The annual BCS puzzle looks fairly clear this year.

Notre Dame, which completed an undefeated regular season Saturday, is No. 1 in the latest BCS standings and has secured a spot in the Discover BCS National Championship Game.

The Fighting Irish will almost certainly play the winner of the SEC Championship Game, to be played Saturday between No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia.

The top 9 teams remained unchanged in this week's standings. Next Sunday's edition is the final one of the 2012 season.

After the championship, the BCS picture is still as murky as the Florida swamps. The No. 4 Gators could secure a bid in the Allstate Sugar Bowl if they pass the Alabama-Georgia loser in next week's standings.

"If you think about what the game means, this that and the other, it doesn't really help you win the game," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "The only thing that helps you win the game is preparation and getting your mind ready to go to battle. That's what you've got to do."

If the loser of the SEC championship falls below Florida, it could find itself out of the BCS picture altogether because the No. 3 team is guaranteed a BCS bowl bid and no more than two schools per conference can receive bids.

"For either one of these teams, it's not really a great scenario," Alabama coach Nick Saban said.

At the other end of the standings, No. 17 Kent State (11-1) is just one place away from earning a spot in a BCS bowl after moving up six places this week.