LSU takes over top spot in BCS standings

NEW YORK - With three weeks left to decide which teams will play for the national title, it's Oregon against the Big 12 in a BCS battle. LSU moved into the first place in the Bowl Championship Series standings Sunday and the Ducks jumped into second place, a day after Ohio State was upset by Illinois.

The Tigers appear to have their destiny in their own hands. With three games remaining, including the Southeastern Conference championship game on Dec. 1, LSU will likely reach the BCS title game in New Orleans by winning out.

The Ducks have three games left but they'll have to watch their backs with three Big 12 teams looming, led by third-place Kansas.

Oregon is past the toughest part of its schedule. The Ducks play at Arizona on Thursday night, have a road game against UCLA on Nov. 24 and finish the season against rival Oregon State at home on Dec. 1.

None of those teams is ranked, so if the Ducks struggle to a victory it could open up an opportunity for Kansas. Or fourth-place Oklahoma. Or fifth-place Missouri.

If either of those three can win out, they could overtake Oregon, especially the perfect Jayhawks (10-0).

LSU is No. 1 in both the Harris and coaches' polls and top-rated by the computers. The Tigers have a BCS average of .980.

Oregon is No. 2 in the polls, but third in the computer ratings, giving the Ducks a BCS average of .938.

Kansas is ranked fourth in both polls, but second in the computer ratings and has a BCS average of .909. Oklahoma, third in the polls and seventh in the computers, is at .854. Missouri is sixth in the polls and fifth in computers for a .810 average.

The top-five teams in the AP poll were LSU, Oregon, Oklahoma, Kansas and West Virginia.

Kansas has a home game against Iowa State on Saturday, but finishes with it's toughest game of the season. The Jayhawks play Missouri at Kansas City on Nov. 24. Win that one and Kansas goes to the Big 12 championship game, where the most likely opponent will be Oklahoma.

Those games could give the Jayhawks the boost they need in the polls to overtake the Ducks, regardless of how Oregon finishes.

West Virginia (.786), Ohio State (.774), Arizona State (.750), Georgia (.672), and Virginia Tech round out the top 10.

Hawaii, the only other unbeaten team in major college football, remained 16th and still needs to move up four places by the time the final standings come out on Dec. 2 to earn an automatic BCS berth out of the Western Athletic Conference.

The Warriors (9-0) have games left at Nevada and at home against Boise State and Washington.

Boise State was in 18th-place, giving the Broncos a shot at getting to a big-dollar BCS bowl for the second straight season.