Time for this week’s edition of the BCS Watch.  Clemson is No. 14 in the latest BCS standings that came out Sunday night and the BCS watch continues.  Each week TheClemsonInsider.com will take a look at the battle for the Bowl Championship Series.

Believe it or not, but even though the Tigers lost to South Carolina Saturday night there is still a path for the Tigers to the Sugar Bowl.  Also it is possible the loss to South Carolina could actually help the Tigers make the BCS.

With only one week until the final BCS standings the BCS bowl picture is close to final.

BCS Championship Game

Notre Dame will face the winner of the SEC Championship Game.

Rose Bowl

With Stanford’s victory over UCLA Oregon will now become at at-large BCS team.  The winner of the PAC 12 Championship game between Standord and UCLA will play the winner of the Big Ten Championship.

Fiesta Bowl

Oregon will now be headed to the Fiesta Bowl as an at-large team.  They will face either Kansas State or Oklahoma.  Kansas State needs to defeat Texas next weekend to secure the Big 12 championship and head to the Fiesta Bowl.

If Kansas State was to lose to Texas they would take the final at-large BCS spot unless Kent State becomes eligible.

Orange Bowl

The winner of this week’s ACC Championship Game will likely face the winner of the Big East Championship game in the Orange Bowl.  If Kent State makes the BCS then they would likely end up in the Orange Bowl and the Big East winner would go to the Sugar Bowl.

Sugar Bowl

11-1 Florida is predicted to play in the Sugar Bowl.  The big question is who will they play.

First we must discuss Kent State.  Kent State currently is ranked No. 17 in the BCS standings.  If they move up into the top 16 in the BCS in next week’s final standings they will become and automatic qualifier.  In a weird twist Clemson’s loss to South Carolina could actually help the Tigers make the BCS.  Had Clemson defeated South Carolina they would have likely slipped in the BCS standings enough to allow Kent State to be in the top 16 heading into the final week.

Kent State battles 11-1 Northern Illinois Friday night for the Mid Atlantic Championship.  Northern Illinois is No. 21 in the BCS so if they win they would not move up into the top 16.  Clemson fans should be pulling for Nothern Illinois Friday night.  Even if Kent State wins they might not jump over No. 16 UCLA in the BCS standing.  If UCLA wins the PAC 12 Championship  over Stanford that would make it very difficult for Kent State to jump into the Top 16 in the BCS standings.

If Kent State is not an automatic qualifier then the Sugar Bowl will pick between Clemson and Oklahoma.  Both teams are in the top 14 in the BCS.  Oklahoma has to travel to TCU Saturday.  If Oklahoma loses to TCU they would likely fall past No. 14 in the BCS and become ineligible for the BCS.  In that case Clemson would head to the Sugar Bowl unless Kent State is an automatic qualifier.

Summary of Clemson’s Path to the Sugar

So just so summarize Clemson will play in the Sugar Bowl if:

1 – Kansas State defeats Texas

2 – TCU defeats Oklahoma

3 – Kent State doesn’t make the top 16 and becomes an automatic qualifier.

Go to this link to see the BCS selection procedures.

TCI breaks down the BCS contenders and long shots from each conference:

SEC

Serious Contenders

Alabama 11-1 (SEC Championship Game)

Florida 11-1

Texas A&M 10-2

LSU 10-2

Georgia 11-1 (SEC Championship Game)

Big 12

Serious Contenders

Kansas State 10-1 (Dec. 1 hosts Texas)

Oklahoma 9-2 (Dec. 1 at TCU)

Texas 8-3 (Dec. 1 at Kansas State)

Pac-12

Serious Contenders

Oregon 11-1

Stanford 10-2 (PAC 12 Championship)

UCLA 9-3 (PAC 12 Championship)

Independents

Serious Contenders

Notre Dame 12-0

Big Ten

No Serious Contenders for at-large bids.

Non AQ School

Kent State (11-1)