[Roberton3]

[quote author=JPRI link=topic=8687.msg72743#msg72743 date=1382882504]
So other than perhaps our game with them last year, I'm not sure where you get the notion that they struggle against good teams that can go toe to toe with them in the trenches, unless you concede that there are only a few teams in the country capable of doing that.

Exactly right.  The ducks have a very good o-line, excellent execution, and athletes to spare to make you pay for any mistake. Add that to a very underrated defense and they're tough to beat. I agree that there are very few teams that can control the line of scrimmage sufficiently to contain Oregon.  We did last year.  LSU did. Alabama could. Low APR U did a few years back. Nick fairly did almost single-handedly at Auburn.  It takes a pretty elite front 7.  We have that when healthy, the question is do we still without henry anderson and ben gardner.
[/quote]

This is right on the nose.  Oregon's offense has really struggled against teams with great front 7s, and the defensive line seems to be particularly important.  They haven't faced a team like that yet this year (UCLA is the closest, with top-notch linebackers, but their d-line isn't at the same level).  But given the injuries, it's not clear how good Stanford's d-line is right now.

[Roberton3]

[quote author=JPRI link=topic=8687.msg72743#msg72743 date=1382882504]
So other than perhaps our game with them last year, I'm not sure where you get the notion that they struggle against good teams that can go toe to toe with them in the trenches, unless you concede that there are only a few teams in the country capable of doing that.

Exactly right.  The ducks have a very good o-line, excellent execution, and athletes to spare to make you pay for any mistake. Add that to a very underrated defense and they're tough to beat. I agree that there are very few teams that can control the line of scrimmage sufficiently to contain Oregon.  We did last year.  LSU did. Alabama could. Low APR U did a few years back. Nick fairly did almost single-handedly at Auburn.  It takes a pretty elite front 7.  We have that when healthy, the question is do we still without henry anderson and ben gardner.
[/quote]

This is right on the nose.  Oregon's offense has really struggled against teams with great front 7s, and the defensive line seems to be particularly important.  They haven't faced a team like that yet this year (UCLA is the closest, with top-notch linebackers, but their d-line isn't at the same level).  But given the injuries, it's not clear how good Stanford's d-line is right now.