[JeffInCorvallis]

This year the difficult schedule may work for us.  We should be favored in most games, but it won't shock me if we drop one or even two games in what will be one of the most difficult schedules in the country.  If you believe that a new chapter is being written in Stanford history and we'll contend for the conference championship every year then you should be happy with this arrangement.  I'm not saying it won't happen, but I've suffered through enough crappy seasons that I know it's not a given.  If we revert back to being an average (or worse) team this schedule will get painful.  Pac-12 North could be the toughest division in college football this year.  And that's with Washington State in the mix.  Oregon thinks they will content for the NC every year.  Now that Chip has left we'll see what happens, but there's no reason to think that there's a severe drop-off in their future.  Washington won't stay down for long, they are a sleeping giant.  OSU and the people across the Bay are going to have their good seasons.  That leaves only WSU as a potential doormat and they can't afford to stay there for long.  UCLA now has a real coach and I expect them to do quite well, they have a ton of talent along with their cross-town rivals who now have a joke of a coach but remain highly talented.  Add a rejuvenated ND and even a SJS squad showing signs of life and you've got the makings of a very, very tough schedule.  Season after season.

I hope we know what we're asking for.

[JeffInCorvallis]

This year the difficult schedule may work for us.  We should be favored in most games, but it won't shock me if we drop one or even two games in what will be one of the most difficult schedules in the country.  If you believe that a new chapter is being written in Stanford history and we'll contend for the conference championship every year then you should be happy with this arrangement.  I'm not saying it won't happen, but I've suffered through enough crappy seasons that I know it's not a given.  If we revert back to being an average (or worse) team this schedule will get painful.  Pac-12 North could be the toughest division in college football this year.  And that's with Washington State in the mix.  Oregon thinks they will content for the NC every year.  Now that Chip has left we'll see what happens, but there's no reason to think that there's a severe drop-off in their future.  Washington won't stay down for long, they are a sleeping giant.  OSU and the people across the Bay are going to have their good seasons.  That leaves only WSU as a potential doormat and they can't afford to stay there for long.  UCLA now has a real coach and I expect them to do quite well, they have a ton of talent along with their cross-town rivals who now have a joke of a coach but remain highly talented.  Add a rejuvenated ND and even a SJS squad showing signs of life and you've got the makings of a very, very tough schedule.  Season after season.

I hope we know what we're asking for.