[Farm93]

That feels awfully high for a team with a brand-new coaching staff and 60% of a new offensive line. I'm in agreement with the camp that prefers it when Stanford comes in under the radar...

Stanford is the second most likely to win the Pac-12 conference based on the media poll.  The toughest opponent on the schedule, Oregon, plays AT Stanford where they were soundly beaten back in 2009.  The Pac-12 is the second best conference in the land and appears top heavy this year, which could lend itself to a winner take all style game at Stanford in November.  Some Vegas houses put the odds of Stanford winning it all at 16-1.  Those betting odds implied Stanford was/is solidly in the top 10.  And we know, there is very little Vegas money that blindly follows Stanford.

Unless Luck gets hurt, Stanford will be favored in every game before November.  Some preseason magazines have Stanford at #4 and ahead of Oregon.  So why not #6?

To me under the radar has translated into "no one in the stands" as there is no way Stanford fills the house without a touch of media hype and coverage.

Look at it this way.  There is probably not going to be another time in the next 10-20 years where Stanford will be on the radar.  We almost certainly will have ample opportunity to live the "Under the Radar" way in the years to come, so embrace the once in a generation+ opportunity to live the LSU, Oregon, Alabama, tOSU, Texas, Oklahoma style football hype.  It has not been the Stanford football way, but is the Stanford W Volleyball, Cross Country, Swimming & Tennis way.  Living with the expectations has turned out OK for all of them, so why not football?

Additionally #6 at the start greatly improves the odds of a BCS at-large invite at the end, and recruiting and TV possibilities throughout the season.  All good things.

Finally, spin it the other way.  Imagine Stanford was #24.  Every opponent on the schedule would still want to punish Luck, the #1 QB in the land and projected #1 draft pick.  The opponents  would also want to blast through the OL that plowed them with powered last year.

12-1 teams don't get to live under the radar the next year.

[Farm93]

That feels awfully high for a team with a brand-new coaching staff and 60% of a new offensive line. I'm in agreement with the camp that prefers it when Stanford comes in under the radar...

Stanford is the second most likely to win the Pac-12 conference based on the media poll.  The toughest opponent on the schedule, Oregon, plays AT Stanford where they were soundly beaten back in 2009.  The Pac-12 is the second best conference in the land and appears top heavy this year, which could lend itself to a winner take all style game at Stanford in November.  Some Vegas houses put the odds of Stanford winning it all at 16-1.  Those betting odds implied Stanford was/is solidly in the top 10.  And we know, there is very little Vegas money that blindly follows Stanford.

Unless Luck gets hurt, Stanford will be favored in every game before November.  Some preseason magazines have Stanford at #4 and ahead of Oregon.  So why not #6?

To me under the radar has translated into "no one in the stands" as there is no way Stanford fills the house without a touch of media hype and coverage.

Look at it this way.  There is probably not going to be another time in the next 10-20 years where Stanford will be on the radar.  We almost certainly will have ample opportunity to live the "Under the Radar" way in the years to come, so embrace the once in a generation+ opportunity to live the LSU, Oregon, Alabama, tOSU, Texas, Oklahoma style football hype.  It has not been the Stanford football way, but is the Stanford W Volleyball, Cross Country, Swimming & Tennis way.  Living with the expectations has turned out OK for all of them, so why not football?

Additionally #6 at the start greatly improves the odds of a BCS at-large invite at the end, and recruiting and TV possibilities throughout the season.  All good things.

Finally, spin it the other way.  Imagine Stanford was #24.  Every opponent on the schedule would still want to punish Luck, the #1 QB in the land and projected #1 draft pick.  The opponents  would also want to blast through the OL that plowed them with powered last year.

12-1 teams don't get to live under the radar the next year.