2011 Bowl Predictions: Stanford and More Underdogs That Will Win Outright

It wouldn't be bowl season without some upsets. After all, it's the possibility of seeing something unexpected that gets college football fans to keep coming back for more. Here are three underdogs that will be celebrating victories over the next few weeks.

Stanford Cardinal

Andrew Luck will lead Stanford into a Fiesta Bowl clash against Oklahoma State. The only loss suffered by the Cardinal this season came against Oregon, but that game should actually come back to help Stanford as the team prepares for the Cowboys' high-powered offense.

The Cardinal were too aggressive in that meeting with Oregon and were burned several times because of it. They need to approach their bowl game with a more conservative approach, even if it means playing the safeties deeper than usual to limit Oklahoma State's big-play potential.

Luck shouldn't have much trouble putting points on the board, so a couple key stops is all it will take for Stanford to emerge victorious.

Virginia Cavaliers

Virginia showed some real promising glimpses throughout the season, but just couldn't play at their highest level on a consistent enough basis to become an ACC contender. That said, they match up well with Chick-fil-A Bowl opponent Auburn.

The Cavaliers held opposing rushers below four yards per carry and that should bode well against the Tigers' run-oriented offense. Star running back Michael Dyer is also going to miss the game for Auburn, which further improves Virginia's chances.

As long as Virginia can maintain its balance on offense, there's no reason they can't walk out of the Georgia Dome with the trophy.

Cincinnati Bearcats

Cincinnati finished tied for first in the weakened Big East Conference, but came up short in the BCS tiebreaker, so they get relegated to the Liberty Bowl vs. Vanderbilt. The Commodores finished 2-6 in the always tough SEC.

Isaiah Pead doesn't get the respect he deserves on a national level. He was a workhorse that every defense knew was going to be getting the ball early and often, yet still managed to average over five yards per carry.

Look for him to help the Bearcats control the tempo once again en route to a narrow, low-scoring triumph. It won't be pretty, but that's the least of Cincinnati's worries.