[BostonCard]

Now that we are down to 9 days until kickoff, it is time to kick off our annual prediction thread.

So, who do you think will win the Stanford - Kansas State game next Friday?

Contest rules:

• No purchase necessary
  
• Void where prohibited by law
  
• If you are unhappy with how this is run, we offer a money-back guarantee, and an opportunity to run it yourself however you see fit
  

OK, really (some minor tweaks)...

• Guess the winner and score; deadline is Friday at 5 pm Pacific
  
• Ranking is determined by picking the correct team, and how close you are to both the average score and the score differential*.
  
• Points are determined by how many people you out-predict, so if 5 players enter the week's contest, and you are closest to the correct score you get 4 points; thus weeks where more people make predictions are worth more.
  
• Points are added throughout the season.
  
• Season winner gets some nice words of congratulations.
  

* This is a bit new this year, and means that someone who picks the correct team, but totally messes up the score (for example, guessing 52-30 when the score ends up being 7-3) still ranks higher than someone who picks the wrong team but is close on the score (for example, guessing 7-10).  To figure out how off someone is from the true score, I calculate the difference between the predicted and actual score spreads (so, the aforementioned 52-30 results in a predicted differential of 22 versus an actual differential of 4, for a difference of 18).  To that, I add the difference between the predicted and actual mean score (so 52-30 results in a mean score of 41 versus an actual mean of 5, for a difference of 36).  That results in a difference in spread plus difference in means of 54.

[BostonCard]

Now that we are down to 9 days until kickoff, it is time to kick off our annual prediction thread.

So, who do you think will win the Stanford - Kansas State game next Friday?

Contest rules:

• No purchase necessary
  
• Void where prohibited by law
  
• If you are unhappy with how this is run, we offer a money-back guarantee, and an opportunity to run it yourself however you see fit
  

OK, really (some minor tweaks)...

• Guess the winner and score; deadline is Friday at 5 pm Pacific
  
• Ranking is determined by picking the correct team, and how close you are to both the average score and the score differential*.
  
• Points are determined by how many people you out-predict, so if 5 players enter the week's contest, and you are closest to the correct score you get 4 points; thus weeks where more people make predictions are worth more.
  
• Points are added throughout the season.
  
• Season winner gets some nice words of congratulations.
  

* This is a bit new this year, and means that someone who picks the correct team, but totally messes up the score (for example, guessing 52-30 when the score ends up being 7-3) still ranks higher than someone who picks the wrong team but is close on the score (for example, guessing 7-10).  To figure out how off someone is from the true score, I calculate the difference between the predicted and actual score spreads (so, the aforementioned 52-30 results in a predicted differential of 22 versus an actual differential of 4, for a difference of 18).  To that, I add the difference between the predicted and actual mean score (so 52-30 results in a mean score of 41 versus an actual mean of 5, for a difference of 36).  That results in a difference in spread plus difference in means of 54.

[BostonCard]

We start slow but win easily in the end... Stanford 28-10

[BostonCard]

We start slow but win easily in the end... Stanford 28-10

[82lsju]

we win but don't show much on offense, "saving" the good stuff for the USC game

24-10

[82lsju]

we win but don't show much on offense, "saving" the good stuff for the USC game

24-10

[paloalto]

New quarterback, possibly an interception or two.  I predict Stanford 24-17.

[paloalto]

New quarterback, possibly an interception or two.  I predict Stanford 24-17.

[washingtonismoney]

30-17. Touchdowns will be from Love (on a long gainer) and Schultz (in red zone), among other.

[washingtonismoney]

30-17. Touchdowns will be from Love (on a long gainer) and Schultz (in red zone), among other.

[BostonCard]

One add, we usually try to include bloggers such as Wilner or the ESPN bloggers plus Hank's opponent's prediction.  If you see such a prediction in the wild, please link or post here.

BC

[BostonCard]

One add, we usually try to include bloggers such as Wilner or the ESPN bloggers plus Hank's opponent's prediction.  If you see such a prediction in the wild, please link or post here.

BC

[SeattleTree]

Mainly because I want to see the streak kept alive, 31-17 Trees.

[SeattleTree]

Mainly because I want to see the streak kept alive, 31-17 Trees.

[winflop]

Red Flames 34
Purple Ponies 24

Channeling my days as an AYSO parent.

[winflop]

Red Flames 34
Purple Ponies 24

Channeling my days as an AYSO parent.

[JJJ]

I arrived at my guess before SeattleTree posted his but the results are the same. 31-17 (I, too want the streak to remain alive.)
We score 4 TDs (McLovin account for at least 2) and a FG.

[JJJ]

I arrived at my guess before SeattleTree posted his but the results are the same. 31-17 (I, too want the streak to remain alive.)
We score 4 TDs (McLovin account for at least 2) and a FG.

[CompSci87]

Flora 30
Fauna 10

[CompSci87]

Flora 30
Fauna 10

[CTcard]

* This is a bit new this year, and means that someone who picks the correct team, but totally messes up the score (for example, guessing 52-30 when the score ends up being 7-3) still ranks higher than someone who picks the wrong team but is close on the score (for example, guessing 7-10).  To figure out how off someone is from the true score, I calculate the difference between the predicted and actual score spreads (so, the aforementioned 52-30 results in a predicted differential of 22 versus an actual differential of 4, for a difference of 18).  To that, I add the difference between the predicted and actual mean score (so 52-30 results in a mean score of 41 versus an actual mean of 5, for a difference of 36).  That results in a difference in spread plus difference in means of 54.

