If the Stanford Cardinal are going to make an appearance in the 2012 BCS National Championship Game, they not only have to win out their remaining games, they will also need some help from Oklahoma State and/or LSU. If the Cardinal can hold off the Oregon Ducks Saturday evening, they will likely climb over Alabama for No. 3 on the BCS. That is as far as they can likely go without losses ahead of them.
They lost one chance to get such an upset as the Oklahoma State Cowboys had no trouble with the Texas Tech Red Raiders in Lubbock. Oklahoma State jumped out to a 21-0 first quarter lead and ran off 49 unanswered points en route to a 66-6 demolition of the Red Raiders. Texas Tech had stunned highly ranked Oklahoma a few weeks back, but the magic was not there on Saturday. Brandon Weeden led a 454 yard passing attack, while Herschel Sims and Joseph Randle combined for 187 rushing yards.
Oklahoma State's remaining schedule does provide some hope for Stanford fans. Following what should be a relative gimme game against Iowa State, the Cowboys host No. 6 Oklahoma in what should be a hotly contested rivalry game. The Sooners don't really have a shot at the national title game as things currently stand, but a win over Oklahoma State gets the Sooners the Big 12's automatic BCS berth.
Needless to say, if the Cardinal can knock off Oregon this week and Cal next week in the Big Game, Stanford fans will be watching OU-OSU with great anticipation.