An Anti-Climactic End, Perhaps?

Call it a hunch. But the 2007 season, one spectacularly long on upsets and short on dominant teams, might end with sort of a whimper. Maybe everything will fall in place according to form on Saturday and thus giving us one hell of a boring bowl season.

If West Virginia defeats Pittsburgh, as widely expected, then there won't be much drama as to the BCS bowl lineup. The Mountaineers will play either Missouri or Ohio State, with Georgia, Kansas, USC, Arizona State, Hawai'i and champions of the SEC and ACC expected to earn BCS bowl bids.

A few wild cards are still out there: What if both Missouri and West Virginia lose? What if UCLA beats USC and wins the Pac-10? What if Hawai'i loses to Washington? A total of 16 teams are still in contention to earn one of the 10 BCS bowl bids. Some control their own destiny, some are only at the mercy of the bowl committees.

Here's the outlook for these 16 teams (The Rooting Guide):

1. Missouri (11-1)
Remaining game: Dec. 1 vs. Oklahoma (Big XII championship game)
National title scenario: Missouri is headed to the BCS title game with a win.
BCS bowl scenario: It's an all-or-nothing deal. A loss will drop the Tigers to perhaps a Cotton Bowl berth.

2. West Virginia (10-1)
Remaining game: Dec. 1 vs. Pittsburgh
National title scenario: West Virginia is headed to the BCS title game with a win.
BCS bowl scenario: Already clinched Big East title; a loss will drop the Mountaineers to either the Fiesta Bowl or Orange Bowl.

3. Ohio State (11-1)
Remaining game: Regular season complete
National title scenario: Ohio State is a loss by either Missouri or West Virginia away from a second consecutive BCS title game appearance, and third overall.
BCS bowl scenario: Ohio State has already a Rose Bowl berth in hand.

4. Georgia (10-2)
Remaining game: Regular season complete
National title scenario: It's a long, long shot. The Dawgs need both Missouri and West Virginia to lose and hope neither Virginia Tech nor LSU jumps them. There will be huge shifts in the polls to prevent UGA from being ranked higher than an SEC-winning LSU.
BCS bowl scenario: Georgia has a lock on a BCS berth, by virtue of being in the No. 4 spot. Most likely it'll be the Orange Bowl, but the Rose Bowl is not out of the question.

5. Kansas (11-1)
Remaining game: Regular season complete
National title scenario: An even-longer shot than Georgia, just about no shot at all.
BCS bowl scenario: Kansas is headed to the desert for the Fiesta Bowl against Arizona State or maybe even the Rose Bowl.

6. Virginia Tech (10-2)
Remaining game: Dec. 1 vs. Boston College (ACC championship game)
National title scenario: Slim. VaTech needs Missouri and West Virginia to lose and then hope it can jump Georgia and Kansas and not get jumped by LSU.
BCS bowl prospect: A victory clinches an Orange Bowl berth. A loss most likely will knock the Hokies out of BCS bowl contention.

7. LSU (10-2)
Remaining game: Dec. 1 vs. Tennessee (SEC championship game)
National title scenario: Very slim, but still there. If Missouri and West Virginia both lose, LSU has the best chance of moving up to No. 2 and earn a date with Ohio State.
BCS bowl scenario: A win guarantees a Sugar Bowl berth. A loss will drop the Tigers out of a BCS bowl altogether.

8. USC (9-2)
Remaining game: Dec. 1 vs. UCLA
BCS bowl scenario: A victory means a lot for the Trojans -- sweet revenge; a fourth Rose Bowl appearance in five years; sixth-straight BCS bowl appearance, a record; and an opportunity to finish in the Top 4 in the sixth straight year, another record. A loss might mean a trip to El Paso.

9. Oklahoma (10-2)
Remaining game: Dec. 1 vs. Missouri (Big XII championship game)
BCS bowl scenario: Win, it's back to the Fiesta Bowl, opposing either Kansas or Arizona State. A loss means perhaps a Cotton Bowl berth.

11. Boston College (10-2)
Remaining game: Dec. 1 vs. Virginia Tech (ACC championship game)
BCS bowl scenario: A victory over the Hokies will give the Eagles an Orange Bowl berth.

12. Hawai'i (11-0)
Remaining game: Dec. 1 vs. Washington
BCS bowl scenario: In all likelihood, a win will get the Warriors a trip to the Sugar Bowl. To prevent any possible backroom dealing, a Boston College loss to Virginia Tech will help things greatly.

13. Arizona State (9-2)
Remaining game: Dec. 1 vs. Arizona
BCS bowl scenario: The Sun Devils will earn a Rose Bowl berth with a win and a USC loss. If the Trojans win, ASU probably will still get a Fiesta Bowl berth with a victory over the Wildcats. One potential scenario that might spoil it for the Sun Devils: Should the Rose Bowl choose Illinois, the Fiesta Bowl might opt for Kansas vs. Oklahoma if the Sooners win the Big XII title, thus shutting out hometown team ASU.

14. Tennessee (9-3)
Remaining game: Dec. 1 vs. LSU (SEC championship game)
BCS bowl scenario: A victory will get the Volunteers a Sugar Bowl berth, an unlikely outcome after their bad start in the regular season.

15. Illinois (9-3)
Remaining game: Regular season complete
BCS bowl scenario: The Illini-to-Rose-Bowl talk is dying a quick death in light of Fiesta Bowl's intention to take Kansas, even in the event of Oklahoma beating Missouri for the Big XII title. The Rose Bowl would like to preempt that by taking the only other 1-loss team available if it loses Ohio State to the BCS title game. The Illini most likely are headed to the CapitalOne Bowl.

19. BYU (9-2)
Remaining game: Dec. 1 at San Diego State
BCS bowl scenario: The Cougars are only still in this thing because of the possibility of UCLA winning the Pac-10. BYU would need the Bruins to upset USC, Arizona to upset Arizona State and Hawai'i to lose to Washington -- and rise to at least No. 16 in the BCS standings. Well, it's just not gonna happen.

42. UCLA (6-5)
Remaining game: Dec. 1 at USC
BCS bowl scenario: Believe it or not, the Bruins don't need that much help to make it to the Rose Bowl. A win over USC, coupled with an Arizona win at Arizona State, gives UCLA the Pac-10 title -- via the tiebreaker in a four-way tie with USC, ASU and the Oregon-Oregon State winner. Of course, a loss might keep the Bruins home for the holidays -- and that's probably where they will be.