course, if Ohio State loses to Michigan, all of this is thrown in question.