: (AP)
BOUND TO LOSE: Kansas State, led by quarterback Collin Klein,will fall out of the BCS picture this weekend by losing at high-scoring Baylor, Lenn Robbins says. (AP)
If this isn’t shaking out as one of the most baffling seasons in college football, consider this: Kansas State is in line to go to the BCS National Championship game.
Wait, it gets better. Baylor stands in the way.
Baylor.
All of you who predicted this before the start of the season, please raise your lying hand. Here is our fearless prediction for which teams get to Miami Gardens for the BCS title game:
Alabama’s utterly stunning home loss to Texas A&M on Saturday almost guaranteed K-State, the first FBS program to lose 500 games, a spot in the championship game.
Baylor, which scores points like radio stations will play Christmas songs the next two months, is a viable threat to the Wildcats. The Bears can’t stop a tyke on a Radio Flyer, but they can get K-State into a scorefest.
If the Wildcats win Saturday at Baylor, they have two weeks to prepare for their final game of the season against Texas. The Big 12 this season does not have a league title game.
The SEC does have a title game, which is equally good news for Alabama. Despite the 29-24 loss to the Aggies, if the Tide beats Western Carolina and Auburn — both home games — and beats Georgia in the SEC title game, it could get to the BCS title game.
“In this particular scenario it does help Alabama and Kansas State that their leagues are constructed as they are,’’ said BCS guru Jerry Palm.
“The league gets to decide how to choose their champion. Nobody stuck a gun to the SEC’s head and said, ‘You have to play a championship game.’ ’’
Two of the remaining undefeated teams — Oregon, K-State, Notre Dame — would have to lose. How likely is that?
“I wouldn’t bet against it,’’ said Palm. “Historically we don’t often wind up with more than one undefeated team. But I wouldn’t bet on it either.’’
The Irish have the second easiest road. They have a home game against Wake Forest and then face what will be the most hyped game of the season at Southern Cal on Nov. 24.
This has been a great season for the Irish, but they will not beat the Men of Troy in Los Angeles. Their secondary can’t defend wide receivers Marqise Lee and Robert Woods.
Oregon, the best remaining undefeated team, has the hardest road to Miami Gardens. The Ducks face a physical challenge this week against Stanford.
Then comes the Civil War at Oregon State, the most intense rivalry we on the East Coast know little about. And then the Ducks could face the difficult task of having to beat an opponent twice in one season. That opponent would be USC — suddenly the joker in the BCS picture.
So what are we looking at here: We think an Oregon-Alabama matchup is the most likely scenario.
Baylor will upend K-State. USC will add to the best non-conference rivalry in college football by burning the Irish. Lee, our Heisman candidate, will win himself a trip to New York.
And after Oregon beats Alabama for the national title, Chip Kelly will leave the Ducks for an NFL job.