Clemson Fifth in New BCS Standings

Oct. 23, 2011

CLEMSON, SC – Clemson moved up two spots to number-five in the BCS rankings released on Sunday, October 23, 2011. It is Clemson’s highest BCS ranking in history. The previous best was number seven last week and on October 23, 2000. This is just the third week that Clemson has had a top 10 ranking in the BCS.

In breaking down the BCS rankings, Clemson is sixth in the USA Today Coaches poll, sixth in the Harris poll and fourth in the average of the computer rankings. Clemson trails only Oklahoma State (first), Alabama (second) and LSU (third) in the computer rankings.

LSU is first in the BCS rankings overall with a narrow lead over number-two Alabama. Those two teams meet each other on November 5. Both teams have two weeks to prepare for that game. Oklahoma State, with a 7-0 record, is ranked third in the BCS, while Boise State is fourth.

The Tigers are followed by Stanford, Oregon, Kansas State, Oklahoma and Arkansas in this week’s BCS standings.

Clemson enters this weekend’s game at Georgia Tech (8:00 PM on ABC TV) with an 8-0 record and a number-six ranking in Associated Press and USA Today. It is Clemson’s first 8-0 start since 2000 and just the fourth time in history Clemson has started a season 8-0 (1948, 1981, 2000). In 2000, Georgia Tech ended the start with a 31-28 victory at Clemson. The Tigers were ranked fifth by AP and fourth by USA Today entering that game.

A Clemson victory on Saturday would make the Tigers 9-0 for the first time since he 1981 season when the Tigers went on to finish 12-0 and National Champions.

Clemson’s number-six ranking in the AP poll is the highest for the program since October 22, 2000, one day and 11 years ago today. Clemson was ranked fifth by AP and fourth by USA Today with that 8-0 mark during that 2000 season.

It is interesting to note that Clemson Athletic Director Terry Don Phillips has a direct link to coaches at three of the top five schools in the BCS rankings this week. Phillips, then the athletic director at Oklahoma State, brought current LSU Coach Les Miles into college coaching in 2001 as the head coach of the Cowboys. He also strongly suggested that Mike Gundy, be hired as Miles’s offensive coordinator.

In 2005 when Miles left for LSU, Gundy became the head coach at Oklahoma State. He now has the Cowboys ranked third in the BCS.