Sorry to cause trouble, but I don't quite understand how this works.

I get the calculation of a score of 54 for the person who guess 52-30 with the correct winner. But how does this system make sure that someone who picks the wrong team at 7-10 comes in behind the former?

Is it merely that all the people with the wrong winner fall in a separate category that rank behind all the people with the right winner?

[CTcard]

* This is a bit new this year, and means that someone who picks the correct team, but totally messes up the score (for example, guessing 52-30 when the score ends up being 7-3) still ranks higher than someone who picks the wrong team but is close on the score (for example, guessing 7-10).  To figure out how off someone is from the true score, I calculate the difference between the predicted and actual score spreads (so, the aforementioned 52-30 results in a predicted differential of 22 versus an actual differential of 4, for a difference of 18).  To that, I add the difference between the predicted and actual mean score (so 52-30 results in a mean score of 41 versus an actual mean of 5, for a difference of 36).  That results in a difference in spread plus difference in means of 54.

Sorry to cause trouble, but I don't quite understand how this works.

I get the calculation of a score of 54 for the person who guess 52-30 with the correct winner. But how does this system make sure that someone who picks the wrong team at 7-10 comes in behind the former?

Is it merely that all the people with the wrong winner fall in a separate category that rank behind all the people with the right winner?

[fullmetal]

Trees 23
Cats 13 9

I see a bit of an offensive learning curve as well as Shaw playing the offensive cards close to his chest again with a tough gauntlet of games coming up.  The defense steps up and holds the Wildcats to a single TD and two FGs.  Actually I'm not sure the defense gives up a TD.  Might hold them to 6-9 pts.  Perhaps the team defense will co-star with CMac.

[fullmetal]

Trees 23
Cats 13 9

I see a bit of an offensive learning curve as well as Shaw playing the offensive cards close to his chest again with a tough gauntlet of games coming up.  The defense steps up and holds the Wildcats to a single TD and two FGs.  Actually I'm not sure the defense gives up a TD.  Might hold them to 6-9 pts.  Perhaps the team defense will co-star with CMac.

[FarmBoy]

How about including the score implied by the vegas line 24 hours before kick off as well? Like, right now the consensus is about Stanford by 16 with a 55 O/U, impliying a score of 35.5-19.5 in favor of Stanford.

As for me, I'll go with 31-20.

[FarmBoy]

How about including the score implied by the vegas line 24 hours before kick off as well? Like, right now the consensus is about Stanford by 16 with a 55 O/U, impliying a score of 35.5-19.5 in favor of Stanford.

As for me, I'll go with 31-20.

[TreesAndBirds]

The school with the band that gave Iowa a cow.                                      27

The school with the band that rammed a Jayhawk with a.....starship (?).  10

[TreesAndBirds]

The school with the band that gave Iowa a cow.                                      27

The school with the band that rammed a Jayhawk with a.....starship (?).  10

[pcgoode]

34 - 17 for Stanford. Cardinal special teams or defense comes up with a very big play to set up or score a TD.

[pcgoode]

34 - 17 for Stanford. Cardinal special teams or defense comes up with a very big play to set up or score a TD.

[indiancardinal]

Stanford    30
Kansas St    07

Our D scores at least once this game.

[indiancardinal]

Stanford    30
Kansas St    07

Our D scores at least once this game.

[Durty Nelly]

SU    34
KSU  17

[Durty Nelly]

SU    34
KSU  17

[Hulk01]

34-10.  Stanford's pressure from its front seven and special teams play among the big stories, partly because explosive plays by Mac and Love have become less of a story with time.

Irwin, Love, Mac and Schultz with TDs. 

Red zone needs some work but not too discouraging for game one.

[Hulk01]

34-10.  Stanford's pressure from its front seven and special teams play among the big stories, partly because explosive plays by Mac and Love have become less of a story with time.

Irwin, Love, Mac and Schultz with TDs. 

Red zone needs some work but not too discouraging for game one.

[2 for 2028]

Stanford 34
KSU  13

I think we are up big at half time and then coast.

[2 for 2028]

Stanford 34
KSU  13

I think we are up big at half time and then coast.

[Hulk01]

Many of our fans fear our offense is overcomplicated, and puts too many demands on a young quarterback.

It does the same thing for an opposing defense.  That will be even more the case here, where K State hasn't seen Burns or Chryst, and has seen only small samples of Love and Irwin.  The multiple formations alone will cause some confusion for their defense.

And the Big 12 doesn't prepare a defense well for big bodies coming at you from multiple angles, while our defense has seen a lot of what K State does on offense. 

Lots of things to favor us, including the encouragement of home fans and not having to travel two time zones.

[Hulk01]

Many of our fans fear our offense is overcomplicated, and puts too many demands on a young quarterback.

It does the same thing for an opposing defense.  That will be even more the case here, where K State hasn't seen Burns or Chryst, and has seen only small samples of Love and Irwin.  The multiple formations alone will cause some confusion for their defense.

And the Big 12 doesn't prepare a defense well for big bodies coming at you from multiple angles, while our defense has seen a lot of what K State does on offense. 

Lots of things to favor us, including the encouragement of home fans and not having to travel two time zones.