If Stanford and Oregon were to meet in a bowl game, the Ducks probably would win comfortably. 

 On a neutral field with both teams having several weeks to prepare, Oregon would come out on top by, say, 33-14.   Oregon’s strong run defense would keep Stanford’s improving offense under control, and the speed and misdirection of the Ducks’ potent spread option attack would completely befuddle a struggling Stanford defense, whose biggest shortcoming — a lack of speed — would be all too noticeable against the Ducks.

The matchup of X’s and O’s is certainly not in the Cardinal’s favor.

Jim Harbaugh after Stanford's 2007 upset of USC -- Photo Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images

But college football is as much about emotion and focus as it is strategy, and all the intangibles line up in a nice little row for Stanford, which could not have asked for a better scenario.

First of all, the Ducks are coming off that emotion victory over USC, a game folks are still discussing and one that will be difficult for the Ducks to dismiss from their minds. 

“If you have the good fortune to beat USC, people want to talk about it all week,” said Oregon State head coach Mike Riley, who has beaten the Trojans twice.  “It’s always a little bit scary (for the next game).  I think it’s a trap.”

It is no coincidence that each of the last seven Pac-10 teams to beat USC has lost one of its next two games following the victory over the Trojans.

Second, Stanford is coming off a bye, and teams almost always play well when they have two weeks to rest and prepare.   Having a rested Toby Gerhart is particularly important, because he averages more carries per game than any player in the country and takes punishment on every run.

Third, Stanford has plenty of confidence.   It is coming off its best game of the year, a dominating win over Arizona State, and it was also the best game of the year for redshirt freshman quarterback Andrew Luck, who seems to be getting more comfortalbe every game.

Finally, the game is at Stanford.  The Cardinal is 4-0 at home this season and its only home loss the past two seasons came last year against USC.   The Ducks have won both their Pac-10 road games by comfortable margins, but defensive plays and special-teams plays at pivotal junctures made the games seem more lopsided than they really were.   The teams Oregon beat on the road — UCLA and Washington — are certainly not Pac-10 powerhouses, and we all remember what happened to Oregon in its only other road game, against Boise State.    Oregon is clearly better at home, where it can get its offensive rhythm going and where opposing teams have trouble running their offense because of the noise.

The Cardinal will not be intimidated under Jim Harbaugh, as it demonstrated in the stunning upset of USC in Los Angeles two years ago.

The icing on the cake would be if it rained, which would negate some of the Ducks’ advantage in speed.   Rain is not in the forecast, but the way things are falling into place for Stanford, don’t bet against a little precipitation hitting the field.