The difference between No. 2 and No. 3 in the final BCS standings
By now, we all know that the gap between Alabama and OSU–a measly 0.0086 points–is the smallest ever between the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the final Bowl Championship standings.
I thought it might be interesting to list out how the No. 2 and No. 3 teams finished in every final BCS poll since college football started using the system in 1998. I went by year, then from smallest gap to largest gap. Take note of the different way of calculating a team’s BCS ranking from 1998 to 2003.
Chronological order
1998
Florida State: 4.91
Kansas State: 9.96
Difference: 5.05
1999
Virginia Tech: 6.12
Nebraska: 7.42
Difference: 1.3
2000
Florida State: 5.37
Miami: 5.69
Difference: 0.32
2001
Nebraska: 7.23
Colorado: 7.28
Difference: 0.05
2002
Ohio State: 3.97
Georgia: 8.37
Difference: 4.4
2003
LSU: 5.99
USC: 6.15
Difference: 0.16
2004
Oklahoma: 0.9681
Auburn: 0.9331
Difference: 0.0350
2005
Texas: 0.9732
Penn State: 0.9187
Difference: 0.0545
2006
Florida: 0.9445
Michigan: 0.9344
Difference: 0.0101
2007
LSU: 0.9394
Virginia Tech: 0.8703
Difference: 0.0691
2008
Florida: 0.9479
Texas: 0.9298
Difference: 0.0181
2009
Texas: 0.9433
Cincinnati: 0.8878
Difference: 0.0555
2010
Oregon: 0.9720
TCU: 0.9102
Difference: 0.0618
2011
Alabama: 0.9419
OSU: 0.9333
Difference: 0.0086
Smallest gap to largest gap
2011
Alabama: 0.9419
OSU: 0.9333
Difference: 0.0086
2006
Florida: 0.9445
Michigan: 0.9344
Difference: 0.0101
2008
Florida: 0.9479
Texas: 0.9298
Difference: 0.0181
2004
Oklahoma: 0.9681
Auburn: 0.9331
Difference: 0.0350
2001
Nebraska: 7.23
Colorado: 7.28
Difference: 0.0500
2005
Texas: 0.9732
Penn State: 0.9187
Difference: 0.0545
2009
Texas: 0.9433
Cincinnati: 0.8878
Difference: 0.0555
2010
Oregon: 0.9720
TCU: 0.9102
Difference: 0.0618
2007
LSU: 0.9394
Virginia Tech: 0.8703
Difference: 0.0691
(Here’s where we switch to the old method of calculating. Shows you how tight that 2001 finish really was)
2003
LSU: 5.99
USC: 6.15
Difference: 0.16
2000
Florida State: 5.37
Miami: 5.69
Difference: 0.32
1999
Virginia Tech: 6.12
Nebraska: 7.42
Difference: 1.3
2002
Ohio State: 3.97
Georgia: 8.37
Difference: 4.4
1998
Florida State: 4.91
Kansas State: 9.96
Difference: 5.05
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