2011 Bowl Predictions: Andrew Luck Will Lead Stanford to Fiesta Bowl Triumph

Stanford and Oklahoma State are destined to face off in this season's Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. It's a game that has shootout written all over it and that type of game will favor Heisman candidate and potential top pick in next April's NFL Draft, Andrew Luck.

The senior quarterback led Stanford to an 11-1 regular season regular, with the only blemish coming against the high-flying Oregon Ducks. Luck completed 60 percent of his passes for nearly 3,200 yards and 35 touchdowns. He also scored two rushing TDs.

Stanford's fifth-ranked offense hasn't been a one-man show, though.

Stepfan Taylor has been a workhorse, carrying the ball over 200 times for 1,153 yards and eight touchdowns. He's got legitimate game-breaking ability and averages 5.6 yards per carry.

Add in backups Tyler Gaffney and Jeremy Stewart, who have combined to score 17 total touchdowns, and the Cardinal's rushing game is almost as potent as its aerial attack.

That bodes well heading into a marquee game against Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys, who came up just short in their bid for a spot in the national title game, rank 61st in points allowed. That includes a 37-point performance by a lowly Iowa State squad.

There should be no shortage of holes for Luck to utilize. He's shown time and again that he can take advantage of even the smallest gap in a defense, so he should thrive against Oklahoma State's porous secondary.

Stanford doesn't have an elite defense, either, which gives the game a chance to be an instant classic.

Brandon Weeden, Joseph Randle and Justin Blackmon have formed the nation's most dominant offensive trio. The Cowboys have followed their lead to 11 wins, including an impressive blowout of archrival Oklahoma on Saturday.

The good news for Stanford is that it recently played Oregon, so the Cardinal should be well prepared for another high-octane offense.

Fans love high-scoring games and all indications would seem to point toward the Fiesta Bowl being exactly that. And judging by LSU and Alabama's first meeting, it's tough to expect anything other than another grind-it-out affair.

So when bowl season ends in early January, don't be surprised if Stanford and Oklahoma State end up putting on the best show of all.

Prediction: Stanford 38, Oklahoma State 35