BCS Standings 2011: Can Andrew Luck Lead Stanford to the Big Game?

No one is surprised at the success Stanford has enjoyed so far this season, considering the Cardinal's quarterback, Andrew Luck, entered the year as one of the most hyped college football players in decades.

Luck has led his Stanford team to a 7-0 record and a No. 6 ranking in the current BCS standings, but the question on everyone’s mind is, can he win the big game, or at the very least, can he get there?

If you go back through the years, with the exception of Cam Newton last year, not a lot of quarterbacks who ended up becoming No. 1 overall picks have led their teams to national championships.

Sam Bradford got there, but lost to Florida. Matt Stafford didn’t do it, JaMarcus Russell didn’t do it and the same can be said for guys like Alex Smith, Eli Manning, Carson Palmer and Micheal Vick.

Not even Peyton Manning could lead Tennessee to a national title.

Luck may be the most coveted pro prospect we’ve seen since the turn of the millennium, but is he good enough to get Stanford to the promised land?

Six games still separate Stanford from an undefeated season, and the schedule is about to get much tougher, starting with a visit to 6-1 USC this weekend.

The biggest game for Luck and his Cardinal will obviously be a redemption matchup with Oregon on Nov. 12.

Stanford fell apart in the second half of last year’s game up in Eugene, which ultimately cost the Cardinal an undefeated season, a conference championship and a berth in the national title game.

Stanford looks better equipped to shoot down the Ducks this season, as Luck’s crew is the only team ranked in the top five in the country in both scoring offense and scoring defense.

With a strong running game, one of the best offensive lines in the country and a defense that has remained stout all season long, the star signal-caller has all the pieces around him to make the 2011 campaign a special one.

We already know Luck is destined to be a future No. 1 overall pick; what we’ll find out in the next few months is if his resume will include a national championship as well.