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Stanford Cardinal vs Oregon State Beavers Football Recap

Stanford 38, Oregon State 0

Stanford is making a statement… all the way to a destination that will host a BCS bowl.

On a weekend when Auburn almost got upset and Boise State did get knocked off, the Stanford Cardinal demolished an inferior opponent with the cool and icy professionalism of an elite team bent on gaining a premium postseason prize. With calm and levelheaded dispatch, Coach Jim Harbaugh’s bunch of bold bruisers bludgeoned the Oregon State Beavers before a less-than-full-capacity crowd at Stanford Stadium. An emphatic shutout victory was exactly the right note to send to pollsters who were wondering how to align the top five of their ballots. This win carried more significance than one might initially think, given the byzantine workings of the Bowl Championship Series system.

Just how important was it that Stanford’s defense pitched a shutout against Mike Riley’s beleaguered Beavers, who must now face Oregon in the Civil War on Dec. 4? Just how essential was it that Stanford’s likely Heisman Trophy finalist, quarterback Andrew Luck, completed 70 percent of his passes for 305 yards and four touchdowns without an interception? Let’s put the matter in plain English.

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One of the specific rules of the current BCS system is that if a non-champion from a BCS conference finishes in the top four of the final BCS rankings, it must be allotted a BCS bowl berth. Stanford entered Friday at No. 6 in the BCS pecking order, but when No. 3 Boise State fell at Nevada on Friday night, the Cardinal essentially moved up to fifth place in advance of Saturday’s kickoff against Oregon State. However, an event late Saturday afternoon – roughly one hour before the start of this tilt – shifted the earth a little more beneath Stanford’s feet. LSU – one spot ahead of Stanford in the rankings and in ownership of the No. 5 slot to begin the weekend – lost at Arkansas. This game therefore gave Stanford a chance to compete with No. 7 Wisconsin for that all-important fourth spot in the BCS behind No. 1 Auburn, No. 2 Oregon, and the new No. 3, TCU, which obviously moved up from No. 4 to take Boise State’s old ranking. Stanford wasn’t guaranteed fourth place with a win; a shaky and sloppy 17-15 win, or something to that effect, would have given pollsters ample reason to elevate Wisconsin over the Cardinal. Stanford needed an authoritative demonstration of its capabilities against Oregon State.

Naturally, a 38-point win and a shutout would fit the bill. Naturally, playing turnover-free ball while forcing five Oregon State turnovers would turn the trick.

Now, Stanford’s regular season is over. The new BCS standings have the Cardinal at No. 4.

They’re going to play in one of three prestigious bowl games in January: The Rose or the Fiesta or the Orange.

The Cardinal’s eventual opponent will be in for a very tough battle on national television in roughly five weeks’ time.

By Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer