Projected BCS Championship Game: Ohio State Vs. USC

Even with more than a month remaining in the regular season, it's not too early to predict the college football national championship game.

After gazing into our crystal ball, we project that Ohio State and USC will clash for the title January 8 in Glendale, Arizona.

No one could reasonaby argue that top-ranked Ohio State (8-0) isn't the best team in the country. Led by the tandem of quarterback Troy Smith and wide receiver Ted Ginn. Jr, the Buckeyes feature a potent offense and stingy defense. Ohio State was expected to score a lot of points but its defense has been better than anticipated since the Buckeyes lost nine members of last year's unit.

With a favorable schedule (a home game against Minnesota and road contests at Illinois and Northwestern), it's hard to imagine Ohio State losing before its season-ending showdown against Michigan. The Wolverines have moved up to second in the Associated Press writers' poll and also have passed USC for second in the weekly BCS rankings. The Trojans dropped a spot to third.

After beating Iowa on October 21, Michigan (8-0) also has an easy schedule (home against Northwestern and at Ball State and Indiana) leading into the Ohio State showdown on November 18. If Ohio State and Michigan remain unbeaten, their game essentially shapes up as a semifinal with the winner advancing to the national championship game.

Michigan established itself as a force after dismantling Notre Dame, 47-21, in South Bend on September 16 and may very well be the second-best team in the country. But we're going with the Buckeyes for two reasons: the game is in Columbus and Ohio State coach Jim Tressel knows how to beat Michigan, unlike his predecessor, John Cooper. Tressel is 4-1 against the Wolverines.

USC's chances of getting to the championship game are a little more iffy. The Trojans (6-0) haven't been nearly as impressive as in recent years and already have survived a number of close calls, but they keep winning. USC's faces a daunting schedule to close the season with three straight games against ranked opponents - Oregon, California and Notre Dame. However, all three games are at home, where the Trojans have won 30 straight games.

If USC gets to the title contest, the Trojans would be playing in the national championship game for the third straight year. Last season, USC was bidding to become the first team in NCAA history to either win or share three straight national championships. However, those hopes were dashed in an epic game against Vince Young and Texas in the Rose Bowl. A matchup between USC and Ohio State or Michigan would be a traditionalist's dream because it would be reminiscient of the pre-BCS days when the winner of the Pac-10 and Big Ten met annually in the Rose Bowl. Or course, they would be playing in Arizona rather than Pasadena.

If USC losses a game, it opens the door for the Louisville-West Virginia winner to sneak into the championship contest. They are the other two unbeaten teams with title aspirations. The Cardinals (eighth in the BCS standings) and Mountaineers (fourth) meet Nov. 2 at Louisville and the winner could run the table, although the Big East Conference is improved and both could get tested against resurgent Pittsburgh and Rutgers.

The issue for Louisville (7-0) and West Virginia (7-0) is their strength of schedule. Could a one-loss team, especially from the brutally competitive Southeastern Conference where it's almost impossible to go undefeated, be ranked ahead of an unbeaten Louisville or West Virginia? Auburn (7-1) , Florida (6-1) and Texas (7-1) are the one-loss teams who remain in the mix. Auburn (fifth in the BCS) is ranked just behind West Virginia and Florida (sixth) is two spots in front of Louisville. Texas is seventh in the BCS.

Assuming one spot in the title contest goes to the Ohio State-Michigan winner, USC becomes the wild card. If the Trojans run the table, the BCS lucks out again with a definitive national championship game for the second straight year (USC and Texas were the only unbeaten teams in Division I-A when they met last year).

If the Trojans lose, however, a mad scramble will ensue for that second spot. That is what we're hoping for because it's more fun that way. Cut and dried is boring. Now if Ohio State AND Michigan somehow lose before their little get-together, there really would be chaos. One can only dream.

Of course, like a lot of college football fans, we think there should be a playoff to decide the national championship, but that's another story.