Stanford Bowl Predictions

Tonight is the PAC 12 Championship game starting at 6pm between the Oregon Ducks and the Arizona Wildcats. While it is unfortunate that The Cardinal will not be playing for the PAC 12 title this year, the game may still decide Stanford's fate.

Tom FitzGerald from SF Gate explains:

"If the Wildcats (10-2, 7-2 Pac-12), ranked seventh in the College Football Playoff Rankings, upset second-ranked Oregon (11-1, 8-1) in the Pac-12 championship game Friday night at Levi's Stadium, Arizona is sure to join the Ducks in the so-called "New Year's Six." Those six are the two national semifinals (Rose and Sugar) and the four other major bowls in the playoff rotation (Cotton, Fiesta, Peach and Orange).
In that case, the Foster Farms Bowl at Levi's Stadium on Dec. 30 would probably take Stanford (7-5, 5-4) to play a Big Ten team."

The determining factor seems to be whether Arizona will be selected to play in the so-called Big 6 Bowls. The situation grows more complicated if the Wildcats fail to make an appearance in one of the Big 6 Bowls. In the event that the Wildcats do not get picked for one of the big 6 bowl games then the Las Vegas Bowl may pick Stanford. If Las Vegas passes on the Cardinal then Stanford may end up in the Cactus Bowl in Tempe, Arizona.

FitzGerald explains:

"On the other hand, if Arizona doesn't wind up in the New Year's Six, it could be passed over by the Alamo and Holiday bowls in favor of the Los Angeles schools. Conference rules would require the Foster Farms Bowl to pick Arizona because its conference record was two games better than Stanford's.

In that scenario, the Cardinal would fall all the way to the Cactus Bowl because the Sun would be required to take Arizona State at 6-3, and the Las Vegas is likely to take Utah over Stanford. The last three bowls in the conference rotation are required to take the next team up in the standings. So Washington would be odd man out at 4-5."

There is evidence that Gary Cavalli, Executive Director of the Foster Farms Bowl would love to extend an invitation to Stanford.

In any event we will all find out where the Cardinal is going bowling on Sunday morning.