National Championship Race - One Loss Teams

Since a team with at least one loss has won the national title each of the last two seasons, it’s only logical to take a look at the one-loss teams that are still in position to grab a berth in the BCS Championship Game should the teams ahead of them in the poll falter. Here are the six teams I think have the best chance.

OKLAHOMA (6-1)
Remaining Schedule: @Kansas State, Nebraska, @Texas A&M, Texas Tech, @Oklahoma State, Big XII Championship Game
Chance of winning out: 85%
Chance of playing for the national title: 35%
This is probably the best one-loss team in the nation right now. The Sooners have one of the best quarterbacks in the land in Sam Bradford, and the schedule is more than manageable the rest of the way. If Oklahoma wins out, they’ll only need two of the three teams ahead of them in the poll to lose in order to sneak into the national title game.
J.Pike’s Pick: 11-1, BCS Bowl

GEORGIA (6-1)
Remaining Schedule: @LSU, vsFlorida, @Kentucky, @Auburn, Georgia Tech, SEC Championship Game
Chance of winning out: 20%
Chance of playing for the national title: 15%
Speaking of sneaking around, is there a one-loss team getting less attention right now than Georgia? For a preseason #1 ranked team, there isn’t much hype around the Bulldogs. Sure they have suffered a ton of injuries, especially along both lines, but there are still championship caliber pieces in place. The Dawgs had better get used to hotels because their next four games are all on the road. The next two weeks against LSU and Florida in particular will give Mark Richt’s squad a chance to jump right back into the thick of things – don’t be surprised if they make a statement in one or both of those games.
J.Pike’s Pick: 11-2, SEC Champs, BCS Bowl

USC (5-1)
Remaining Schedule: @Arizona, Washington, California, @Stanford, Notre Dame, @UCLA
Chance of winning out: 70%
Chance of playing for the national title: 25%
We all know the drill by now. USC is talented, no doubt. But don’t let the media fool you into thinking these are the best 22 players in the nation - there’s a reason the Trojans have lost two games each of the last two seasons. The players at USC tend to read their press clippings and buy into the hype. That’s why subpar teams like Stanford and Oregon State are able to knock them off. That’s also why I think somebody else (Arizona this weekend?) will knock them off again this year, driving them out of the national title race for good. Until Pete Carroll can lure leaders like Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush to Los Angeles again, USC will be nothing more than an over-talented, underachieving media darling.
J.Pike’s Pick: 10-2, Pac-10 Champs, BCS Bowl

OHIO STATE (7-1)
Remaining Schedule: Penn State, @Northwestern, @Illinois, Michigan
Chance of winning out: 20%
Chance of playing for the national title: 10%
Nobody wants to hear it, but Ohio State is quietly positioning themselves for yet another run at a berth in the BCS National Championship Game. After debacles in that game each of the last two seasons – not to mention a debacle in Southern California earlier this season – nobody wants to see the Buckeyes in a position to get blown out on a national stage again. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor has taken over the offense and is crafting a new identity for Ohio State. Luckily for all of us he doesn’t have any help in the receiving corps, and the defense is too slow footed to beat Penn State, so Ohio State’s string of title game appearances will end this bowl season.
J.Pike’s Pick: 10-2, BCS Bowl

FLORIDA (5-1)
Remaining Schedule: Kentucky, vsGeorgia, @Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Citadel, @Florida State, SEC Championship Game
Chance of winning out: 25%
Chance of playing for the national title: 10%
I keep going back and forth on Florida. One week I’ll think they have enough speed to beat just about anybody, then the next week I’ll realize Urban Meyer’s offense is just smoke and mirrors with no real running game. The Florida/Georgia game will eliminate one of the two from the national title race for good, but the Gators can’t afford to overlook Kentucky, Vanderbilt, or South Carolina or they’ll get upset again.
J.Pike’s Pick: 10-2, no BCS bowl

LSU (5-1)
Remaining Schedule: Georgia, Tulane, Alabama, Troy, Ole Miss, vsArkansas, SEC Championship Game
Chance of winning out: 10%
Chance of playing for the national title: 2%
The defending national champs suffered a seeming knockout blow two weeks ago when they lost 51-21 to Florida. The Tigers need to win this weekend against injury-riddled Georgia to hang on to any hopes of defending their crown. Alabama also comes calling in early November, so the chances going back to back are slim.
J.Pike’s Pick: 10-2, no BCS bowl