The usual fun article Hank.
One big question for Stanford next year is how difficult will the schedule really be.
The arguments that it will be incredibly tough are well known, and pretty much covered by Hank.
There are some counter trends however ...
- It is unclear just how good some of Stanford's opponents will really be; there seem to be a particularly large number of teams with potential to be considerably better or worse than expected.
Northwestern: In recent times always at least a pretty good team and there is some chance they'll be particularly good this year. They won the Big Ten West last year, finished the season off with a bowl game victory over Utah, and have a previously very highly rated HS QB coming on line. On the other hand, computer based rankings systems almost universally said NWU was lucky last year with rankings from #32 (Sagarin) to #68 (Connelly's S&P+), they have to replace their NFL-level QB (drafted by Eagles), their top WR, 3/5 OL, and I think 5 starters on defense. Where does that all end up - and by the first game?
UCF. In their case, there's no real question that they were very good the past two years - with perhaps some quibble about exactly how good. However, there appears to be a ton of turnover including QB and much of their two-deep on defense - particularly up the middle. But they'll still be very fast with a lot of good skill players. Whatever happens to UCF, I hate our chances here; we seem to rarely play well east of the Mississippi.
U$C. Projections for $C are all over the map. As Hank notes $C always has a ton of raw talent. This year they won't have to play a true frosh QB. But they were only 5-7 last year, are retooling their offense, and lose quite a bit on defense back 7 (though does that matter at $C?).
WSU. They seem to be picked to be worse this coming season by most. They return a lot, but will be trying to break in a new QB (another grad transfer - this one with a history of injuries) in a QB dependent system. If it works as well they could be very good.
- Other schedule dynamics.
Conference misses: Stanford misses Utah and ASU from the south. Utah is the south favorite. ASU I have seen projected from 2nd to 5th. Probably good teams to miss.
Home/away: As always, the odd-year schedule features many of the better teams at home: NWU, Oregon, UW, cal, und.
Breaks: A pseudo-bye (with following Thursday game) and a real bye. A little close together, but well placed: after game #6 and game #8.
Another year with a front-heavy schedule could mean the national media forgets us despite again finishing with at least a pretty good record.
One big question for Stanford next year is how difficult will the schedule really be.
The arguments that it will be incredibly tough are well known, and pretty much covered by Hank.
There are some counter trends however ...
- It is unclear just how good some of Stanford's opponents will really be; there seem to be a particularly large number of teams with potential to be considerably better or worse than expected.
Northwestern: In recent times always at least a pretty good team and there is some chance they'll be particularly good this year. They won the Big Ten West last year, finished the season off with a bowl game victory over Utah, and have a previously very highly rated HS QB coming on line. On the other hand, computer based rankings systems almost universally said NWU was lucky last year with rankings from #32 (Sagarin) to #68 (Connelly's S&P+), they have to replace their NFL-level QB (drafted by Eagles), their top WR, 3/5 OL, and I think 5 starters on defense. Where does that all end up - and by the first game?
UCF. In their case, there's no real question that they were very good the past two years - with perhaps some quibble about exactly how good. However, there appears to be a ton of turnover including QB and much of their two-deep on defense - particularly up the middle. But they'll still be very fast with a lot of good skill players. Whatever happens to UCF, I hate our chances here; we seem to rarely play well east of the Mississippi.
U$C. Projections for $C are all over the map. As Hank notes $C always has a ton of raw talent. This year they won't have to play a true frosh QB. But they were only 5-7 last year, are retooling their offense, and lose quite a bit on defense back 7 (though does that matter at $C?).
WSU. They seem to be picked to be worse this coming season by most. They return a lot, but will be trying to break in a new QB (another grad transfer - this one with a history of injuries) in a QB dependent system. If it works as well they could be very good.
- Other schedule dynamics.
Conference misses: Stanford misses Utah and ASU from the south. Utah is the south favorite. ASU I have seen projected from 2nd to 5th. Probably good teams to miss.
Home/away: As always, the odd-year schedule features many of the better teams at home: NWU, Oregon, UW, cal, und.
Breaks: A pseudo-bye (with following Thursday game) and a real bye. A little close together, but well placed: after game #6 and game #8.
Another year with a front-heavy schedule could mean the national media forgets us despite again finishing with at least a pretty good record.