In case you missed it woke up and thought it was all a dream, Iowa State upset No. 2 Oklahoma State in Ames last night, derailing Cowboys QB Brandon Weeden's Heisman hopes and bringing chaos to the BCS title picture. Before the Cyclones' remarkable upset, things were simple: If LSU and Oklahoma State won out, they would meet in the title game. If Oklahoma State was going to lose, most people figured it would happen against Oklahoma in two weeks. Now, a Sooners win in Bedlam won't have the same luster.
So what does last night's upset mean for Stanford? It means nothing if the Cardinal doesn't keep the Axe. But if Stanford beats Cal and Notre Dame, there's now a better chance it heads to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl. Oklahoma State's loss opens the door for Oregon to make a BCS title game push for a possible rematch with LSU.
The Tigers could still stumble against Arkansas and the Ducks might need Auburn to upset Alabama in the Iron Bowl. Assuming LSU, Oregon, and Alabama all win out, the Ducks would have to hope an impressive win over USC today and their extra win in the Pac-12 Championship would be enough to jump the Crimson Tide. If those three teams win out, the BCS title game will almost certainly feature a rematch between LSU and either Alabama or Oregon. If the Ducks are in the title game, Stanford, assuming it wins out, would go to the Rose Bowl.
There's another way to Pasadena, but it's far less likely. If Stanford beats Cal and Oregon loses to USC and Oregon State, the Cardinal would win the Pac-12 North and play in the Pac-12 Championship whether or not they beat Notre Dame. Winning that game would send Stanford to Pasadena.
As for Stanford getting back into the BCS title game discussion, well, let's save that until tomorrow. If you want to go all in on more chaos, root for USC to beat the Ducks tonight. I'm pretty sure I'll be rooting for Oregon to win out and get to the title game, as I don't like Oregon State's chances in Autzen. Then again, nobody liked Iowa State's chances at home.
There's a lot of football left to be played, and none of this matters if Stanford doesn't take care of its own business. BEAT CAL!
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In other news, the top-ranked Stanford women's soccer team advanced to the Sweet 16 with a 2-0 win against South Carolina last night at Cagan Stadium. The Cardinal will play Boston College at 1 p.m. Sunday. The Eagles defeated Cal on penalty kicks, 3-1.
Anthony Brown had 14 points and 6 rebounds and the Stanford men's basketball team improved to 4-0 with a 70-49 win at UC Davis. The Cardinal has held its first four opponents this season to fewer than 60 points.