So far, the TCU Horned Frogs, Oregon Ducks and the Stanford Cardinal are the teams that we know who are heading to a BCS bowl game with the fourth looking like it will be the Wisconsin Badgers who will come out the three-way tie from the Big 10. The Big 10 selection will not be announced -- or known -- until the final BCS standings are released Dec 5th. For those unaware of the BCS rules and curious how Stanford can already lock up a BCS bid, well there is a BCS rule that gives non-conference champions from a BCS league an automatic bid if they are ranked third or fourth.
BCS Title Game (BCS No.1 vs. BCS No. 2)
Oregon Ducks vs. Auburn Tigers
All these two have to do is win and they are in the title game. Oregon travels to rival Oregon State in the Civil War. Oregon State will be battling to become bowl eligible. Auburn takes on South Carolina in the SEC title game next weekend in Atlanta.
If either of the two lose TCU will be next in line for the BCS title game, but if both lose that is when things get interesting. Stanford is fourth and could move up to the two spot and making the title game TCU vs. Stanford. However, Auburn could still hang onto the number two spot by losing to a much better South Carolina team while Oregon would have lost to an unranked Oregon State team.
Rose Bowl (Pac-10 vs. Big 10)
TCU Horned Frogs vs. Wisconsin Badgers
TCU's seasons is over and are assured at worst a spot in the Rose Bowl due to the rule that stats that the first time a non-AQ team gets a BCS bid and either the Big 10 or Pac-10 champ is in the title game then the Rose Bowl must take the non-AQ team. With the Big 10 season over, all signs point to Wisconsin. Now, this could change if Oregon loses next week and then the matchup would be the Oregon Ducks against Wisconsin and that would move TCU into the BCS title game.
Sugar Bowl (SEC vs. at-large)
Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
The Sugar Bowl gets to pick first since they are expected to lose Auburn to the BCS title game, plus they get the first overall pick after replacement teams are chosen. LSU could be chosen over Arkansas even though the Razorbacks just defeated LSU, but the Sugar Bowl is in the backyard of LSU in New Orleans. Bowl games do not have to pick the better team they can pick whoever is eligible and who will sell the most tickets which is why Ohio State will be in New Orleans.
An Alternate Sugar Bowl could be South Carolina against Ohio State if the Gamecocks are able to upset Auburn in the SEC title game.
Orange Bowl (ACC vs. at-large)
Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Stanford Cardinal
The Hokies make it to this game by winning the ACC title game against Florida State this weekend. While Stanford is in the fourth spot in the BCS and is guaranteed a BCS bowl for being ranked fourth. Now, the alternate game could be vastly different. The obvious choice is first to have Florida State replace Virginia Tech if they beat them in the ACC title game. Then if Oregon and Auburn both lose this upcoming week then if is possible for Stanford to be in the BCS title game and then this at-large spot could go to Auburn. However, Auburn losing to a highly ranked South Carolina team could still keep Auburn in the BCS title game and thus keeping Stanford in this spot.
Fiesta Bowl (Big XII vs. at-large)
Oklahoma Sooners vs. Connecticut Huskies
The winner of next weeks Big XII title game featuring Oklahoma and Nebraska will be in this game and get to face an unranked Big East team. Connecticut can win the Big East if they beat South Florida which would give them an overall record of 8-4, but if Connecticut loses and West Virginia beats Rutgers then the Big East sends West Virginia to the Fiesta Bowl with a respectable record of 9-3.
So, even though there are only a handful of games left next weekend there is still a lot that could happen in terms of what team goes where in the BCS.