Stanford Football

Stanford head coach David Shaw offered his thoughts on the College Football Playoff selection process Tuesday on the Pac-12 coaches teleconference call. 

One of Shaw's suggestions included a universal conference scheduling model. 

"If we all play eight conference games or we all play nine conference games...we have to have as much empirical data as possible," he said. 

Automatic-qualifying conferences the Pac-12 and Big 12 plays nine conference games. The Big Ten is adopting a similar schedule beginning in 2016.

The other two from the "Group of Five" with priority access to College Football Playoff berths, the ACC and SEC, play eight games. 

The SEC could move to the nine-game format, but nothing has been finalized. 

Shaw also offered a defense of one prominent members of the inaugural selection committee. 

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is one of two panelists expected to be formally introduced Wednesday with ties to Stanford. The other is one-time Cardinal head coach Ty Willingham. 

"Those are very good selections," Shaw said. "You’re talking about two of the most objective people you’ll find." 

Rice's rumored selection has generated heated opposition from critics who object to her lack of formal college football experience, including from ESPN analyst David Pollack. 

Shaw dismissed such notions of Rice's credentials. 

"Anybody who thinks Condoleezza doesn’t know football needs to sit down and talk to her for 10 minutes," he said. 

Marcus Mariota Is Finally Intercepted 

Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota has navigated through half of the 2013 schedule with 17 passing touchdowns and zero interceptions. 

His last interception in a game was Nov. 17 against Stanford. That makes Mariota's run of games without a pick as long as his streak of appearances with at least one rushing and passing touchdown: Eight. 

Mariota hasn't been so fortunate against an Oregon defense that led the nation in interceptions a season ago and has again this year.

"He had one in practice today," Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich said on Tuesday's teleconference.

"We promptly cut him," he added with a laugh.

Mariota is racing ahead in early Heisman contention, but Helfrich dismissed the importance of campaigning for his quarterback to win the award.

"The best thing anybody can do is play well as a team. All those kind of accolades and honors comes as a result of that," he said. "Our best service to him and to our team is to prepare."

The Man Behind the Outstanding UCLA Linebacker Corps 

A tweet referring to UCLA as "Linebacker U" last June raised eyebrows. 

Veterans Anthony Barr, Jordan Zumwalt and Eric Kendricks have acquitted the unit nicely, and true freshman Myles Jack is establishing himself as one of the most exciting defenders in the Pac-12. 

The "U," however, stands for Ulbrich—as in linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich. 

"[UCLA linebackers] love him and trust him," head coach Jim Mora said of Ulbrich on Tuesday's conference call. 

Mora said he saw Ulbrich's potential to be a special coach when Mora was defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers, where Ulbrich played for 10 years. 

"He’s able to give these guys tips and clues they wouldn’t be able to get from somebody that didn’t play the position [and] he's been able to give our players a road map for success," Mora said. "They’ve taken it hook, line and sinker." 

And how. UCLA ranks No. 25 nationally in rushing yards allowed per attempt at just 3.4. Barr is solidifying himself as one of college football's premier defensive players with four sacks and 10 tackles for loss. 

Kyle Kensing is the Pac-12 Lead Writer for B/R. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Follow Kyle on Twitter: @kensing45.  

The selection process for the BCS Championship game two seasons ago proved that the strength of a team's loss matters as much as its wins. For the Stanford Cardinal, that could be a high hurdle between them and their title hopes. 

Oklahoma State beat four teams ranked at the time it played them in the regular season, and three teams that finished ranked 16th or better. 

However, a loss to .500 Iowa State kept the Cowboys out of the title game. Alabama beat three teams that were ranked. Only one, Arkansas, finished in the polls by season's end. 

The Crimson Tide's one defeat was to the No. 1 team in the country, LSU. The strength of its loss trumped the more impressive list of wins Oklahoma State accrued. 

Stanford already has two impressive wins, beating Arizona State and Washington, and has the potential for more.

However, how Utah finishes is as important as the strength of its remaining schedule. And the Cardinal's remaining schedule is treacherous.

The Cardinal must run the rest of the table to play for the BCS Championship. That includes several more dates against ranked competition, starting Saturday with No. 9 UCLA.

Of course, the Nov. 7 showdown with second-ranked Oregon still looms large, but another potentially high-profile matchup occurs two weeks earlier. lA win over Cal on Saturday likely propels Oregon State into the Top 25 leading up to its Oct. 26 contest against the Cardinal. 

