The Stanford Cardinal rallied from a season-opening loss against Northwestern to finish with a 10-2 record. The Cardinal play USC in the Pac-12 Championship game and they're favored by four. The Cardinal are essentially locked into a great bowl game and we're here to break down where Stanford will play in the postseason. With that in mind, here are Stanford's 3 Most Likely Bowl Destinations This Year:
Capital One Orange Bowl (Playoff Semifinal)
Thursday, December 31, 4:00 pm ET or 8:00 pm ET
Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida
Yes, I'm saying there's a chance. It's unlikely to happen, but there is a scenario in which Stanford gets into the College Football Playoff. It would require Clemson or Alabama (and possibly both) losing in their conference championship games. That probably won't happen, which narrows the possible bowl destinations down to two.
Valero Alamo Bowl (Big 12 vs. Pac-12)
Saturday, January 2, 6:45 pm ET
Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas
This is the most prestigious of the non-New Year's Six bowl games the Pac-12 is eligible for. It has second choice of Pac-12 teams and could pick Stanford. Oregon is a strong contender for this spot, but the Alamo Bowl would likely snatch up Stanford if it lose to USC. A Big 12 team awaits, and the Alamo Bowl gets first pick among teams that don't play in a New Year's Six game. Because of its location, TCU is likely the opponent for this game.
Rose Bowl (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)
Friday, January 1, 5:00 pm ET
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
It's simple: If Stanford beats USC, the Trojans are headed to the Rose Bow. It's an automatic bid and Stanford would love to close its season with a trip to Pasadena. Ohio State is the likely opponent, because the Buckeyes travel well and that's always good for tickets and ratings. It's not the College Football Playoff, but playing in "The Granddaddy of Them All" is quite the consolation prize.
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