The first BCS rankings of the 2011 college football season were released Sunday October 16 and the Stanford Cardinal appear at the number eight position in week eight. The Cardinal debuted at No. 13 in 2010 and finished the season at No. 4 after their Orange Bowl romp over the Virginia Tech Hokies.
The biggest "surprise" if you will is the Oklahoma State Cowboys climbing up to number four in these inaugural rankings. This high ranking comes due to the Cowboys relatively strong computer rankings. The Cardinal on the other hand took a bit of a hit due to the computers not loving their early schedule. This is not at all surprising given the level of competition for Stanford thus far. The good news is their strength of schedule improves from here on out with teams like Oregon and Washington on the schedule.
As we head into week eight of the 2011 college football season, there is some room for upsets and maneuvering at the top of the rankings. Stanford hosts a tough Washington team, Wisconsin travels to a solid Michigan State and LSU hosts Auburn. The top teams will be favored, but upsets could happen. It should be a fun time next weekend.
| 1 | LSU | |
| 2 | Alabama | |
| 3 | Oklahoma | |
| 4 | Oklahoma State | |
| 5 | Boise State | |
| 6 | Wisconsin | |
| 7 | Clemson | |
| 8 | Stanford | |
| 9 | Arkansas | |
| 10 | Oregon | |
| 11 | Kansas State | |
| 12 | Virginia Tech | |
| 13 | Nebraska | |
| 14 | South Carolina | |
| 15 | West Virginia | |
| 16 | Michigan State | |
| 17 | Texas A&M | |
| 18 | Michigan | |
| 19 | Houston | |
| 20 | Auburn | |
| 21 | Penn State | |
| 22 | Georgia Tech | |
| 23 | Illinois | |
| 24 | Texas | |
| 25 | Washington |