Looking at the BCS, it's very possible that the Pac-10 champ could finally play for the national championship under the BCS system. Here's why.
ACC - FSU has to play Florida, and at Miami. Plus they have shown a vulnerability in the conference (2 ACC losses last year, 1 in 98.) I doubt they'll go through the season unscathed.
Big-10 - They always beats up on each other, and this year, no Big-10 team is far enough from the pack to escape unscathed.
Big-12 - Oklahoma looks REAL good. I'm thinking this is 1/2 of the Fiesta Bowl matchup right here. Texas and Colorado might challenge, but Nebraska has to replace Crouch. I think Oklahoma can go undefeated through the Big-12, yet it's going to be very tough.
Big East - Miami will win the Big East, yet they've got FSU in Miami and they go to Gainesville AND Knoxville. I don't see them winning all 3 of those.
SEC - Florida and Tennessee have Miami this year. It's going to be very tough for a SEC team to come out undefeated.
The Pac-10's problem is they always beat up on each other, or lose a non-conference game. The champ just can't come out of the regular season undefeated. The way the other conferences look this year, combined with out of conference schedules for the weaker conference teams (FSU and Miami) means everyone is pretty much looking at a loss. Had Miami lost to Va Tech (it was a CLOSE game) then we'd have seen Oregon - Nebraska in the Rose Bowl last year. Also, with margin of victory removed from computer scores, the Pac-10 teams shouldn't get slighted in the computer rankings for having close games.
I'm not saying a Pac-10 team will make it, I'm saying they have a better chance the way schedules for other conferences are looking this year.
My guess would be Oklahoma and Miami/FSU/Tennessee. However, if those three (and Florida) beat up on each other, the Pac-10 champ will play OU, provided they can get through with only 1 loss.
