[HisKneeWasDown]

Tom Fitzgerald writes: "the Cardinal (5-3, 3-3 Pac-12) could go 9-3 and play in an attractive bowl game."

Looking at the standings and schedule, with 3 losses I can't see Stanford finishing higher than 5th (can't play yourself out of the loss column).

Wash will likely win out, and WSU's one conference loss will be to them. Utah, Colorado and USC might pick up another loss, which puts us at 5th (we beat  USC).

If Washington goes to the playoff, then we'd be in the Chicken Bowl.

"Attractive?"

http://m.sfgate.com/collegesports/articl...424131.php

When I look at the standingsand schedule, best scenario is we finish

[HisKneeWasDown]

Tom Fitzgerald writes: "the Cardinal (5-3, 3-3 Pac-12) could go 9-3 and play in an attractive bowl game."

Looking at the standings and schedule, with 3 losses I can't see Stanford finishing higher than 5th (can't play yourself out of the loss column).

Wash will likely win out, and WSU's one conference loss will be to them. Utah, Colorado and USC might pick up another loss, which puts us at 5th (we beat  USC).

If Washington goes to the playoff, then we'd be in the Chicken Bowl.

"Attractive?"

http://m.sfgate.com/collegesports/articl...424131.php

When I look at the standingsand schedule, best scenario is we finish

[stupac2]

Why do people think WSU is good? They could easily lose out (though they probably beat Arizona and Cal I can't rule anything out with them). They almost certainly lose to Colorado and Washington.

Anyway, what difference does it make to us as fans? If we're not in a NY6 bowl then I'd probably prefer the chicken bowl since it's the only one I can make.

[stupac2]

Why do people think WSU is good? They could easily lose out (though they probably beat Arizona and Cal I can't rule anything out with them). They almost certainly lose to Colorado and Washington.

Anyway, what difference does it make to us as fans? If we're not in a NY6 bowl then I'd probably prefer the chicken bowl since it's the only one I can make.

[BobK]

Way too early to decide this.  With a 9-3 record we go to an attractive Bowl. 

[BobK]

Way too early to decide this.  With a 9-3 record we go to an attractive Bowl. 

[Spiny_Norman]

It's probably premature to speculate on bowl options since Stanford could play in the Alamo Bowl or play in no bowl at all.

But it's not too early to remind people that finishing 5th does NOT mean that a school automatically goes to the bowl that matches Pac 12#5.  This means that the bowl gets the 5th choice among eligible Pac 12 teams.  They are NOT obligated to take the 5th place finisher.

Tbhe order in which the bowls will select Pac 12 schools:
#1 College Football Playoff or Rose Bowl
#2 The Alamo Bowl versus Big 12 #2
#3 The Holiday Bowl versus Big Ten
#4 The Foster Farms Bowl versus Big Ten
#5 The Sun Bowl versus ACC #3-6
#6 The Las Vegas Bowl versus Mountain West #1 or BYU
#7 The Cactus Bowl versus Big 12 #6

Edit - according to Jon Wilner, three of the bowls have selection flexibility.  Three do not.

The Alamo, Holiday and Foster Farms bowls have flexibility: They can pass one team in favor of another as long as there is no more than a one-game difference in conference record.

Example: The Holiday could take Team Y at 5-4 over Team Z at 6-3 … as long as there is no Team X at 7-2 available.

The Sun, Las Vegas and Cactus bowls must select from the remaining pool of teams in order of league record

[Spiny_Norman]

It's probably premature to speculate on bowl options since Stanford could play in the Alamo Bowl or play in no bowl at all.

But it's not too early to remind people that finishing 5th does NOT mean that a school automatically goes to the bowl that matches Pac 12#5.  This means that the bowl gets the 5th choice among eligible Pac 12 teams.  They are NOT obligated to take the 5th place finisher.

Tbhe order in which the bowls will select Pac 12 schools:
#1 College Football Playoff or Rose Bowl
#2 The Alamo Bowl versus Big 12 #2
#3 The Holiday Bowl versus Big Ten
#4 The Foster Farms Bowl versus Big Ten
#5 The Sun Bowl versus ACC #3-6
#6 The Las Vegas Bowl versus Mountain West #1 or BYU
#7 The Cactus Bowl versus Big 12 #6

Edit - according to Jon Wilner, three of the bowls have selection flexibility.  Three do not.

The Alamo, Holiday and Foster Farms bowls have flexibility: They can pass one team in favor of another as long as there is no more than a one-game difference in conference record.

