Learn how the BCS standings are calculated. At the end of the year, the Bowl Championship Series rankings determine which Division I football teams will play in which bowls. By extension, it determines which teams were the best during the regular season, from 1 to 25.
Ask the Coaches
The first factor is the USA Today Coaches' Poll, which surveys the coaches of Division I teams each week to determine the top 25 teams.
Harris Interactive Coaches Poll
The Harris Interactive Poll started following the year when the Associated Press pulled out of the BCS rankings game. Unlike the more exclusive Coaches' Poll, the membership of the Harris Interactive Poll has been established using methods both rigorous and random. Administrators choose a pool of panelists from among coaches, former players, administrators and media members that represents all 11 conferences. The final members of the poll are then chosen at random. The idea is to mitigate the favoritism that has long been perceived among the coaches chosen by the Coaches' Poll.
Computer Algorithm
How can you call a team great if it's playing a bunch of pushovers? You can't, which is why a team's schedule is taken into consideration to establish rankings. The BCS computer ranking algorithm takes into account statistical anomalies, the win-loss record of opposing teams and home field advantages or disadvantages to present a logically reasoned alternative to the more subjective polling results.
Just Win, Baby
While there are several elements that factor in to ranking teams of the BCS, teams still have to win games, plain and simple. A team that begins the year ranked #1 can lose three games and find themselves much further down the list (perhaps even off it). However, it's very much possible that a Division One team goes undefeated and finishes lower than #1 (Penn State, 1994). This is what has led many fans and media types to question the formula, many calling for a hard-and-fast playoff system.
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