There have already been two major upsets that have impacted the BCS top-1o this weekend and no one benefited more from both of those losses than Stanford.
As of a couple days ago, BCS at-large bids were a hot commodity and it appeared that the Cardinal might be on the outside looking in come January. But with Boise State losing an overtime shocker to Nevada and LSU’s luck running out against Arkansas, Stanford will be next in line to receive a BCS at-large bid, helped in part by their win over Oregon State Saturday night..
Which is completely justified that when you consider Stanford could be a top-5 team come tomorrow whose only loss came to the No. 1 team in the country.
With LSU’s loss, it’s very likely that Arkansas will occupy the Sugar Bowl’s at-large spot as the bowl continues its ties with the SEC. Since the Sugar Bowl chooses next in line after the Rose Bowl (who will choose Wisconsin and TCU, barring any upsets), they will likely also choose Ohio State because of their traveling fan base and national brand name.
That leaves the Orange Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl with the two remaining at-large bids. The Orange Bowl will choose first and, depending on who wins the Big East, will probably go with Stanford.
As of yesterday, it looked as though Jim Harbaugh‘s team might be on the short end of the biggest screw job of them all from the BCS, but the Cardinal got the pair of upsets they needed to keep those hopes alive. Now, they just need to make sure they don’t become college football’s third major upset this weekend.
Stanford should celebrate because they deserve to be in one of the BCS games. I’m tired of teams being invited because their fans will travel. If it’s a fan popularity contest then just invite every one of those hayseed teams from the SEC and all their bib-wearin’ fans and alums. The Pac-10 has been screwed for the last few years by just getting one team each year. Stanford has one of the two or three best quarterbacks if not the best QB in the country. Goi Cardinal.
All the analysts tonight are saying that Stanford will still be left out of a BCS Bowl.
They say since they will need an at-large bid, no one will take them because of their week fan base.
That’s one more reason why Harbaugh needs to move on.
I think it’s safe to say Stanford will win tonight (now that I’m looking at the score).
Come Sunday, the Cardinal will be a top-5 team. Their fan base gets a bad rap about traveling, but are they seriously any worse than most of the Big East’s? If Stanford doesn’t make it into a BCS bowl, it will be the biggest screw job of the Bowl season.
Please tell me I will not have to watch another SEC team beat Ohio State in a BCS game again.
Hopefully Stanford will get some “Sugar”. New Orleans is not so bad in January.
The Sugar Bowl will, of course, pick the over-rated and over-hyped Ohio State Buckeyes and, yes, once again, they will get their collective asses kicked by an SEC team – or Stanford. As for Harbaugh, he is an outstanding coach and he should expect a call very soon from his old school, Michigan, with a job offer that he can’t refuse.
Happy for Stanford – too bad all that talent and hard work is being wasted on a basically non-existent and unsupportive non-fan base.
@Twins and DMV – agreed.
OSU will again be flopping nationally, and drinking champagne over a three way ‘Big Ten’ title.
This group of red and silver Sister Kissers knows nothing more.
Harbaugh will be in Michigan, after both sides eat some crow….but he’ll be able to afford some really expensive crow.
@UH – it’s about the money. If your fans don’t travel, they won’t pay for tickets and fill the fans.
Another reason Harbaugh will be in Michigan, coaching to the tune of 113,000 cheering and loyal fans who’ll follow their team to any bowl, anywhere.
@UH2
from teh AP late last night”
“If the Cardinal don’t finish in the top four, they could end up in the Alamo Bowl because they lack the strong following bowls look for as they try to sell out their stadiums. That was evident in the large number of empty seats for a rainy regular-season finale with the students on break for the Thanksgiving holiday. Stanford has sold out its 50,000-seat stadium just once all season against USC, drawing 38,775 Saturday.”
Rain, sleet, hail, snow… holiday or not, you would NEVER EVER see this with Michigan, OSU, Nebraska, Iowa, Alabama, LSU, Florida, USC, etc…
With a BCS bowl bid in the line, Standord can’t fill 50,000 seats?????? Really ?????
Come on over Jim, we’ll fill all our seats.
polegojim, what osu fan sexually assaulted you as a kid
that’s the only possible explination of why you hate them
I am frickin tired of the hoopla that surrounds the SEC teams….if the bias sportswriters and the shallow fans who follow the SEC and believe it to be the “best football” conference in the world, then lobby the NCAA to change the rules that prevents the week to week scheduling of SEC vs. PAC-10. Let’s get it on or STFU!
For example: For 1 season, all SEC teams will play the PAC-10 and the PAC-10 will play all the SEC teams……don’t make any excuses, make it happen and the whole world will know what the PAC-10 already knows,….The PAC-10 is the conference of CHAMPIONS!
Put up or shut up!
tombstone7,
“The PAC-10 is the conference of CHAMPIONS!”
Really? Hmmm. Let’s take a look at the last 10 years and the champions, shall we?
2000 Oklahoma Not a PAC-10 team
2001 Miami 37 Not a PAC-10 team
2002 Ohio State Not a PAC-10 team
2003 LSU Not a PAC-10 team
2004 USC Ooh! A PAC-10 team!
2005 Texas Not a PAC-10 team
2006 Florida Not a PAC-10 team
2007 LSU Not a PAC-10 team
2008 Florida Not a PAC-10 team
2009 Alabama Not a PAC-10 team
1 championship in the last 10 years does not make the PAC-10 the conference of champions.
5 championships in the last 10 years does make the SEC the conference of champions, though.
As far as all SEC teams playing PAC-10 teams and vice versa, you know that will never happen and it’s not due to any lack of balls of the part of the SEC.
Of course, if you want to use a scenario that you know will never happen to “prove” that the SEC is somehow scared of the PAC-10, then go for it. Whatever gets you through the night, man.
I am a Stanford alum, and went to their last BCS game 1/1/2000. I might go this time if the date works. More importantly, I should think the committees and advertisers would love the Stanford demographic which is significantly higher in per capita income than the other schools. Plus, I think the team including Luck, Harbaugh, and Marecik ought to be a big fan draw– fun to watch and chances are good that these three guys will make big NFL statements in the years to come.