Example: The Holiday could take Team Y at 5-4 over Team Z at 6-3 … as long as there is no Team X at 7-2 available.

The Sun, Las Vegas and Cactus bowls must select from the remaining pool of teams in order of league record

[French Rage]

Anyway, what difference does it make to us as fans? If we're not in a NY6 bowl then I'd probably prefer the chicken bowl since it's the only one I can make.

Same here.  If it's not a NY6 might as well be the one where I don't have to pay for airfare and hotel.  (I would still likely do it anyways even if we end up in another bowl, but all things the same it's nice to not need to.)  Plus a Big10 opponent isn't bad, I mean Maryland wasn't a marquee opponent but for the most part it's a conference with decent and recognizable names (a little ahead of ACC and Big12 in that aspect, much better than MW).

[French Rage]

Anyway, what difference does it make to us as fans? If we're not in a NY6 bowl then I'd probably prefer the chicken bowl since it's the only one I can make.

Same here.  If it's not a NY6 might as well be the one where I don't have to pay for airfare and hotel.  (I would still likely do it anyways even if we end up in another bowl, but all things the same it's nice to not need to.)  Plus a Big10 opponent isn't bad, I mean Maryland wasn't a marquee opponent but for the most part it's a conference with decent and recognizable names (a little ahead of ACC and Big12 in that aspect, much better than MW).

[CTcard]

Tbhe order in which the bowls will select Pac 12 schools:
#1 College Football Playoff or Rose Bowl
#2 The Alamo Bowl versus Big 12 #2
#3 The Holiday Bowl versus Big Ten
#4 The Foster Farms Bowl versus Big Ten
#5 The Sun Bowl versus ACC #3-6
#6 The Las Vegas Bowl versus Mountain West #1 or BYU
#7 The Cactus Bowl versus Big 12 #6

Probably worth a reminder that IF UW makes the four team playoff, then the Rose will choose another Pac 12 team and everybody moves up a slot.

My guess is we finish behind UW and WSU - both of whom currently have zero losses in Pac 12 play (though I agree that it wouldn't shock me if WSU loses three).

Colorado is currently next with one loss in conference play. They still have to play vs. UCLA, @UA, vs WSU, vs Utah. That's three home games which helps them, but I certainly could see them losing the last two.

Utah and U$C currently have two losses.
Utah plays @ASU, vs UO, @Colorado. They'll probably be favoured in two of three.

U$C plays vs UO, @UW, @UCLA. They'll be favoured in two of three.

Mathematically, it could work out that none of those teams end up with more than two conference losses, but that is obviously a very long shot.
My guess would be that three losses will mean a tie for either third or fourth among some number of teams.

[CTcard]

Tbhe order in which the bowls will select Pac 12 schools:
#1 College Football Playoff or Rose Bowl
#2 The Alamo Bowl versus Big 12 #2
#3 The Holiday Bowl versus Big Ten
#4 The Foster Farms Bowl versus Big Ten
#5 The Sun Bowl versus ACC #3-6
#6 The Las Vegas Bowl versus Mountain West #1 or BYU
#7 The Cactus Bowl versus Big 12 #6

Probably worth a reminder that IF UW makes the four team playoff, then the Rose will choose another Pac 12 team and everybody moves up a slot.

My guess is we finish behind UW and WSU - both of whom currently have zero losses in Pac 12 play (though I agree that it wouldn't shock me if WSU loses three).

Colorado is currently next with one loss in conference play. They still have to play vs. UCLA, @UA, vs WSU, vs Utah. That's three home games which helps them, but I certainly could see them losing the last two.

Utah and U$C currently have two losses.
Utah plays @ASU, vs UO, @Colorado. They'll probably be favoured in two of three.

U$C plays vs UO, @UW, @UCLA. They'll be favoured in two of three.

Mathematically, it could work out that none of those teams end up with more than two conference losses, but that is obviously a very long shot.
My guess would be that three losses will mean a tie for either third or fourth among some number of teams.

[oman]

Why do people think WSU is good?

[oman]

Why do people think WSU is good?

[BostonCard]

Lest anyone forget, we still have to beat 3 Pac-12 teams on our schedule.  And though we should be favored against all three of them, two of the games are on the road.  OSU is playing better than they have been in a while.  They strike me as last year's Colorado, giving a bunch of teams scares, and stealing one (from Cal).  Oregon might have a suspect defense, but they can still put points on the board and we are on the road.  Big Game is at Cal, and they will be psyched for the game.  Like Oregon, they can put points on the board

We will be favored in all three, but OSU will be the only one where we will be favored by over a TD.

