The Oregon Ducks don't really know how they're going to get back to the BCS National Championship game, but it's clear that they're going to need a lot of help to get there.
Oregon can do a lot for their cause by beating the Stanford Cardinal; a loss eliminates them from contention. If they win though, Oregon immediately jumps near the top of the list of one-loss contenders, likely passing Oklahoma (who had a much more embarrassing loss to Texas Tech than Oregon's loss to LSU) in the standings.
Brad Edwards, BCS expert at ESPN, breaks down the scenarios that could return Oregon to their second straight title game.
Argument for: After losing their opener, the Ducks can close the season on a 12-game winning streak, with their only loss having come against the nation's No. 1 team on a neutral field.
Argument against: If LSU is undefeated and sitting at No. 1 in the BCS standings, putting Oregon at No. 2 would create a rematch of a regular-season game. And if Alabama also finishes with one loss, there would be another rematch candidate that had a more competitive game with LSU.
Ideal scenario: Oklahoma State loses to Texas Tech then beats Oklahoma; Alabama loses to Auburn. It's hard to say whether Oregon would also need Boise State to lose, but it couldn't hurt.
So a lot has to fall in the cards for Oregon to get to New Orleans, but all of it is within reach even if a lot needs to slide their way. If the teams above Oregon get upset (and there are plenty of upset games ahead), then chaos reigns, and Oregon can likely sneak in if they win out. A 12-1 Ducks team with only one loss to the number one team in the coutnry will be pretty hard to beat in the rankings.
For more on Oregon football, head on over to Addicted to Quack.