Earlier today we saw the USA Today/Coaches Poll move the Stanford Cardinal up to No. 5 in the nation, just behind the Big Ten champion Wisconsin Badgers. The second component of the BCS standings, the Harris Interactive College Football Poll, was just released and reflects this rise in its own rankings (PDF). The rankings bumped Wisconsin up a spot to fourth, but Stanford gained even more ground in moving fifth and will only benefit when the BCS standings are released later this afternoon.

These two developments have me all the more convinced that Stanford will be in that pivotal fourth spot in the BCS rankings. As we've mentioned before, if Stanford finishes third or fourth in the BCS and the Oregon Ducks go to the national title game, the Cardinal are guaranteed a spot in a BCS bowl. At this current pace, the Cardinal seem to be a lock to be ranked fourth this week. And with seasons complete for Wisconsin, Stanford and Ohio State, that should lock in Stanford to no worse than fourth.

Full poll is as follows:

1. Oregon
2. Auburn
3. TCU
4. Wisconsin
5. Stanford
6. Ohio State
7. Michigan State
8. Arkansas
9. Oklahoma
10. Boise State
11. LSU
12. Virginia Tech
13. Nebraska
14. Missouri
15. Nevada
16. Oklahoma State
17. South Carolina
18. Alabama
19. Texas A&M
20. Florida State
21. Utah
22. Mississippi State
23. West Virginia
24. Northern Illinois
25. Arizona