BC

[BostonCard]

Lest anyone forget, we still have to beat 3 Pac-12 teams on our schedule.  And though we should be favored against all three of them, two of the games are on the road.  OSU is playing better than they have been in a while.  They strike me as last year's Colorado, giving a bunch of teams scares, and stealing one (from Cal).  Oregon might have a suspect defense, but they can still put points on the board and we are on the road.  Big Game is at Cal, and they will be psyched for the game.  Like Oregon, they can put points on the board

We will be favored in all three, but OSU will be the only one where we will be favored by over a TD.

BC

[ChicagoCard]

What's going on in that Mike Leach clip?

[ChicagoCard]

What's going on in that Mike Leach clip?

[oman]

I have no idea regarding the Leach clip.  Just very Leach. 

[oman]

I have no idea regarding the Leach clip.  Just very Leach. 

[fullmetal]

Leach ignoring a very animated assistant...can only mean good things for the opposing team.

[fullmetal]

Leach ignoring a very animated assistant...can only mean good things for the opposing team.

[CTcard]

What's going on in that Mike Leach clip?

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-s...19826.html

[CTcard]

What's going on in that Mike Leach clip?

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-s...19826.html

[oldalum]

Utah plays @ASU, vs UO, @Colorado. They'll probably be favoured in two of three.

U$C plays vs UO, @UW, @UCLA. They'll be favoured in two of three.

OT, but I enjoy the British flavour of your writing!

[oldalum]

Utah plays @ASU, vs UO, @Colorado. They'll probably be favoured in two of three.

U$C plays vs UO, @UW, @UCLA. They'll be favoured in two of three.

OT, but I enjoy the British flavour of your writing!

[Snorlax94]

Yeah I have been looking at the standings and remaining schedules and I don't see what the author could have meant, unless his definition of an "attractive" bowl game is very different than mine.

1) I was assuming that Washington goes to the cfp, which opens up a slot in the Rose Bowl.

2) Between Utah, Colorado and Washington State, I assume one of those teams backfills Washington in the Rose Bowl, probably whoever loses the Pac-12 Championship game. I think a Utah-Ohio State/Michigan game could be fun.

So I assumed *if* Stanford runs the table, a pretty good scenario would be the Holiday Bowl, which I think is a good bowl game, but I wouldn't say attractive. It has the benefit of being in San Diego, which is an attractive city to visit, in which case the author should have written "a bowl game located in an attractive city." And the Foster Farms Bowl has the benefit of being nearby.

After the Washington State loss, I was hoping for an outside shot at the Rose Bowl, but it feels  impossible with 3 conference losses. Even after the last win, Stanford doesn't crack either list for "others receiving votes," so it's hard to imagine Stanford getting ranked high enough to get an at-large birth to a NY6 bowl.

I suppose there is a theoretical blowup scenario where Washington wins out and goes to the cfp, and somehow Utah, Colorado and Washington State all end up with 4 losses and Stanford ends up the only remaining Pac-12 team besides Washington ranked at all.

It would involve something like UCLA and Utah beating Colorado, everybody beating Wasu, and Oregon beating Utah, followed by Washington destroying Utah 87-0 in the Pac 12 Championship Game. In this very unlikely scenario, a 25th-ranked Stanford could be the "best remaining" team in the Pac-12 and go to Pasadena. But even in my wildest, homer-est, most Kool-Aid-Drinking moments, I don't think that's gonna happen.

[Snorlax94]

Yeah I have been looking at the standings and remaining schedules and I don't see what the author could have meant, unless his definition of an "attractive" bowl game is very different than mine.

1) I was assuming that Washington goes to the cfp, which opens up a slot in the Rose Bowl.

2) Between Utah, Colorado and Washington State, I assume one of those teams backfills Washington in the Rose Bowl, probably whoever loses the Pac-12 Championship game. I think a Utah-Ohio State/Michigan game could be fun.

So I assumed *if* Stanford runs the table, a pretty good scenario would be the Holiday Bowl, which I think is a good bowl game, but I wouldn't say attractive. It has the benefit of being in San Diego, which is an attractive city to visit, in which case the author should have written "a bowl game located in an attractive city." And the Foster Farms Bowl has the benefit of being nearby.

After the Washington State loss, I was hoping for an outside shot at the Rose Bowl, but it feels  impossible with 3 conference losses. Even after the last win, Stanford doesn't crack either list for "others receiving votes," so it's hard to imagine Stanford getting ranked high enough to get an at-large birth to a NY6 bowl.

