As long as the Cardinal have Christian McCaffrey on the field, their attack should be just fine and another double-digit win season within reach. Stanford has the formula down pat, winning the Pac-12 title in three of the past four years. And in McCaffrey and coach David Shaw, the program boasts one of the country’s premier player-coach tandems. There are holes that need to be filled, particularly at quarterback. However Stanford has been down this road before.
Stanford Cardinal Regular Season Win Total Odds at BookMaker.eu
Cardinal Over 8.5 Wins +100
Cardinal Under 8.5 Wins -120
2015 STANFORD CARDINAL SEASON REVIEW
The Cardinal played one of the most challenging schedules in the nation and finished 12-2, including their third Pac-12 title in four years and a Rose Bowl win. Sure, there was some disappointment since they didn’t qualify for the College Football Playoff, though the dominant 45-16 win over Iowa suggest the Cardinal would have fit in quite nicely there.
But that shouldn’t take away from what this team accomplished. Behind efficient play from quarterback Kevin Hogan, McCaffrey’s historic year and fantastic offensive line play, the Cardinal averaged 41 points per game in conference play, successfully picking up the slack for a defense in rebuilding mode.
There was one hiccup, the season opening loss at Northwestern where the Cardinal managed just two field goals and 240 yards. But they were nearly unstoppable after that, even scoring 36 points in a shootout loss to Oregon.
WHAT CHANGED
Following Stanford’s Pac-12 championship game defeat of USC, Shaw told reporters Hogan belonged on a hypothetical “Mount Rushmore” of all-time great Cardinal quarterbacks. Considering Hogan led three conference championship teams and two Rose Bowl winners, the praise was warranted. Hogan leaves with a lofty standard for his replacement to meet.
The program faces its most uncertainty at the position since 2012. Keller Chryst and Ryan Burns will compete for that opportunity with just 10 career passing attempts between them. Chryst, a celebrated recruit when he arrived on The Farm, was the primary No. 2 on the depth chart a season ago.
2016 STANFORD CARDINAL REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
Sep. 2: vs. Kansas State
Sep. 17: vs. USC
Sep. 24: at UCLA
Sep. 30: at Washington
Oct. 8: vs. Washington State
Oct. 15: at Notre Dame
Oct. 22: vs. Colorado
Oct. 29: at Arizona
Nov. 5: vs. Oregon State
Nov. 12: at Oregon
Nov. 19: at California
Nov. 26: vs. Rice
2016 STANFORD CARDINAL SEASON PREVIEW
The Cardinal figure to ride McCaffrey and budding star Bryce Love behind fullback Daniel Marx and the new look offensive line, at least until the new quarterback settles in. Stanford has weapons, but containing McCaffrey and Love is going to be slightly easier if Hogan’s heir stumbles and the blockers are less assertive than in recent years.
With their Heisman Trophy runner-up still on the field, the Cardinal have the pieces to expand their trophy case. But Stanford embarks on its 2016 campaign with notable holes that need addressing. For the third year in a row, the defense is undergoing wholesale changes at every level, yet no one appears particularly worried by the prospect of inserting new starters into the lineup. However, few programs anywhere in college football have proven as adept at sustaining success as Stanford.
Stanford plays in one of the biggest games of Week 2 against USC, Week 3 at UCLA, and Week 4 at Washington on a Friday night. Those are three of the four best non-Stanford teams in the Pac-12. Two weeks later, Stanford heads to South Bend. A month later, the Cardinal play at Oregon.
With four road games against projected top-20 teams, Stanford will be able to get McCaffrey the attention he deserves for a run at the Heisman. But can they get the wins? It’s a schedule that says the Cardinal won’t top their projected win total. Don’t forget, it is Stanford, and all they do is win.
College Football Odds: Stanford Cardinal Over 8.5 Wins
Bookmaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling line action at Bookmaker sportsbook!
