BCS Projections: Who Belongs at No. 2, Stanford or Oklahoma State?

The Stanford Cardinal and Oklahoma State Cowboys are about to find themselves in the crossfire of another one of our yearly traditions: BCS controversy

This seems to be the time of year for tradition.

On Halloween, we send out kids out dressed as monsters and ask them to take candy from strangers. Soon thereafter is Thanksgiving, where we get together with a bunch of family we can't stand and eat way too much food. Finally comes Christmas, where a fat stranger slides down our chimneys to bring us gifts if we've been good.

Traditions are awesome. In fact, traditions are American.

I can't think of a more American tradition than fighting over the BCS. It's about as American as apple pie, and it is undoubtedly one of our longest-standing traditions.

With No. 2 Alabama losing in overtime to No. 1 LSU, there will undoubtedly be a new sheriff in town, as far as the No. 2 position in the BCS is concerned. The two teams that seem to have the most clout in regards to that spot are the Cardinal and Cowboys, but only one will be able to achieve the ranking.

Which team deserves No. 2? Let's break it down:

Stanford Cardinal

At 9-0, and 7-0 in the Pac-12, Stanford is easily one of the best teams in the nation. It helps that they are led by Andrew Luck, who many consider to be the best quarterback in the nation and the Heisman Trophy favorite.

The Cardinal are third in the nation with 48.2 points per game, while only allowing an average of 18.6.

Their marquee wins have come against Washington and a triple-overtime win at USC.

Moving forward, their biggest test comes up this week against No. 8 Oregon, and many feel this game will ultimately decide their BCS fate.

Oklahoma State Cowboys

At 9-0, and 6-0 in the Big 12, the Cowboys are undoubtedly one of the most exciting teams in the country. They are second in the nation in scoring with 50.1 and feature wide receiver Justin Blackmon, who many consider to be the best in the country.

They have marquee wins against ranked Texas A&M, Texas, Baylor and Kansas State.

The last game of their season against Oklahoma will essentially determine whether or not they finish the year undefeated, and it will most likely determine the Big 12.

Conclusion

Both teams are worthy of the No. 2 spot, so it comes down to predicting a head-to-head matchup. While Stanford is a great team, I don't think they'd be able to keep up with Oklahoma State's offense.

Prediction: Oklahoma State No. 2