The 2014 BCS Championship game will be played on January 6, 2014 at the Rose Bowl. Each Thursday, we’ll predict which teams are most likely to make the BCS Championship game, based on what we learned during the previous week.
Two weeks of college football are in the books, and it's shaping up to be a wild year.
None of the major contenders have slipped up yet, so there are still plenty of teams dreaming of a national title. One of last week's contenders slipped out of our top two, but through no fault of their own - one of the other contenders put together a bigger win over a better opponent.
Last week's matchup prediction:
BCS Championship Game Prediction headed into week 3:
Why Alabama?
'Bama had the weekend off, giving them plenty of practice hours for Nick Saban to tighten up the offense. The Crimson Tide looked sloppy in their season opener against Virginia Tech, and while 35-10 is a great day at the office for most teams, more is expected out of Saban's boys.
This weekend, the Tide take on Johnny Football and the Texas A&M Aggies, the team responsible for their only loss since November 2011. The #6 team in the nation, the Aggies will provide a true test for this Alabama team on both sides of the ball. We'll have Alabama in our national championship projection until they pick up a loss, and if the offense stutters in College Station, that could happen sooner rather than later. If they make it through the weekend unscathed, they won't have another serious test until LSU comes to town in early November.
Best chance for a loss: This Saturday @ Texas A&M
Why Oregon?
Rolling over Nicholls State in their opener proved absolutely nothing, but what Oregon did in week two showed the country that the Ducks are a genuine national title contender. Virginia isn't an elite football power, but they're an established Division 1 program that took out the same BYU team in Week 1 that walked all over Texas in Week 2. The game, on the road in Charlottesville, was a complete evisceration.
On national television, the Ducks crushed Virginia 59-10. They scored six rushing touchdowns, put up 557 yards of offense, and forced four turnovers in a merciless beatdown. This week, the Ducks will take on an even better opponent - they'll welcome a 2-0 Tennessee team to Autzen Stadium, and if the result is another blowout (and Alabama loses or looks unconvincing against A&M), the Ducks could very well be the #1 team in the country when the dust settles.
Best chance for a loss: November 7th @ Stanford
Next best teams:
3. Clemson
4. Stanford
5. Ohio State
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