Combined with a hypothetical Pac-12 championship, that translates to strong national title credentials for the Cardinal. But would that be enough to trump another one-loss team from another conference? 

Precedent suggests a one-loss SEC team is at the front of the line for a BCS title bid. LSU in 2003 and 2007, Florida in 2008 and Alabama last season all earned title-game spots ahead of Pac-12 teams with the same number of losses.

The Pac-12 championship game is one problem the expansion to 12 teams solved.

Stanford is in a fortunate position in that it still controls its destiny for reaching the conference title game, a luxury that kept Oregon behind Alabama in last year’s BCS standings.

That potential 12th win is oh-so important. Oklahoma State won its conference title but had the same record as Alabama.

A one-loss SEC team can realistically be penciled in as a title-game selection, all things being equal.

Beyond a head-to-head scenario with the SEC, the Cardinal could land in a situation requiring a Stanford education to understand.

ACC front-runners Clemson and Florida State meet this week, with huge BCS implications at stake. Miami also factors in from the ACC.

Because of the divisional split, Miami plays Florida State but not Clemson. There could be a situation in which all three finish with one loss:

•     Florida State beats Clemson
•     Miami beats Florida State
•     Florida State beats Miami in an ACC championship game rematch.
  
  

Undefeated Ohio State won two of the stiffest challenges on its schedule, besting Wisconsin and Northwestern. The Buckeyes must still travel to Michigan for The Game.

Ohio State could lose that game, but still play in the Big Ten championship as it holds the Leaders Division tiebreakers. A win in Indianapolis in the Big Ten title game puts the Buckeyes at 12-1.

Oh, and then there’s the Big 12. Let’s leave it at that.

Kyle Kensing is the Pac-12 Lead Writer for B/R. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Follow Kyle on Twitter: @kensing45.  

The No. 5 Stanford Cardinal lost 27-21 to the unranked Utah Utes on Saturday, sending shock waves through the top of college football. 

After an inspiring 31-28 win over then-15th-ranked Washington last week, Stanford looked lackadaisical against the Utes. It started strong with two touchdowns in the first quarter but fell apart in the second and third. 

Six consecutive Stanford drives ended in either a punt or a fumble, putting the Cardinal in a 27-14 fourth-quarter hole that they were unable to overcome. 

Stanford entered the game 5-0, but David Shaw's crew will likely fall out of the Top 10 of the USA Today Coaches Poll when it is released on Sunday. Stanford's loss will also have drastic impacts on the first BCS poll, which will be released after the eighth week of the season. 

The Coaches Poll accounts for one-third of the BCS formula (click here for the full breakdown), and the manner in which Stanford lost should cause the coaches to drop it at least five or six spots.

Stanford's offensive line was overwhelmed throughout the game, and for the second straight week, the Cardinal receivers have struggled to produce in critical situations. With a brutal upcoming schedule (vs. No 11 UCLA, at Oregon State, vs. No. 2 Oregon), this loss does not bode well for the Cardinal. 

That said, this tough, three-week stretch also provides Stanford with an opportunity to stay in the thick of the BCS National Championship race. The BCS rewards teams with difficult schedules, and with two wins over Top 25 teams already, the Cardinal are a strong one-loss team. 

In fact, Stanford was ranked second in ESPN Insider Brad Edward's projections coming into this week (subscription required):

While this loss will likely drop them below Oregon, Clemson, Ohio State and Florida State, the Cardinal are still in good shape. Georgia and Oklahoma both lost this week as well, and if Stanford can beat UCLA and Oregon later this month, it will be back near the top. 

Stanford has been money in the bank as a road team the past few seasons and they face a nine-point challenge at Utah Saturday. When you are riding a 13-2 ATS road streak, bettors take notice.

Point spread: Stanford opened as nine-point favorites; the total was sitting at 54 Wednesday. (Line updates and Matchup report)

Computer Prediction: 36-31 Stanford


Why Stanford can cover the spread

Stanford enters the weekend with the nation’s second-best overall winning streak at 13 games and is tied for the fifth-longest road winning streak with Ohio State and Oklahoma at six games. The Cardinal is one of the more balanced teams in the nation and they are 13-2 ATS in their past 15 road games.

Why Utah can cover the spread

Quite possibly for the first time since Urban Meyer left for Florida, the Utah Utes' offense appears to be a severe threat. And by dictating the tempo, the Utes can take advantage of a fast-paced game in the high-altitude atmosphere. Utah is tied for the Pac-12 lead (with this week's opponent, Stanford) in red-zone offense (.944). The Utes are money makers at home, going 6-3 ATS in their past nine games here.

