Oregon vs. Kansas for the National Title? Don’t Laugh

How about a BCS championship game on January 7 featuring Oregon and Kansas? Don’t laugh; it could happen even though neither team was ranked in the top 25 in the preseason polls. More amazingly, Kansas, known more for its basketball success than for football, never got a single vote in either of the preseason polls.

Of course, both teams have to care of business and then get a little help as well. Oregon will be favored in their final three games (on the road against Arizona and UCLA and at home against Oregon State). Likewise, Kansas will be the favorite in its final three regular season games (at Oklahoma State and then at home against Iowa State and Missouri). However, the Jayhawks would then likely have to face Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game.

Assuming both teams are successful, they would then probably need to have both Ohio State and LSU lose (although it’s possible that an undefeated Kansas team could leapfrog over LSU, a team that has one loss this season). Ohio State has two tough games remaining, a home game against Illinois and a road game against big rival Michigan. LSU finishes the regular season with home games against Louisiana Tech and Arkansas and a road game against Mississippi. While the Tigers are not in much danger of losing any of those games, they would then have to face the East division winner (likely Tennessee, Georgia, or Florida) in the Southeastern Conference championship in Atlanta.