Stanford vs. Oklahoma State: Game Time, Radio and TV Coverage for Fiesta Bowl

In a matchup that is essentially one notch below the National Championship, the No. 4 Stanford Cardinal of the Pac-12 will take on the No. 3 Oklahoma State Cowboys of the Big 12. Both teams finished the year with one loss apiece, making them two of the elite programs in the nation.

Stanford, led by quarterback and soon-to-be-first-overall-pick Andrew Luck, had a fantastic year, losing only to the Oregon Ducks. Unfortunately for the Cardinal, that loss knocked them out of contention for the Pac-12 title despite losing a single game all season long.

The Cowboys controlled their own destiny late in the season to play for the National Championship thanks to a dynamic offense led by quarterback Brandon Weeden and wide receiver Justin Blackmon. A shocking upset loss to Iowa State in double overtime ended their title hopes, however.

While both teams would certainly rather be playing for all the marbles, I'm sure they each appreciate how important this game is as well. A win wouldn't make either team the best in the nation, but they could certainly stake the claim that they were worthy to play in the national championship game.

Where: University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

When: Monday, Jan. 2 at 8:30 p.m. EST

Watch: ESPN

Listen: KNBR 1050 AM (Stanford) and KSPI 93.7 (Oklahoma State)

Betting Line: Oklahoma State (-4)

Key Storyline: Will Andrew Luck Go Out on Top?

As the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in each of the past two seasons, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is among the premier players in college football. Had he entered the NFL draft last season he would have been the No. 1 overall pick, and the same is true this year.

Even though Luck still has a year of eligibility left, all signs point to him departing Stanford after the Fiesta Bowl. While Luck never won the Heisman or led the Cardinal to a National Championship, he has had an incredible career. Winning the Fiesta Bowl would undoubtedly put an exclamation point on what was already a great run at Stanford.

Who Might Not Play for Stanford: WR Chris Owusu

Stanford senior wide receiver Chris Owusu missed the team's final regular season game against Notre Dame with a concussion, and he is doubtful to play in the Fiesta Bowl, according to USA Today. While Owusu wasn't having a particularly big year with 376 yards and two touchdowns, his absence would hurt the depth in the receiving corps.

Owusu is never going to wow you, but because of his experience is somebody who quarterback Andrew Luck can trust. Younger and less experienced receivers will likely get some playing time in Owusu's absence, and while it may not make a noticeable difference, those young players could make some mistakes on the big stage.

Who Might Not Play for Oklahoma State: No Injuries to Report

What They're Saying

Despite the fact that Oklahoma State finished just one spot ahead of Stanford in the final BCS standings and that each team only lost one game, all of the talk surrounded the Cowboys regarding who got snubbed from the National Championship picture. This doesn't sit well with the Stanford Cardinal players, according to Jon Wilner of the Mercury News.

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There was talk about the national championship and why Oklahoma State deserved to be there, Cardinal safety Michael Thomas said Thursday. We felt like people forgot about us.

That's partially our motivation (in the Fiesta). If we win, we'll be in the conversation as one of the best teams.

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Stanford Player to Watch: QB Andrew Luck

While Stanford isn't the one-man team many make it out to be, there is no question that quarterback Andrew Luck is the player who makes the team go. While the Cardinal defense had a good season overall, it tended to struggle against some of the elite offenses like USC and Oregon. Oklahoma State is certainly in that category, so this might turn into a shootout.

If that is the case then Luck will need to come up huge as always. Luck's 2011 numbers compared quite favorably to 2010 as he threw for 3,170 yards, 35 touchdowns and just nine interceptions while completing 70 percent of his passing attempts. The Cowboys don't exactly have the best defense, so Luck could be in for yet another monster game on Monday.

Oklahoma State Player to Watch: WR Justin Blackmon

Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon couldn't quite live up to the lofty standards he set last season, but you can't really blame him. Blackmon racked up 1,782 yards and 20 touchdowns last year, however, his encore was almost as good with 113 grabs for 1,336 yards and 15 scores. Because of his size and rare athletic ability, Blackmon is a mismatch no matter who he faces.

His incredible skill set makes him quarterback Brandon Weeden's target by far, and he is sure to be heavily utilized in the Fiesta Bowl. Stanford's secondary has done well this season for the most part, but it was torn to shreds by Matt Barkley and USC earlier in the season. If Blackmon can run free in the game, then Oklahoma State may be able to do something similar.

Key Matchup: Andrew Luck vs. Oklahoma State Secondary

Despite Andrew Luck's spectacular season, there have been whispers as of late that he may not be as good as advertised. One of the main reasons for that is many thought the Oregon defense made him look "ordinary" in Stanford's only loss of the season. This is despite the fact that he still managed to throw for three touchdowns in the game.

Rumors of Luck's demise are over-exaggerated, though, as he is still the best quarterback in college football. While the Cowboys came extremely close to running the table this season, it was very apparent that they had weaknesses in their secondary all season long. If those weaknesses manifest themselves on Monday, then Luck should come up big. Being that it is likely his final collegiate game, I believe he will.

Prediction

Stanford 38, Oklahoma State 35