[Farm93]

Small alumni base.  An alumni base that has proven time after time that it doesn't travel to bowls just because the venue is nice, the city is warm or the opponent is from a rival conference.  No significant group of traveling fans beyond the alumni base, etc. etc.

Also bowl games try to appeal to neutral fans to keep those TV ratings solid, Stanford's style on O and D are not ideal for that entertaining match-up metric.

Then Stanford has been to the Rose Bowl 3 of the last 4 years.  Most of these mid tier bowls know that is a trap to avoid.  Sure the coach and players are known, but will they really care about the (insert low tier brand name here) bowl?  Will their fans?  It is unlikely.

For those reasons Stanford will get whatever bowl is obligated to select them.

[Farm93]

Small alumni base.  An alumni base that has proven time after time that it doesn't travel to bowls just because the venue is nice, the city is warm or the opponent is from a rival conference.  No significant group of traveling fans beyond the alumni base, etc. etc.

Also bowl games try to appeal to neutral fans to keep those TV ratings solid, Stanford's style on O and D are not ideal for that entertaining match-up metric.

Then Stanford has been to the Rose Bowl 3 of the last 4 years.  Most of these mid tier bowls know that is a trap to avoid.  Sure the coach and players are known, but will they really care about the (insert low tier brand name here) bowl?  Will their fans?  It is unlikely.

For those reasons Stanford will get whatever bowl is obligated to select them.