Projected BCS Rankings 2011: Stanford Needs Oregon Win over Arizona State

The BCS rankings will be released, and programs across the nation will cry foul. Stanford is one team that has some kissing up to do, but they need another Pac-12 giant to do their part first. 

The BCS will once again favor those that have maneuvered through a minefield of potential disaster. The Big 12 and SEC will get the brunt of the goodwill from the computers. That leaves Stanford as an elite team that hardly has their own destiny in their hands. 

Somewhere, Boise State is chuckling. The Broncos know all to well what it means to sit back and hope and pray for a giant to lose. It's a weekly affair that frustrates supporters and annoys voters that have to hear about it.

Stanford is welcomed to that very specific dance this season as they look down the road to their Oregon game as a chance to prove their worth. 

A win of that magnitude could rocket the Cardinal up a rung or two and leave them at the doorstep of the BCS title game. That is, if Oregon is a worthy opponent at that time. 

The computers will view their November 12th showdown with far less prestige if Oregon loses before that time. The perfect storm for such a Duck disaster is this weekend. 

The No. 9 Ducks take on the No. 18 Arizona State Sun Devils at Autzen Stadium. ASU has the offense to deliver quite a wallop against an inconsistent Ducks front. 

Oregon will also be without one of their key weapons in LaMichael James. The recipe for disaster is surely there on Saturday. For one rare weekend, Cardinal fans will have a vested interest in a Ducks win. 

The rarest of all emotions will take place. And it only seems to happen in collegiate football. In unison, one school will be pleading, "Don't lose to them, lose to us."

With two losses, Oregon would hardly be considered as prestigious an opponent by the BCS. The best thing in BCS terms for Stanford is clearly a Oregon win this Saturday.