Oh Oneida: Who's in, who's out and who's in trouble

Who's in? Who's out? Who's on the bubble?

The final event of the 2012 Bassmaster Elite Series season is coming up on Oneida Lake and there's lots at stake, including the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title, about three dozen Bassmaster Classic berths and plenty of prize money. Let's take a look at who's who and who's where going into the finale.

Brent Chapman - AOY leader

Brent Chapman is leading the points race for AOY going into the last tournament. How often does the points leader get it done and finish with the sport's most prestigious title? Well, if you don't count the two years when postseasons decided the winner, the leader going into the last tournament has held on every time but once. You have to go back to 2008 when Todd Faircloth lost his lead (and the AOY title) to Kevin VanDam to find a leader who didn't hang on. Ironically, that finale was also on Oneida Lake.

Ott DeFoe - 2nd in AOY race

Currently second in the AOY race, Ott DeFoe is ready to make good on all the promise he showed as the 2011 Bassmaster Rookie of the Year. If he can win the title (and he'll need to outpace Chapman by 14 places in the standings), he'll be the second youngest AOY in history at 26. KVD was just 24 when he won in 1992.

Todd Faircloth - 3rd in AOY race

Todd Faircloth was leading the 2008 AOY race going into the season finale on Oneida Lake when things took a big turn for the worse. He finished 93rd, opening the door for Kevin VanDam and ending his best chance to date for an AOY crown. Now he has another chance, but it will be on the same lake that saw him slip four years ago, and, instead of having the lead, he has ground to make up on Chapman and DeFoe.

Don't count him out just yet

Though he's currently seventh in the AOY race, KVD still has a chance to win his fifth title in a row — it just won't be easy. He'll need to win or finish near the top and have all six anglers in front of him stumble. It could happen, and if it does he'll claim his eighth AOY trophy.

Don't forget All-Star Week

After leading the AOY race early in the year, Randy Howell has dropped back to eighth place. And while he's a shoo-in to qualify for his 11th Bassmaster Classic, he needs a solid performance at Oneida to stay in the top eight and participate in All-Star Week, Sept. 20-23, so he's on a bubble of his own at Oneida.

Perennial all star

Edwin Evers is also on the All-Star Week bubble. After back-to-back runner-up finishes in the AOY race, he's now ninth and needs to move up a spot if he wants a free roll at All-Star Week. Last year he finished second to Ott DeFoe in the All-Star finals.

Bringing his "A" game

He's b-a-a-ack! After a disappointing 2011 that saw him fail to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic for the first time since 2002, Skeet Reese has righted the ship and will qualify for his 13th Bassmaster Classic. Currently 16th in the AOY standings, the popular pro is also very likely to be voted into the All-Star competition for the second year in a row.

Is it in the Cards?

Rookie Brandon Card was on fire early in the season, making cuts and impressing everyone who follows the sport. Missing back-to-back cuts at the Mississippi River and Lake Michigan, though, are making things tighter in the Bassmaster Rookie of the Year race. Card currently ranks 18th in AOY, while Florida's Cliff Prince has moved up to 27th. Meanwhile, Card will certainly qualify for his first Bassmaster Classic.

Prince wants to be king ... of ROY race

Card is 30 points ahead of Cliff Prince, so the ROY race is far from over. Prince is 27th in AOY points. Barring a collapse at Oneida, he should be fishing his first Classic in 2013, and, if he can finish 31 places ahead of Card, he'll be ROY.

Classic rookies on their way?

Brandon Card leads the way among anglers looking to qualify for their first Bassmaster Classic through the Elite Series. Other hopefuls include Nate Wellman (pictured here), Yusuke Miyazaki, Cliff Prince, Britt Myers and J Todd Tucker.

Win and you're in!

Elite tournament winners have an automatic berth in the 2013 Classic. That includes Alton Jones (pictured here), Ish Monroe, Brandon Palaniuk, Jeremy Starks, Brent Chapman, Todd Faircloth and Jonathon VanDam. Without "win-and-you're-in," Monroe, Palaniuk, Starks and JVD would likely be watching the Classic on TV in 2013.

Bubble boy

The number of anglers who will qualify for the Classic through the Elite Series is uncertain and depends on a variety of factors including the AOY points standings, Elite tournament winners and Opens tournament winners. As things stand, Britt Myers is on the bubble to qualify for his first Bassmaster Classic. Myers put himself in contention with back-to-back second place finishes at Bull Shoals and Douglas Lake.

32 and counting

If the season ended today, four-time Bassmaster Classic winner Rick Clunn would be headed for his 33rd championship. He would also join Gary Klein as the only anglers to have fished the Classic in every decade of its existence (1970s through 2010s). Clunn is currently 29th in the AOY standings. If he can make the first cut at Oneida, he should be safe.

Time to swing for the fences

Barring a near miracle, perennial Classic qualifiers Gary Klein, Boyd Duckett, Casey Ashley, Davy Hite, Kelly Jordon, Zell Rowland, Paul Elias and Denny Brauer (pictured here) will miss the 2013 championship. With just one event left, they'll need to win at Oneida to have any chance at all.

The year started so well, but then ...

Four of the top seven finishers in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic are in real danger of missing the 2013 championship. Tim Horton (6th in 2012) is currently 42nd and needs a solid finish at Oneida to move into qualifying range. Greg Vinson (pictured here with Keith Poche) finished second in the 2012 Classic but must move up from 46th to get back in 2013. Dustin Wilks (7th in 2012) and Keith Poche (3rd in 2012) have only one hope at Oneida; they must win to get back to the Classic. There's no hope for them to make up their points deficit.

Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain

Ten Oklahomans in the Elite Series would love to have the opportunity to fish the 2013 Classic on home waters at Grand Lake. Edwin Evers (currently 9th in AOY) is in. Jeff Kriet appears to be in good position (26th). Tommy Biffle (38th) and Terry Butcher (40th) will need solid performances at Oneida. Fred Roumbanis (50th) probably needs a top 12 finish. Scott Ashmore (72nd), Kevin Ledoux (79th), Dave Smith (91st), Kenyon Hill (93rd) and Jared Miller (96th) must win.

A favorite ... if he can get there

Mike McClelland and Kevin VanDam are two Elite anglers who have won B.A.S.S. events on Grand Lake and will be looking forward to fishing the 2013 Classic there. VanDam is in 7th place in the AOY race and sure to qualify for his 23rd straight championship. McClelland is too close to the bubble to feel safe. He's currently 35th and needs a solid finish at Oneida to earn a berth in the championship that many will label him a favorite to win.

Better luck this time

Andy Montgomery narrowly missed a Bassmaster Classic berth in 2012. He was 26th going into the final tournament and slipped all the way down to 41st. This year, he's 34th with one event to go. Making the first cut at Oneida might be enough for him to qualify for his second Classic.

I like Ike's chances

Michael Iaconelli looks pretty safe to qualify for his 12th straight Classic, but it's not locked up yet. He's currently 31st, and a bad tournament at Oneida (where he's posted two top 10 finishes) could knock him out of the championship. Also at stake is his string of four straight top 25 finishes in the AOY race. Aaron Martens has the longest active streak with eight (2004-11).

Lightning strikes twice?

Chad Griffin currently ranks 99th (last) in the Bassmaster Angler of the Year points race. That's certainly down, but don't count him out just yet. With win-and-you're-in, Griffin could still earn a Classic berth for 2013. Seem far-fetched? Griffin has history at Oneida Lake. In 2009 he won the final tournament of the season there. Who's to say he can't do it again?