Remaining Unbeatens

Let's take a look at the 13 unbeaten teams left in college football, and their remaining schedules. Funny enough, Boise State, Nevada, and TCU check in with the lowest remaining schedule strength. Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, and Oregon have the toughest road left.

So what does this mean for the national championship race? Well first of all, it tells me that Boise State and TCU are both guaranteed to be shut out if there are 2 BCS undefeated teams left. No question. Sorry guys. Even the LSUs of the world (who cleverly schedule McNeese State and Louisiana-Monroe into the 2nd half of their schedule when there is less movement at the top of the polls) are still playing significantly harder schedules.

At most, we can have 7 undefeated teams by the end of the year. This doomsday scenario for the BCS would unfold as follows:
Big 10: #1 Ohio State and #11 Michigan State both run the table (thanks to the Big 10's unbalanced schedule and the conference's desire to fit in one extra home game against a MAC bottom-feeder, these two will not play this year)
Pac 10: #2 Oregon runs the table
WAC: The winner of Boise State - Nevada runs the table
Big 12: Only one of the four current unbeatens could conceivably remain, most likely the winner of a Nebraska-Oklahoma conference championship game
MWC: The winner of TCU - Utah runs the table
SEC: The winner of Auburn - LSU runs the table

If this were to all happen, the national title game would be Ohio State vs. Oregon. But a lot could happen to mess up the picture. Oregon and Ohio State each have a couple loseable games left. Auburn and LSU still both have to play Alabama, and even if one of them reaches the SEC Championship game they will have to beat South Carolina.

My current predictions, given everything above and below:
-Ohio State loses either @ Wisconsin on 10/16 or @ Iowa on 11/20
-Michigan State loses @ Iowa on 10/30
-Missouri loses its next 3 games: @ Texas A&M on 10/16, vs. Oklahoma on 10/23, @ Nebraska on 10/30
-Oklahoma loses to Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship
-Oklahoma State loses vs. Nebraska on 10/23, @ Texas on 11/13, and vs. Oklahoma on 11/27
-LSU loses @ Auburn on 10/23 and vs. Alabama on 11/6
-Auburn loses @ Alabama 11/26
-Nevada loses vs. Boise State on 11/26
-TCU loses @ Utah on 11/6 (yes, I may be crazy)

Undefeated teams: Oregon, Nebraska, Boise State, and Utah
National Championship: Oregon vs. Nebraska

1 Boise State
101 San Jose State 1-5
95 Louisiana Tech 2-4
36 Hawaii 4-2
57 Idaho 3-2
75 Fresno State 3-2
16 Nevada 6-0
96 Utah State 2-4
Average Rank: 68
Total Record: 21-19

2 LSU
(121) McNeese State 2-3 (Division I-AA)
7 Auburn 6-0
9 Alabama 5-1
92 Louisiana-Monroe 2-3
70 Mississippi 3-2
24 Arkansas 4-1
Average Rank: 54
Total Record: 22-10

3 TCU
81 BYU 2-4
23 Air Force 5-1
97 UNLV 1-5
8 Utah 5-0
47 San Diego State 3-2
119 New Mexico 0-6
Average Rank: 63
Total Record: 16-18

4 Oklahoma
64 Iowa State 3-3
12 Missouri 5-0
41 Colorado 3-2
48 Texas A&M 3-2
45 Texas Tech 3-2
40 Baylor 4-2
11 Oklahoma State 5-0
Average Rank: 37
Total Record: 26-11

5 Ohio State
31 Wisconsin 5-1
68 Purdue 3-2
102 Minnesota 1-5
72 Penn State 3-3
20 Iowa 4-1
25 Michigan 5-1
Average Rank: 53
Total Record: 21-13

6 Nebraska
38 Texas 3-2
11 Oklahoma State 5-0
12 Missouri 5-0
64 Iowa State 3-3
93 Kansas 2-3
48 Texas A&M 3-2
41 Colorado 3-2
Average Rank: 44
Total Record: 24-12

7 Auburn
24 Arkansas 4-1
2 LSU 6-0
70 Mississippi 3-2
(121) Chattanooga 3-2 (Division I-AA)
61 Georgia 2-4
9 Alabama 5-1
Average Rank: 48
Total Record: 23-10

8 Utah
83 Wyoming 2-4
100 Colorado State 1-5
23 Air Force 5-1
3 TCU 6-0
37 Notre Dame 3-3
47 San Diego State 3-2
81 BYU 2-4
Average Rank: 54
Total Record: 22-19

10 Oregon
58 UCLA 3-3
30 USC 4-2
71 Washington 2-3
28 California 3-2
18 Arizona 4-1
21 Oregon State 3-2
Average Rank: 38
Total Record: 19-13

11 Oklahoma State
45 Texas Tech 3-2
6 Nebraska 5-0
34 Kansas State 4-1
40 Baylor 4-2
38 Texas 3-2
93 Kansas 2-3
4 Oklahoma 5-0
Average Rank: 37
Total Record: 26-10

12 Missouri
48 Texas A&M 3-2
4 Oklahoma 5-0
6 Nebraska 5-0
45 Texas Tech 3-2
34 Kansas State 4-1
64 Iowa State 3-3
93 Kansas 2-3
Average Rank: 42
Total Record: 25-11

15 Michigan State
32 Illinois 3-2
44 Northwestern 5-1
20 Iowa 4-1
102 Minnesota 1-5
68 Purdue 3-2
72 Penn State 3-3
Average Rank: 56
Total Record: 19-14

16 Nevada
36 Hawaii 4-2
96 Utah State 2-4
57 Idaho 3-2
75 Fresno State 3-2
115 New Mexico State 1-4
1 Boise State 5-0
95 Louisiana Tech 2-4
Average Rank: 68
Total Record: 20-18