U. back among BCS' top 6

Turns out, Alex Smith was right.

While many Utah football fans fretted about last week's fall to seventh in the Bowl Championship Series standings, the Heisman Trophy candidate expressed hope that things would work out.

Deseret Morning News graphicBCS standingsRequires Adobe Acrobat.

On Monday, less than a week before the Utes' regular season finale against BYU, the Utes moved back into position for a guaranteed invitation to a BCS bowl. And they can thank Smith's uncle, Michigan State coach John L. Smith, for making it happen. His Spartans knocked Wisconsin from the unbeaten ranks Saturday and below Utah in the standings. BCS qualification is based on Utah finishing sixth or higher.

"I imagined we'd get back in. (Now) it's one game away," said Smith. "Obviously, we're a lot closer now and it's much more realistic."

Barring a major surprise, the Utes will earn a berth in one of the four financially lucrative BCS bowls with a victory over the Cougars Saturday (5 p.m., ESPN2) at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The most likely scenario is an invitation to the Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 1 in Tempe, Ariz.

"We've just got to beat BYU, and we're there," said Smith.

Utah (10-0) is seeking to become the first team from an non-BCS league to crash the exclusive system that was created in 1998. Champions from the Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pacific-10 and Southeastern conferences earned automatic bids with two others added as at-large invitees.

Teams from Conference USA, the Mid-American, Mountain West, Sun Belt or Western Athletic conferences, as well as independents, can qualify only by ending up in the top six or higher in the standings. Notre Dame is eligible with a top 10 finish or nine wins — neither is a possibility this season.

As usual, Utah coach Urban Meyer learned about his team's placement in the BCS from his wife. Shelley Meyer monitors the situation closely and calls her husband as soon as the results are released each week.

The tradition has produced some friendly banter between the couple. She reminds him of the importance of finishing sixth or higher, while he thanks her for making that clear.

After last weekend's 45-28 win at Wyoming, Utah rose to school-record highs in both major polls. The Utes are fifth in The Associated Press Top 25 and sixth in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll.