If you're wondering why the Oregon Ducks are sitting only 8th in the BCS polls, it all factors back to the computers. If you're wondering why they're ranked very low in the computer rankings (only as high as 13th from most computers and ranked 16th in others), you just have to look at the quality of the teams they've beaten.
Oregon can't overcome their horrid strength of schedule yet, having beaten only the Arizona St. Sun Devils and lost to the #1 LSU Tigers. The rest of their schedule has not been up to snuff. Oregon has beaten Washington State, Cal, Arizona and Colorado, teams that are a combined 3-18 in conference play and 10-23 overall. Not quite enough to impress computers that heavily factor strength of schedule.
However, they'll have a chance to immediately rectify that situation as the calendar turns to November. They face their rivals the Washington Huskies in Seattle, a team that's lost only to Nebraska and Stanford--a victory there would give them the second marquee victory against a top opponent. Then up next comes the much anticipated game against the Stanford Cardinal in Palo Alto, and a victory there could send them soaring back to the top of the Pac-12 and perhaps back into the BCS title race if other teams trip up. Then they play the USC Trojans to complete the conference trifecta in Autzen.
Winning all three of those games should rock them right up the BCS rankings and back into the thick of things.
For more on Oregon football, check out Addicted to Quack.