The BCS rankings are bound to shift after this weekend’s battle between 15th-ranked Arizona and 13th-ranked Stanford. The winner of this game will be positioning themselves well for a BCS bowl.
Arizona’s schedule is like a play with three acts. The first act involved easy wins over Toledo and The Citadel, a huge victory against Iowa, and a squeaker over the California Golden Bears.
After a bye week, the Wildcats lost their first game of the season to Oregon State before reeling off three straight victories against Washington State, Washington, and UCLA.
And so begins the final countdown. Will Arizona be able to run through the gauntlet of Stanford, USC, Oregon, and Arizona State? Road games against the Cardinal and the Ducks will not ease this schedule in any way.
Going into 2010, the Wildcats knew that this schedule was back-heavy, and they went forward and did what they needed to do against the weaker portion of their schedule. Their only misstep, at home against the Beavers, was a mere two-point loss.
I’ve been saying this for a few weeks now, but it bears mention: if the Wildcats can win out, they will be very strong candidates to make the BCS Championship. Their record and schedule will be that impressive. The first step comes this Saturday in Palo Alto.