The first college football ranking related to the final regular season BCS standings was released as the USA Today/Coaches Poll saw only a couple small changes in the top 10 in week 15. The only change rankings sees Oklahoma move into a tie for eighth place after previously being in ninth place. Oklahoma defeated Nebraska in the Big 12 Title Game and gained enough votes to tie No. 8 Arkansas. This could allow them to move past Arkansas in the BCS rankings. Of course, for Oklahoma it doesn't matter because as Big 12 champs, they're locked into their bowl. Arkansas is a potential at-large candidate and any drop would not help their case.
Stanford remained in fifth place, but the good news is that they gained 12 points on Wisconsin. This is significant because the votes gained only improve Stanford's position over Wisconsin. There is pretty much no reason for Wisconsin to leap Stanford, but crazier things have happened. So, getting some additional points in one of the component polls can allow the Cardinal to breathe a bit of a sigh of relief
Full poll is as follows:
- Oregon
- Auburn
- TCU
- Wisconsin
- Stanford
- Ohio State
- Michigan State
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma (tied for eighth)
- Boise State
- Virginia Tech
- LSU
- Oklahoma State
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- Texas A&M
- Alabama
- Utah
- South Carolina
- West Virginia
- Mississippi State
- Florida State
- Central Florida
- Hawaii