ATLANTA – When the final BCS standings are unveiled Sunday, Auburn shouldn't be ranked No. 2 behind Florida State.

The Tigers should be No. 1.

This isn't just because it won the Southeastern Conference championship on Saturday by running away from a spirited Missouri team, 59-42. That's part of it – the victory represents their second over a team ranked in the top five of the BCS standings. It means nothing more than that however.

This is an argument for résumé, an argument for logic and critical thinking, an argument here in the final year of the BCS to step out of last century and embrace reality. This certainly isn't about putting the SEC on a pedestal because winning the SEC isn't enough to assume the top spot in the rankings and a spot in the BCS title game.

Yes, the league has won seven consecutive BCS national championships but decisions on who should play for it this year should be based solely on this year and this year alone. Besides, leagues are too big, with too disparate of schedules for a championship to mean what it once did. No one just automatically gets put into the title game of a system that requires the selection of two of 125 teams.

Missouri, due to playing a weaker schedule despite being in the same league, wouldn't have had the same argument for the top spot had it prevailed in the shootout here Saturday. Mizzou wouldn't have had enough quality victories.

[Watch: Missouri's first touchdown against Auburn shouldn't have counted]

Auburn is No. 1 because it has the best body of work of any team in the country – the most high-level wins, the strongest of schedules among the contenders, the most tangible evidence of both their accomplishment and ability.

If you think they'd lose to Florida State or Baylor or Ohio State or even Alabama in a rematch, this isn't an argument to change that opinion. No one knows those answers. That is strictly a personal opinion.

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That shouldn't be how title game teams are selected. The decision on who is No. 1 at this point of the season should be based on whatever data is available – not simply the "eye test." And there isn't a question that Auburn has all the data in its favor.

It ends the season with four victories over the current BCS Top 25. Florida State only has two of those. Additionally, Auburn will have two wins over the top five (Missouri and No. 4 Alabama). FSU will have zero.

Auburn's strength of schedule in the Sagarin rankings will wind up around 20, perhaps 40 spots ahead of FSU, who should finish in the 60s. The Tigers' opponents are a combined .568. The teams the Seminoles (.488) don't measure up.

Auburn does, of course, have a loss – which FSU does not. The Seminoles are undefeated. It's an accomplishment and something that should be considered. Yes, winning matters. However, that shouldn't automatically be enough to be placed ahead of all one-loss teams.

Indeed, as college football moves into a modern era that the playoff provides, the sport's leadership set up a selection committee and spent hours debating and deciding what should play into the process. They concluded that perhaps nothing will be as important as strength of schedule.

“We said strength of schedule and championships are two of the primary, compelling arguments for the committee to consider,” SEC commissioner Mike Slive said while standing amid the post-game celebration here. “So it’s difficult for me to say that’s OK for next year, but it’s not OK for this year?

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