Stanford
3rd PAC-1211-1
Oklahoma State
1st Big 1211-1
Stanford @ Oklahoma State preview
University of Phoenix Stadium
TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL STORYLINES
1. In a consolation title game of sorts, the two next-best contenders for the BCS title -- and two of the top five scoring offenses in the nation -- will square off. The third-ranked Cowboys have an extra large chip on their shoulder, feeling they deserved a shot at top-ranked LSU rather than the rematch opportunity granted to Alabama.
2. It's most likely the final college game for Stanford QB Andrew Luck, who is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft if he leaves after his junior year. Luck should be able to exploit an Oklahoma State defense that allows 265.6 passing yards per game, 102nd in the nation.
3. The Cardinal have been tough against the run, ranking fifth in the nation at 90.0 yards allowed per game, but that might not do them much good against the Cowboys. Oklahoma State does most of its damage through the air -- the Cowboys rank second in the nation with 386.2 passing yards per game.
4. The Fiesta Bowl has endured a tumultuous 2011 that featured a scandal involving improper gifts and travel bowl employees granted to politicians, resulting in the firing of longtime president and CEO John Junker.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
LINE: Oklahoma State -3.5
ABOUT STANFORD (11-1, 8-1 Pac-12): The Cardinal didn't show any noticeable dropoff after losing coach Jim Harbaugh to the NFL, as first-year coach David Shaw led them to a second consecutive BCS bowl. They beat Virginia Tech 40-12 in last year's Orange Bowl. Much of the success can be attributed to Heisman Trophy runner-up Luck, who has passed for 3,185 yards with 35 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Stanford was never really in contention for the BCS title game after a 53-30 loss to Oregon on Nov. 12, because it doesn't have many impressive wins. The Cardinal beat three ranked teams -- Washington, Southern California and Notre Dame -- but none was higher than No. 20 at the time of the game and only the Trojans are still ranked.
ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (11-1): The Cowboys have the best argument that they should be in the championship game, but a 37-31 overtime loss to Iowa State was just ugly enough to keep them out, even after they rebounded to crush rival Oklahoma 44-10 in the regular-season finale. So it's with some disappointment that their school-record sixth consecutive bowl game comes in Arizona, rather than New Orleans. Star WR Justin Blackmon (1,336 receiving yards, 15 TDs) and 28-year-old QB Brandon Weeden (4,328 yards, 34 TDs, 12 INTs) lead the offense that ranked third nationally in total yards (557.0 per game) and second in scoring (49.3 points per game), but RB Joseph Randle is a handful, too. Randle quietly amassed 1,193 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns.
PREDICTION: Oklahoma State 41, Stanford 35. Teams left on the bubble of the national championship game can go either way, but the Cowboys seem motivated to prove they were unjustly overlooked.
1. In a consolation title game of sorts, the two next-best contenders for the BCS title -- and two of the top five scoring offenses in the nation -- will square off. The third-ranked Cowboys have an extra large chip on their shoulder, feeling they deserved a shot at top-ranked LSU rather than the rematch opportunity granted to Alabama.
2. It's most likely the final college game for Stanford QB Andrew Luck, who is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft if he leaves after his junior year. Luck should be able to exploit an Oklahoma State defense that allows 265.6 passing yards per game, 102nd in the nation.
3. The Cardinal have been tough against the run, ranking fifth in the nation at 90.0 yards allowed per game, but that might not do them much good against the Cowboys. Oklahoma State does most of its damage through the air -- the Cowboys rank second in the nation with 386.2 passing yards per game.
4. The Fiesta Bowl has endured a tumultuous 2011 that featured a scandal involving improper gifts and travel bowl employees granted to politicians, resulting in the firing of longtime president and CEO John Junker.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
LINE: Oklahoma State -3.5
ABOUT STANFORD (11-1, 8-1 Pac-12): The Cardinal didn't show any noticeable dropoff after losing coach Jim Harbaugh to the NFL, as first-year coach David Shaw led them to a second consecutive BCS bowl. They beat Virginia Tech 40-12 in last year's Orange Bowl. Much of the success can be attributed to Heisman Trophy runner-up Luck, who has passed for 3,185 yards with 35 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Stanford was never really in contention for the BCS title game after a 53-30 loss to Oregon on Nov. 12, because it doesn't have many impressive wins. The Cardinal beat three ranked teams -- Washington, Southern California and Notre Dame -- but none was higher than No. 20 at the time of the game and only the Trojans are still ranked.
ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (11-1): The Cowboys have the best argument that they should be in the championship game, but a 37-31 overtime loss to Iowa State was just ugly enough to keep them out, even after they rebounded to crush rival Oklahoma 44-10 in the regular-season finale. So it's with some disappointment that their school-record sixth consecutive bowl game comes in Arizona, rather than New Orleans. Star WR Justin Blackmon (1,336 receiving yards, 15 TDs) and 28-year-old QB Brandon Weeden (4,328 yards, 34 TDs, 12 INTs) lead the offense that ranked third nationally in total yards (557.0 per game) and second in scoring (49.3 points per game), but RB Joseph Randle is a handful, too. Randle quietly amassed 1,193 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns.
PREDICTION: Oklahoma State 41, Stanford 35. Teams left on the bubble of the national championship game can go either way, but the Cowboys seem motivated to prove they were unjustly overlooked.