In my previous fan post, I explained (perhaps a little more complexly than was actually needed in hindsight) how the Broncos can still get a BCS bowl. 

Now, I'm going to post a similar explanation with rankings to show where we stand in the BCS mix and why we're still in very good shape.

Basically, we have to root for a Houston loss. Ideally it should be at the hands of Tulsa but ANY loss by Houston is ALL we need to get into a BCS bowl game. 

BCS Rankings:

1. LSU (10-0)

Projected Bowl: BCS title game

2. Oklahoma State (10-0)

Projected Bowl: BCS title game

3. Alabama (9-1)

Projected Bowl: Sugar Bowl

4. Oregon (9-1)

Projected Bowl: Rose Bowl

5. Oklahoma (8-1)

Projected Bowl: Fiesta Bowl (as Big 12 #2)

6. Arkansas (9-1) (exceeds SEC 2-team limit)

Projected Bowl: Non-BCS bowl

7. Clemson (9-1) 

Projected Bowl: Orange Bowl

8. Virginia Tech (9-1)

Projected Bowl: Non-BCS bowl

9. Stanford (9-1)

Projected Bowl: Sugar Bowl (as Pac-12 #2)

10. Boise State (8-1)

Projected Bowl: Non-BCS Bowl

11. Houston (10-0)

Projected Bowl: Fiesta Bowl (as non-AQ Auto bid)

12. South Carolina (8-2)

Projected bowl: non-BCS bowl

13. Kansas State  (8-2) (exceeds Big 12 2-team limit)

Projected Bowl: Non-BCS bowl

14. Georgia (8-2) (exceeds SEC 2-team limit)

Projected Bowl: Non-BCS bowl

15. Michigan State (8-2)

Projected Bowl: Rose Bowl (Big Ten champion)

16. Nebraska (8-2) (outside top 14)

Projected Bowl: Non-BCS bowl

17. Wisconsin (8-2) (outside top 16; exceeds Big Ten 2-team limit)

Projected Bowl: Non-BCS bowl

18. Michigan (8-2) (outside top 16; exceeds Big Ten 2-team limit)

Projected Bowl: Non-BCS bowl

19. TCU (8-2) (non-AQ conference winner but outside top 18)

Projected Bowl: Non-BCS bowl

20. Southern Miss (9-1) (non-AQ outside top 18)

Projected Bowl: Non-BCS bowl

21. Penn State (8-2) (outside top 20; exceeds Big Ten 2-team limit)

Projected Bowl: Non-BCS bowl

22. Baylor (6-3) (outside top 20; exceeds Big 12 2-team limit)

Projected Bowl: Non-BCS bowl

23. Texas (6-3) (outside top 22; exceeds Big 12 2-team limit)

Projected Bowl: Non-BCS bowl

24. Auburn (6-4) (outside top 22; exceeds SEC 2-team limit)

Projected Bowl: Non-BCS bowl

25. Florida State (7-3) (outside top 24; exceeds ACC 2-team limit)

Projected Bowl: Non-BCS bowl

UR Cincinnati: 

Projected Bowl: Orange Bowl (as Big East winner)

So currently the BCS bowls look like this:

BCS Title game: #1 LSU vs. #2 Oklahoma State

Sugar Bowl: #3 Alabama vs. #9 Stanford

Rose Bowl: #4 Oregon vs. #15 Michigan State

Orange Bowl: #7 Clemson or #8 Virginia Tech vs. UR Cincinnati

Since Virginia Tech and Clemson play each other in the ACC championship, one of them is guaranteed to lose and fall behind Boise State. 

The only thing at this point keeping us from a BCS bowl is... Houston! Houston secures a spot in a BCS bowl (presumably in the Fiesta Bowl) if they win out (and consequently win their conference). If they lose even a single game, not only do they fall further down the rankings behind Boise, but they also will have no chance at winning their conference. 

Houston's remaining games: Nov. 19 vs. SMU (6-4, 4-2 C-USA) and Nov. 25 @Tulsa (7-3, 6-0 C-USA). Since Tulsa is undefeated in C-USA, it only takes one loss from Houston to be out of the C-USA championship and their BCS bowl hopes dashed and restored to Boise State. 

You can take that to the bank...