Wes Glinsmann

Second-ranked Alabama avenged its only loss of the season in a big way, shutting out #1 LSU, 21-0, in the Allstate BCS Championship Game Monday night. Alabama’s defense, which came into the game ranked first nationally in virtually every major category, showed just why it deserves to be national champions, holding the Tigers to just 92 total yards and five first downs while pitching the first shut

ALLSTATE BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: #1 Louisiana State (13-0) vs. #2 Alabama (11-1)

Clemson led West Virginia 17-14 after the first quarter of the Orange Bowl. But from that point on, it was all Mountaineers as West Virginia shattered record after record on their way to a 70-26 victory.

For the second time in as many nights, a missed field goal in overtime proved to be the deciding factor in a BCS bowl game. Michigan edged Virginia Tech, 23-20, after Hokies kicker Justin Myer missed a 37-yard field goal in the first overtime, allowing Michigan to kick a field goal of its own for the win moments later.

Streeter Lecka, Getty Images DISCOVER ORANGE BOWL: #23 West Virginia (9-3) vs. #15 Clemson (10-3) West Virginia closed the season on a three-game winning streak to win the Big East championship. While this may or may not be the Mountaineers’ final year in the Big East (depending on the outcome of two pending lawsuits), West Virginia is more than happy to represent the conference one last time in t

The Rose Bowl between #5 Oregon and #10 Wisconsin was expected to be a shootout, and the two teams lived up to the hype in the highest scoring Rose Bowl in history. Oregon running back De’Anthony Thomas had just two carries, but made them count on touchdown runs of 91 and 64 yards and the Ducks scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to secure a 45-38 victory.

While most of the BCS drama focused on the final poll and whether Alabama or Oklahoma State should face LSU in the championship game, the Sugar Bowl was not without its own share of controversy.

Although a late-season loss at Iowa State and a handful of poll votes kept Oklahoma State out of the national championship game, the Cowboys can still make their case for national respect, playing on the biggest stage in school history.

Oregon is no stranger to the BCS, having been to the Rose Bowl and the BCS National Championship in each of the last two years. But the Ducks lost both of those two games and are seeking their first BCS win since the 2002 Fiesta Bowl (38-16 over Colorado).

Bowl season is hitting its high point with the biggest games of the year coming up in the next week. While much of the focus is understandably on the BCS games and the national championship, there are a lot of other good games coming up for your viewing pleasure in the next few days. We’ll have previews of the BCS games coming up shortly. But in the meantime, here is what to watch for in all the r