I suppose there is a theoretical blowup scenario where Washington wins out and goes to the cfp, and somehow Utah, Colorado and Washington State all end up with 4 losses and Stanford ends up the only remaining Pac-12 team besides Washington ranked at all.

It would involve something like UCLA and Utah beating Colorado, everybody beating Wasu, and Oregon beating Utah, followed by Washington destroying Utah 87-0 in the Pac 12 Championship Game. In this very unlikely scenario, a 25th-ranked Stanford could be the "best remaining" team in the Pac-12 and go to Pasadena. But even in my wildest, homer-est, most Kool-Aid-Drinking moments, I don't think that's gonna happen.

[BostonCard]

A reminder about how far that we've come that we are disappointed that we won't be going to an "attractive" bowl.  Remember how happy we were when we went to the Sun Bowl in Harbaugh's third year?  I guess it is all a matter of perspective.

As for me, fist of course, I am looking forward to becoming bowl eligible for the eighth consecutive year, hopefully this Saturday at home.

As to preferred destination, I wouldn't mind getting into the Holliday bowl in San Diego; my parents live there, and we have never been.

BC

[BostonCard]

A reminder about how far that we've come that we are disappointed that we won't be going to an "attractive" bowl.  Remember how happy we were when we went to the Sun Bowl in Harbaugh's third year?  I guess it is all a matter of perspective.

As for me, fist of course, I am looking forward to becoming bowl eligible for the eighth consecutive year, hopefully this Saturday at home.

As to preferred destination, I wouldn't mind getting into the Holliday bowl in San Diego; my parents live there, and we have never been.

BC

[dabigv13]

I would definitely go to the Holiday Bowl. Hard to get excited for most of the rest of the P12 bowl slate.

[dabigv13]

I would definitely go to the Holiday Bowl. Hard to get excited for most of the rest of the P12 bowl slate.

[JJJ]

Since I had trouble keeping all the dates of the various bowls straight, here's a link, if anyone is interested.

Las Vegas Bowl 12/17
Holiday Bowl and Cactus Bowl 12/27
Foster Farms Bowl 12/28
...to name a few.

http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/bowl_...edule.html

[JJJ]

Since I had trouble keeping all the dates of the various bowls straight, here's a link, if anyone is interested.

Las Vegas Bowl 12/17
Holiday Bowl and Cactus Bowl 12/27
Foster Farms Bowl 12/28
...to name a few.

http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/bowl_...edule.html

[French Rage]

Well I'm personally back east from the 23rd to 27th, so I guess that further impacts which ones I prefer.

[French Rage]

Well I'm personally back east from the 23rd to 27th, so I guess that further impacts which ones I prefer.

[dabigv13]

Las Vegas Bowl could be fun, but that's such an early start. We wouldn't get much of that late bowl game practice bonus, though I am a bit skeptical of whether that actually makes a difference in the following year.

[dabigv13]

Las Vegas Bowl could be fun, but that's such an early start. We wouldn't get much of that late bowl game practice bonus, though I am a bit skeptical of whether that actually makes a difference in the following year.

[winflop]

To answer the question in the thread - Holiday is a remote possibility, but more likely the Amazing Chicken Bowl on semi-home turf.

To get to the Holiday Bowl, Stanford and Washington need to run the table.  That puts UW in the CFP and leaves the Rose Bowl to pick another team. The Rose Bowl has an inherent bias toward picking Pac-12 and BigTen teams with open slots, but that second Pac-12 team would need to finish in the Top 14.  My guess here is Utah.  That puts the Cougs in the Alamo Bowl and the Holiday Bowl would then choose between Stanford & Colorado.  Buffs travel better, and they beat Stanford.

After my last non-NY6 bowl experience at Levi's I'll be passing on any bowl game Stanford goes to this year unless it's in a warmer, sunnier place than the Bay Area.

[winflop]

To answer the question in the thread - Holiday is a remote possibility, but more likely the Amazing Chicken Bowl on semi-home turf.

To get to the Holiday Bowl, Stanford and Washington need to run the table.  That puts UW in the CFP and leaves the Rose Bowl to pick another team. The Rose Bowl has an inherent bias toward picking Pac-12 and BigTen teams with open slots, but that second Pac-12 team would need to finish in the Top 14.  My guess here is Utah.  That puts the Cougs in the Alamo Bowl and the Holiday Bowl would then choose between Stanford & Colorado.  Buffs travel better, and they beat Stanford.

After my last non-NY6 bowl experience at Levi's I'll be passing on any bowl game Stanford goes to this year unless it's in a warmer, sunnier place than the Bay Area.