Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Stanford Cardinal vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys
January 2, 8:30 p.m.
University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, AZ)
Website: http://www.fiestabowl.org/
TV: ABC
Line: Oklahoma State -4
Call this one the “Snubbed Bowl.” Or “The Almost, But Not Quite Enough Affair.” Or maybe even the, “Too Bad We’re Not From The SEC, Because Maybe If We Were, We’d Be In New Orleans, Showdown.” Or something.
All (very) bad jokes aside, this one needs no hype. The two teams with the best seasons that aren’t playing in New Orleans will get together in this one, with no Crystal Ball, but a lot of pride on the line.
It’ll be Stanford vs. Oklahoma State for all the Tostitos. Who’s your pick?
Making This All Possible:
The Fiesta Bowl is of course brought to you by your favorite brand of tortilla corn chip, Tostitos. The company was started in 1979, and has been the title sponsor of this game since 1996.
And to quote Forrest Gump, “That’s all I really have to say about that.”
Getting To Know: Stanford
To “know” Stanford is to know their quarterback Andrew Luck. You’ve heard of him, right?
Well, the second-place finisher in this year’s Heisman Trophy ceremony leads his team to their second straight BCS bowl affair, where he’ll look to (presumably) end his career as one of the top quarterbacks in Pac-12 history. As a draft eligible redshirt junior, Luck has unofficially announced that this will be his last game in a Stanford uniform, and if he wins this game, would have closed out his career by going an almost unbelievable 24-2 over his final two college seasons.
Had it not been for the Chip Kelly express up in Eugene, it’s very conceivable that the Cardinal would be preparing for their second straight BCS title game right now. If that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about Luck’s greatness, nothing will.
Get To Know: Oklahoma State
And on the other sideline will be the fast-paced, high-scoring attack of Mike Gundy and the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
By now you probably already know their story, so we won’t waste much time repeating it here. Just know that like Stanford, the Cowboys were one bad night away from being undefeated, and headed to New Orleans to take on LSU.
Instead they’re relegated to Glendale, where the question has to be asked: What will their mindset be coming into this game?
You Should Know:
Defense will likely be optional in this one. These two teams combined for over 100 points, and 1,000 yards per game this season, numbers that are simply staggering (well, except to Baylor and Washington fans of course).
We suspect that the busiest man in the stadium Monday night will be the scoreboard operator.
If You’re Going To The Game:
If you’ve never been to Glendale, be warned: There’s next to nothing at, or around the stadium. University of Phoenix Stadium is literally in the middle of the desert.
However, if you are making the trip, Westgate City Center is not far from the stadium, and is simply one of the finest outdoor malls anywhere in America. There, you can grab a bite at any number of prime outdoor dining locations, shop, or even catch an NHL game. That’s right, Jobing.Com Arena (don’t ask me who named that place!), is home to the Phoenix Coyotes and right inside that plaza.
If You’re Watching Home:
Hell, let’s make a gratuitous plug for our title sponsor Tostitos, since we all know damn well that Tostitos are a fantastic football snack. My suggestion is to sprinkle some shredded cheese over those nacho chips, pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds, and then dip them in some Tostitos salsa. Mmmm Tostitos salsa goodness…
That New Year’s Resolution can wait one more day, right?
Prediction:
Oklahoma State got all the hype the final few weeks of the season and deservedly so, but for some strange reason I like Stanford here.
Now healthy for the first time in a long time, expect that big, bruising Stanford offensive line to wear down a Pokes defense that allowed 445 yards per game, and ranked 106th nationally. Even the Pokes greatest strength- forcing turnovers- shouldn’t be much of an issue here, since the Cardinal barely turn the ball over (ranked No. 26 nationally in turnover margin).
Luck will finish his college a career a win in Glendale.
For all his opinion, insights and articles on college football, be sure to follow Aaron Torres on Twitter @Aaron_Torres.
