At first glance, it's a no-brainer.
Beat No. 22 Boston College on Friday, and No. 2 Virginia Tech completes a perfect season and secures a national championship date with No. 1 Florida State in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 4.Two teams, ranked 1-2, with perfect records. Who could argue with that?
The Bowl Championship Series, and its weekly standings, that's who.
While the Seminoles (11-0) have clinched a spot in the BCS' designated title game in New Orleans, second-place Virginia Tech (10-0) is locked in a numbers scramble with fast-closing, once-beaten Nebraska to grab the other ticket to the Bayou.
Nebraska (9-1) made a big jump in Monday's BCS standings and closed within 0.63 points of the Hokies. A week ago, the Huskers were 2.4 points behind.
And there's a possibility the Huskers could sneak into second place when the final BCS standings come out Dec. 5. If the Huskers win at Colorado (6-4) on Friday, they play Texas (9-2) in the Big 12 title game Dec. 4.
The BCS standings are based on a formula that considers The Associated Press media poll and the USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll, eight computer rankings, strength of schedule and losses.
Florida State, Virginia Tech and Nebraska are 1-2-3 in both polls.
It won't be easy, but here's what it would take for the Huskers to pass the Hokies.
First, they would have to move ahead in five or six of the seven computer ratings used by the BCS standings. This week, the Huskers are ahead on two computers.
One of the ways to improve the computer rating is margin of victory, meaning teams could benefit by running up the score.
"To have to go into a game thinking you have to beat a team by so many points in order to have your team considered a worthy team, or a great team, or a team that should be in position to play any kind of game ... is tough on all coaches," Nebraska coach Frank Solich said. "It's probably not the way any coach wants to look at approaching the game."
Adds Colorado coach Gary Barnett: "I think if that's the way it is, that's what you have to do to get your team there. Unfortunately, sometimes what we might call ethics gets laid aside in that situation, but I think everyone understands it."
The Huskers also can make up strength-of-schedule ground based on results of their opponents' games. Nebraska could gain if Oklahoma State upsets Oklahoma and Texas beats Texas A&M.
Virginia Tech could actually lose ground thanks to its I-AA opponent James Madison, which qualified for the playoffs. Wins by I-AA teams don't count in strength of schedule, but losses do. Unless James Madison wins its first two playoff games, a loss would drop Tech's schedule strength.
Florida State's schedule is ranked eighth of the 114 I-A schools, with Tech's 66th and Nebraska's 21st.
The Seminoles have 2.32 points -- 1 for poll average, 1 for computer rank average, 0.32 for strength of schedule, and zero for losses.
Virginia Tech has 6.78 points -- 2 for poll average; 2.14 for computer rank average; 2.64 for strength of schedule, and zero for losses.
Nebraska has 7.41 points -- 3 for poll average; 2.57 for computer rank average; 0.84 for strength of schedule, and 1 for losses.
Tennessee is fourth with 13.88 points, followed by Florida, Kansas State, Wisconsin, Alabama, Texas and Michigan.