ESPN.com: NCF - Sooners top BCS now, but it's still wide open

Oklahoma moved into the top spot after a convincing win over Nebraska, while Virginia Tech's last-second field goal was enough to keep them unbeaten and elevate them into second. That much was predictable.

The surprise was Florida State's big jump from 2.38 points behind Miami to its current standing 2.44 points ahead of the Hurricanes. The Seminoles now occupy the third spot, and Miami fell very slightly behind No.4 Nebraska, which maintained heavy respect in most computers despite a 17-point loss. Florida sits comfortably in sixth place following Clemson's loss.

So, although the order has changed, the top six teams remain the same from last week. As of now, it does not appear that any team outside of these six has a good chance at playing for the national title.

BCS RANKINGS

Team Points

Oklahoma 2.48

Va. Tech 7.15

Florida St. 7.93

Nebraska 10.18

Miami 10.37

Florida 11.35

Three questions inspired by these rankings:

If the top three teams all win out, could the Seminoles jump the Hokies for second place?

Under this scenario, Florida State would not jump Virginia Tech in the polls, but the Seminoles would close the gap to just one point. Add to this the one-point differential between the two teams in the loss column, and FSU is left to make up two points between the computers and schedule strength.

These teams are just two spots apart in schedule rank (.08 points) and have very similar combined records for their remaining opponents. If anything, FSU should hold a slight lead in this category when December arrives.

So, it basically comes down to whether FSU could have a computer average that is almost two points better than Tech's at the end of the season. The Seminoles are currently 2.14 points ahead in that area, but losses by Miami (ahead of the Hokies in three computers) and Florida (ahead of Tech in five computers) would help the Hokies cut into that. The edge is to Virginia Tech, but likely, this race would be decided by margin of victory in November. Coaches like to say "a win is a win," but to a computer, that is not always true.

If Oklahoma, FSU and Miami win out, could the Seminoles finish ahead of the Hurricanes despite having lost to them?

Miami would likely remain one spot ahead of FSU in the polls, and both teams would have one loss. Final schedule strength should be very tight between these teams, so the spot in the FedEx Orange Bowl would be decided by the computers. The Seminoles are currently 3.28 points ahead of the Hurricanes in this category and would need to finish at least one point better. A quick look suggests FSU would probably end up with an average around 2.0, while Miami would be close to 3.0. A single computer could make the difference in this case, and the current concerns for the Canes are the Scripps-Howard and Seattle Times ratings. If Miami stays behind Washington and Oregon in both of these, it could mean trouble in the end.

If Nebraska wins out, can the Huskers get into the national title game?

A Virginia Tech loss opens the door for Nebraska and gives the Huskers a good chance to play for it all...if they can stay ahead of Miami. Once again, schedule strength would be fairly even between these teams and losses would be even. But, at this point, it is impossible to predict what might happen in the polls and computers if Nebraska was to beat No.1 Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game. Would they jump FSU? Miami? Both? It's too early to speculate on this; just know that Nebraska is still alive.

But, unless you are a fan of one of these schools, the best advice is not to worry about how things look right now. Wait until the smoke has cleared from this weekend's games and take another look on Nov. 6. There is a lot of football left to be played.

SOS alert
Because all of the top eight teams have a schedule ranked in the top 20, no contender stands to gain any significant ground in Strength of Schedule, which basically renders this element insignificant in projecting the final outcome of the BCS Rankings. Granted, a few tenths or even hundredths of a point could make all the difference in the end, but it is not worth focusing on at this point.

Attention troublemakers
To those who are cheering for chaos -- hoping the final BCS Rankings will be unjust to a major power and, therefore, expediate playoff discussions -- just remember that there will not be real controversy unless the polls disagree with the selected national championship participants. As long as the polls agree with the BCS, things are no different than they would have been under previous systems. In 1998, Ohio State could have made a strong argument that it was the better team, but because FSU was ranked No. 2 in both polls, few cries were made outside The Buckeye State.

Notre Dame
Though the dream nearly ended at the hands of Air Force on Saturday, Notre Dame is still alive in its quest to play in the Bowl Championship Series. But keep in mind, the Irish may need more than just a 9-2 record. They must finish in the top six of the rankings to be automatically included, and a top 12 final ranking is necessary to be eligible for selection. Currently sitting at 14th, the Irish appear to be in good shape for the eligibility requirement.

TCU
Things looked bleak for the Horned Frogs at No. 13 in last week's rankings, but a few well-placed losses have propelled them to No. 9 and brightened the skies over Fort Worth. Like Notre Dame, TCU must finish in the top six to be guaranteed a spot in a BCS Bowl. And if they get there, no team will be happier for them than Notre Dame. A special provision in the BCS guidelines states that the Irish, with nine wins, are automatically included in a BCS game if a non-BCS conference champion or another independent is ranked in the top six. This scenario would leave no at-large spots available for other teams.

There are varying opinions on the strength of this TCU team, and the BCS computers are among those with a difference of opinion. The Horned Frogs range from No. 2 in David Rothman's rankings to No. 36 in the New York Times ratings.

Brad Edwards is a college football researcher for ESPN and one of the few people who actually understands the BCS. Edwards will provide a weekly analysis of the BCS rankings.

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