Among the many BCS Selection rules regarding at-large selections are these (over simplified)- Team must have won at least nine games, and be ranked in the Top 14.
- Non-BCS Conference Champs with a final BCS standing of 12th or better are automatic qualifiers
- No conference can have more than two teams in the BCS
There are only 10 total BCS bowl slots available, and six of those slots are allocated to BCS conference champs. That leaves four at-large places. However, a non-BCS Conference Champ (like BYU) will likely get one of those slots this year. That only leads three spots for six non-league champs from the SEC and Big 12 to fight over.
But wait...the Big 10 has landed two BCS slots almost year since the BCS was created. With the 5th Game, there is virtually no way that a Big 10 team will be left out.
In other words, six strong SEC and Big 12 teams will be fighting for those final two slots. It's very likely that the #4 and/or #5 teams in the country could be locked out of the BCS this year.
Yet, Stewart Mandel actually asked the question....Is this the year that multiple non-BCS conference teams crash the system? I think the answer to his question is "maybe it will happen, but it probably shouldn't."
I'm not a playoff proponent, but the current system still needs tremendous work.
PWD