Smart Pick

Not being sold on Stanford’s defense, but not yet ready to endorse the home underdog, it’s clear this has the makings of an offensive shootout. Stanford ranks 24th in the country with 39.2 points per game, while the Utes are right behind, ranking 25th in the country with 39 points per game. The over is the play.

Trends:

Stanford is 13-2 ATS in its last 15 games on the road.

Utah is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games at home.

Note: All spread and odds data powered by Odds Shark—follow Twitter for injury updates and line move updates

Only days after Stanford and Washington battled in a thrilling Pac-12 showdown, the head coaches of both teams have taken to the media to duke it out themselves.

Following his team’s 31-28 loss, Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian accused the Cardinal of faking injuries to slow down his team’s offense, via The Seattle Times’ Adam Jude.

Stanford head coach David Shaw obviously didn’t take too kindly to that remark, addressing those remarks right off the bat during his Tuesday presser:

David Shaw opened Pac-12 conf. call with a statement at his request. Unleashed without prompting.

— AZ Desert Swarm (@azdesertswarm) October 8, 2013 

David Shaw opens on faking injuries: "I don't care what Sarkisian thinks he saw ... the only assistant that fakes injuries works at UW"

— Jacob Thorpe (@JacobThorpeSR) October 8, 2013 

Shots fired.

Shaw did manage to add in this before he wrapped up:

Shaw: "I'm not even angry at Steve. Just think he crossed the line. Could see him tomorrow and say hi. But I'm going to defend what we do."

— Jon Wilner (@wilnerhotline) October 8, 2013 

But whenever someone starts by saying "I'm not even angry", it's usually a good sign that they are in fact very angry. 

As for the assistant Shaw referred to, he is likely speaking about Tosh Lupoi—the former Cal defensive line coach who was suspended in 2010 for ordering his players to dive frequently.

One such incident can be seen here:

This is a sad conclusion to what proved to be an extraordinary contest between two teams that epitomize the class of Pac-12 football. It pitted one of the top defenses in the nation against one of the best offenses.

With that said, there could be some credence to the allegations, as Washington seemed to move the ball with ease in the second half, racking a total of 489 yards—the most the Cardinal have conceded all year.

However, two of the accused divers took to Twitter to clear their names:

We got the dub, UW is a hell of a team period. If I'm having docs look at me on the sideline I'm not faking it. Grow up, n watch the replay

— Shayne Skov (@ShayneSkov11) October 6, 2013 

Skov didn't take a dive, I didn't take a dive. Never have never will. Stay classy Washington

— Ben Gardner (@BennyG49) October 6, 2013 

While it may prove difficult to uncover the truth in situations like this, at least one thing has become abundantly clear: This is one of those rivalries to keep a close eye on over the next couple of years.

For complete coverage and everything college football, you can reach Sebastian on Facebook, on Twitter or by e-mail at Sebastian.LenaBR@gmail.com

Knocking off fifth-ranked Stanford required No. 15 Washington to play a perfect game, and the Huskies were only near-perfect.  

Washington outplayed the defending Pac-12 Conference champions in several key areas. The Husky offense successfully moved the ball on the stout Cardinal defense, gaining 489 total yards. 

Senior quarterback Keith Price had one of the best outings of his career, completing 33-of-48 pass attempts for 350 yards, and junior running back Bishop Sankey ran for a pair of touchdowns. 

Washington converted 30 first downs to Stanford’s 14.

The Husky defense also had an outstanding night. Stanford's primary ball-carriers, quarterback Kevin Hogan and running back Tyler Gaffney, were held below four yards per rush. Hogan was also limited to just 100 yards passing. 

So much went right for Washington. The Huskies beat the Cardinal by almost every statistical metric, save the one that matters most. 

Stanford is unlikely to be outperformed in as many phases again as it was Saturday—and it still won.

"A team that's maybe not as good, you make some mistakes and they don't hurt you as bad," Stanford head coach David Shaw said in his postgame press conference, per GoStanford.com. "But you have to play extremely well against this defense."

Washington head coach Steve Sarkisian has his team playing at a high level. The Huskies proved worthy of their No. 15 ranking by going toe-to-toe with Stanford, even having a shot to win in the waning moments.

But what separates a very good team like Washington and a BCS championship-contending team like Stanford is the latter's ability to capitalize on the narrowest of opportunities. 

