08-04-2012, 08:37 PM
Yikes, I guess I've been exposed as the board pessimist. It is wonderful that Stanford football has come so far, that my vote is currently the lowest and yet I'm still picking the team to be bowl eligible. I thought there'd be a couple of votes in the 6-7 range, but seeing as how there aren't so far, I want to downvote myself.Â
Maybe there's too much Buddy & Wlat baggage in my system, but key personnel losses have me concerned. As far as the games themselves, here's where I think the losses will come.
1) USC -- if this game were later in the season then I think we'd get them given some of their depth concerns. But early in the season, they will almost certainly be at full strength. Also for whatever reason we seem to play them better in LA.
2) Oregon -- It's just such a bad matchup for us.
3) Washington -- It wasn't so long ago that we couldn't win in Seattle. This will be the first start for our QB in a hostile environment and I don't know if David Shaw can get the team as fired up to beat their coaching staff as Harbaugh used to.
4) C.al -- They'll have their stadium back and despite recent history I still fear Jeff Tedford. Plus now that we have the early season game, it won't be one where the players have imploded and given up on the season.
5) ND and/or UCLA/UA/WSU -- Both games will be away. After so many years of being a one-sided rivalry, we've finally started to give ND fits on the field and on the recruiting trail. I feel like they'll be up for this game. 3 new coaches and systems, I'm thinking one of them manages to get us.
I really really hope I'm wrong. Please downvote me -- I deserve it.
Maybe there's too much Buddy & Wlat baggage in my system, but key personnel losses have me concerned. As far as the games themselves, here's where I think the losses will come.
1) USC -- if this game were later in the season then I think we'd get them given some of their depth concerns. But early in the season, they will almost certainly be at full strength. Also for whatever reason we seem to play them better in LA.
2) Oregon -- It's just such a bad matchup for us.
3) Washington -- It wasn't so long ago that we couldn't win in Seattle. This will be the first start for our QB in a hostile environment and I don't know if David Shaw can get the team as fired up to beat their coaching staff as Harbaugh used to.
4) C.al -- They'll have their stadium back and despite recent history I still fear Jeff Tedford. Plus now that we have the early season game, it won't be one where the players have imploded and given up on the season.
5) ND and/or UCLA/UA/WSU -- Both games will be away. After so many years of being a one-sided rivalry, we've finally started to give ND fits on the field and on the recruiting trail. I feel like they'll be up for this game. 3 new coaches and systems, I'm thinking one of them manages to get us.
I really really hope I'm wrong. Please downvote me -- I deserve it.