sports

The national championship race is down to a half-dozen contenders.

With two weeks left in the regular season, Louisiana State, Kansas, Missouri, West Virginia, Ohio State and Arizona State are the only teams left with aspirations to play in the BCS title game Jan. 7 in New Orleans.

Let's handicap the field:

LSU

Games remaining: vs. Arkansas, Friday; SEC title game against Tennessee or Georgia, Dec. 1 in Atlanta.

The Tigers are first in the BCS standings and control their own destiny. Most of the college football world seems content with that.

LSU is the most talented team in the country, has a chance to win the toughest conference and no other team has a more impressive nonconference victory than the Tigers' 48-7 demolition of Virginia Tech in the second week of the season.

Since that Virginia Tech game, the Tigers have also had more narrow escapes than any other contender and there's no reason to believe they couldn't get picked off by Darren McFadden this week or in the Georgia Dome, especially if they're facing Georgia in its back yard.

Chance to reach title game: 4.5 on a scale of 1-5, with five being a lock.

Kansas

Games remaining: vs. Missouri, Saturday in Kansas City; possible Big 12 title game against Oklahoma or Texas on Dec. 1 in San Antonio.

The undefeated Jayhawks, second in the standings, also have only themselves to worry about. No unbeaten team from a BCS automatic qualifying conference has ever been left out of the title game in favor of a one-loss team.

The bad news for the Jayhawks: No team has a tougher road left. Kansas' opponents to date have a 47-75 record, by far the worst of the six contenders. Because of that, one loss will eliminate the Jayhawks.

Chance to reach title game: 3.5.

Missouri

Games remaining: vs. Kansas, Saturday; possible Big 12 title game against Oklahoma or Texas on Dec. 1.

If LSU and/or Kansas slip up in the next two weeks, the BCS picture gets murky.

The Tigers are fourth in the BCS standings and could get caught from behind even if they win out. Kansas has doubters, and beating the Jayhawks might get downplayed by voters. Oklahoma's loss to Texas Tech on Saturday means at best a two-loss team awaits the Big 12 North winner in the league championship.