Stanford Football: Best-Case and Worst-Case BCS Scenarios

Stanford football had quite a week.

First, the Cardinal thoroughly dominated a strong Arizona team in Jim Harbaugh and company's most complete performance of the season—a 42-17 whipping that was never in question.

Then the BCS rankings came out, and Stanford exceeded even fans' wildest expectations by jumping all the way to a No. 6 national ranking.

So what now for the Cardinal? With only three games to go, I'll take you through the best and worst possibilities for the remainder of the season.

Worst-Case Scenario

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EUGENE, OR - OCTOBER 2: Wide receiver Chris Owusu #81 of the Stanford Cardinal lies on the field after being hit and fumbling the ball in the third quarter of the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 2, 2010 in Eugene, Oregon. Oregon

Let's start with the worst-case scenario. The scary part is that to any longtime Stanford fan, it seems entirely possible. Let's examine:

In short: Stanford pulls a Cal.

Fresh off the momentum of a huge win at Arizona, the Cardinal finally abandon the "humble hearts" Harbaugh keeps touting and start to believe the hype. Looking ahead to potential BCS glory, Stanford slips up early against Arizona State on the road and takes a disappointing loss.

With high hopes extinguished, Stanford stumbles into the Big Game against a Cal team that plays very well at home. The Bears, with nothing to lose, let loose on the demoralized Cardinal defense and win a shootout. The Axe stays in Berkeley, and it's chaos at the Farm.

Oregon State rolls into Palo Alto knowing the Cardinal are vulnerable and pulverizes Stanford. Without its swagger and physicality, Stanford is no match for a solid OSU squad and takes its biggest loss of the season.

Now sitting at 8-4 (and 5-4 in conference) Stanford is relegated to the Las Vegas Bowl against a Mountain West also-ran. At this point, does it matter what happens in the bowl?

Andrew Luck takes the NFL Draft money and runs. Harbaugh, realizing he's lost his franchise QB and may have reached Stanford's ceiling, follows his QB to the NFL as well. Bob Bowlsby rehires Walt Harris.

None of the things I outlined are impossible (except maybe the Walt Harris bit). In fact, losing to Cal or Oregon State are very real possibilities. So Stanford fans shouldn't get ahead of themselves—there's a lot that can go wrong this season.

Best-Case Scenario

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PALO ALTO, CA - OCTOBER 09: The Stanford Cardinal sideline celebrates after Nate Whitaker kicked a field goal with to beat the USC Trojans 37-35 at Stanford Stadium on October 9, 2010 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

On to the happy stuff.

Last week, I would have told you Stanford's best-case scenario was a BCS at-large bid (Rose Bowl or otherwise) with Oregon in the national championship. But since the powers that be have finally shown the Cardinal some love, that's all changed.

That's right—Stanford has a very real possibility at the BCS title game. 

Crazy? Possibly. But hear me out.

Harbaugh's crew carries on in dominating fashion, destroying overmatched ASU and Cal sides. Then comes an eventful weekend.

Despite two big wins, the Cardinal haven't jumped anybody because nobody's lost. On Friday, November 26, that all changes. Boise State loses to Nevada on the road. Oregon falls to an Arizona side with something to prove. Auburn gets wrecked in the Iron Bowl by Bama (playing a rare spoiler role).

Smelling blood on the 27th, Stanford picks up a huge home win against Oregon State in its season finale to announce its presence to the world. On that same day, Les Miles runs out of luck at Arkansas and loses on some kind of clock malfunction (maybe he never adjusted to daylight saving time). The stage is set.

Only TCU remains unbeaten, and the question becomes, who will the Horned Frogs play? Stanford's earlier loss gives it the advantage over Oregon (despite the Ducks' head-to-head win), and no team behind the Cardinal impresses enough to make the jump. Harbaugh takes his team to the national championship.

In a battle of physical teams, Stanford's offense outduels TCU's defense in a thriller, breaking non-AQ hearts but delivering a shocking championship to Palo Alto. Harbaugh signs a 30-year contract extension, and the NFL goes on strike (keeping Luck around for another year).

Wow. It may seem unlikely, but it's not out of the question. TCU probably will not lose again (only SDSU, UNM remaining), but Oregon, Auburn, LSU and Boise all have tough games ahead. In sixth place, the Cardinal only need four teams to falter in three weeks.

Will it happen? Probably not. But it definitely could.

What Does It Mean?

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PALO ALTO, CA - OCTOBER 09: Michael Thomas #3 of the Stanford Cardinal celebrates after the USC Trojans turned the ball over on downs in the fourth quarter at Stanford Stadium on October 9, 2010 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Don't get ahead of yourselves, fellow fans. There's a lot of football left to be played.

Just know that for the first time in the modern era, the Card are REAL national title contenders. It's not a delusion; it's not impossible. Root for the top teams to lose, and who knows what will happen?

Did anyone think this was possible in 2006? Not me, that's for sure.