I wanted to put together a post to cover the different ways Stanford gets to Levi's Stadium. Hopefully this is helpful (The tl;dr version of this post is that the UW game is more important to win than the WSU game.)
Obviously sweeping the Washington schools is the best way to get in. Stanford can now actually clinch the North by winning their next three games (OSU, WSU, UW).
However, let's assume Stanford splits the Washington games, but the team they lose to also loses the Apple Cup (or another PAC game), creating a tie in the North. Here's how the PAC tiebreaker works:
If three or more teams are tied, the following tiebreakers are used to determine the division champion:
If Stanford loses to WSU but beats UW, and UW beats WSU in the Apple Cup, we'll see a three way tie for North champs. WSU will then be dropped because both of their losses were within the division, and Stanford would win the head-to-head with UW.
If Stanford beats WSU but loses to UW, it would take UW losing two more PAC games for Stanford to jump ahead. Given their soft schedule, I see that as very unlikely.
If you haven't already taken Friday, November 10th as a holiday (Veterans Day observed), do so now. The North champion will likely be decided that day.
USC seems like the likely South champ but don't count out the Arizona schools who both only have one conference loss.
Exciting times to be a Stanford football fan!!!
Obviously sweeping the Washington schools is the best way to get in. Stanford can now actually clinch the North by winning their next three games (OSU, WSU, UW).
However, let's assume Stanford splits the Washington games, but the team they lose to also loses the Apple Cup (or another PAC game), creating a tie in the North. Here's how the PAC tiebreaker works:
If three or more teams are tied, the following tiebreakers are used to determine the division champion:
- The following procedures will only be used to eliminate all but two teams, at which point the two-team tie-breaking procedure (head-to-head result) will be applied.
- Head-to-head (best record in games among the tied teams).
- Record in games played within the division.
- Record against the next highest placed team in the division (based on record in all Conference games, both divisional and cross-divisional), proceeding through the division.
- Record in common Conference games.
- Highest ranking in the SportSource Analytics poll entering the final weekend of the regular season.
If Stanford loses to WSU but beats UW, and UW beats WSU in the Apple Cup, we'll see a three way tie for North champs. WSU will then be dropped because both of their losses were within the division, and Stanford would win the head-to-head with UW.
If Stanford beats WSU but loses to UW, it would take UW losing two more PAC games for Stanford to jump ahead. Given their soft schedule, I see that as very unlikely.
If you haven't already taken Friday, November 10th as a holiday (Veterans Day observed), do so now. The North champion will likely be decided that day.
USC seems like the likely South champ but don't count out the Arizona schools who both only have one conference loss.
Exciting times to be a Stanford football fan!!!
