Another team flies by Ducks in BCS standings

• Oregon remains stuck in fourth as Notre Dame moves up
• Ducks are ranked No. 2 in the USA TODAY Sports coaches poll
• Alabama stays at No. 1 in poll, BCS standings

Another week, another Oregon blowout, another team passing the Ducks in the Bowl Championship Series standings.

Though the field of unbeatens narrowed considerably Saturday, it didn't provide much help for Oregon, which remained stuck in fourth despite a 70-14 victory against Colorado. The Ducks, who have been ranked No. 2 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll for six consecutive weeks, now might officially have a Notre Dame problem.

The Irish's 30-13 win at Oklahoma vaulted them to third in the BCS standings, just behind Alabama and Kansas State. Though some projections have Oregon eventually rising to the second spot, including Jerry Palm of CBS Sports, Notre Dame's stronger overall schedule and the continued weakness of the Pac-12 could tilt voters and computers toward the Irish should all of those teams finish the season undefeated.

It could also mean the last month of the season turns into a race for style points.

"The reality of it is, it's clear you want to win your games and win them in convincing fashion," Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said on his Sunday teleconference, a few hours before the BCS standings were released. "But there's nothing we will do practically that will emphasize that in any way, so it's really a moot point."

Though there are plenty of opportunities for the remaining unbeatens to stumble — none bigger than this weekend, when No. 1 Alabama travels to No. 5 LSU and Oregon plays at No. 17 Southern Cal — this is beginning to look a little bit like 2004. That year, three major conference champions finished undefeated with USC and Oklahoma getting matched in the title game and Auburn getting left out.

Oklahoma edged out Auburn for the second slot based largely on strength of schedule, as Auburn was penalized for filling its nonconference slate with Louisiana-Monroe, The Citadel and Louisiana Tech.

A similar situation could be a concern for the Ducks, despite outscoring their opponents by an average of 34 points thus far. If Notre Dame and Oregon ran the table, they'd each own a win at USC and a home victory against Stanford. But the Irish's overall slate of wins, combined with Oregon scheduling Arkansas State, Fresno State and Tennessee Tech as its non-conference opponents, could make for an interesting argument on the first Sunday in December.

Though Oregon is a clear No. 2 in the human polls, its composite ranking in the computer polls used in the BCS formula is just fifth.

Oregon's strength of schedule should improve with upcoming games against USC, Stanford and Oregon State, but the struggling teams in the Pac-12 (Washington State, Colorado and California are a combined 6-19), and both USC and Oregon State falling out of the national championship conversation this past weekend could cost the Ducks in the long run.