No one did more to attack the few openings the Huskies provided than wide receiver Ty Montgomery. 

His 99-yard return of the opening kickoff took advantage of an unmanned seam along the right hashes, with no Huskies left deep. 

That score set a fitting tone as the first of three windows Washington opened through which Montgomery burst.

Washington's defense limited big plays all night, but Montgomery exploited man coverage against Husky defensive back Marcus Peters.

Montgomery got a single step on the sophomore cornerback along the sideline, which was all the space Hogan needed to drop in his only touchdown pass.

Montgomery summed up the significance of each individual play nicely in the postgame press conference. 

"We won by three points, so you take away seven, and that's a loss," he said. "So it was big."

The one step Peters lost to Montgomery was one of the few misses he had all night. Peters' open-field tackle of Hogan on a fourth-down rush gave Washington’s offense an opportunity to force overtime or win.

Washington only trailed at that juncture because of the playmaking of Montgomery. His third-quarter special teams play set up what proved to be the decisive score. 

Montgomery found a hole in the Husky coverage much like the one he broke through to open the night. Though he was chased down deep in Washington territory, the damage was done.

Gaffney capitalized on the Huskies’ second major special teams error with a touchdown rush that put Stanford ahead 10.

The Cardinal rode that 10-point advantage through a scoreless fourth quarter, while Washington kept the heat on. Price nearly cut into the Cardinal lead on a 18-play drive that instead ended on linebacker A.J. Tarpley's interception. 

For 17 plays, the Huskies pounded the ball on Stanford's celebrated defense. Ultimately, all the Cardinal needed to neutralize the attack was one. 

"We talked about being finishers," Shaw said. "We talk about training for games like this, because that's our conference. This is the way it's going to be from here on out." 

Such efficiency is why Stanford is the conference's reigning champion, and why the Cardinal will be difficult to dethrone this season. 

Kyle Kensing is the Pac-12 Lead Writer for B/R. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Kyle on Twitter: @kensing45.

Stanford boasts a 12-game winning streak and has revenge on its mind hosting Washington in Pac 12 action Saturday. The odds favor the Cardinal, but the OddsShark.com computer is predicting a Huskies upset.

Point spread: Stanford opened as 7.5-point favorites; the total was 52.5 Thursday. (Line updates and Matchup report)

Computer Prediction: Upset! 33-23 Washington

Why Washington can cover the spread

The Huskies are winning thanks to those little intangibles that help win conference titles. Washington is highly ranked in the NCAA in categories such as 3rd-down conversions (3rd), completion percentage (4th), and pass efficiency defense (2nd). They also rank 5th in total offense and 4th in scoring defense.

Why Stanford can cover the spread

Stanford, the reigning Pac-12 champion, has won 12 consecutive games and features the conference’s top-rated quarterback in Kevin Hogan. His passer rating of 174.6 is just ahead of UW’s Keith Price (173.6), and with this one being on his turf in Palo Alto, it's hard to imagine him having a bad game.

Smart Pick

Huskies coach Steve Sarkisian has infused a lightning-quick offense into U-Dub, which hasn’t trailed all season, while his defense ranks No. 1 overall in the Pac-12 after the first month. The stop unit allows a mere 3.80 yards per play this season, third-best in the nation. This one will be closer than the computer is predicting.

Trends:

Stanford is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games

Seven of the past 10 meetings played UNDER the total

Note: All spread and odds data powered by Odds Shark - follow them on Twitter for injury updates and line move updates.

Stanford's offensively anemic showing at Seattle's CenturyLink Field one year ago against Pac-12 rival Washington cost the Cardinal a win—and potentially, a shot at the national championship. 

The Cardinal returned to the scene of their sole conference loss in 2012 and showed off just how far they have come on that side of the ball. The 311 yards Stanford gained in the first half were almost 60 more than what any of Washington State's three previous opponents amassed through entire games.

The Cardinal finished with 560 total yards on the night. 

Stanford has beefed up its offensive production without sacrificing anything from its stellar defense. The Cardinal showed off their balance in the first two scores coming out of halftime. 

After Stanford's Jordan Richards ran back an interception of Connor Halliday 30 yards for a defensive touchdown, Cardinal quarterback Kevin Hogan uncorked a 45-yard TD pass to Michael Rector.

Those consecutive scoring sequences early in the second half were head coach David Shaw's team in a nutshell.

Two defensive scores, three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns by two different ball-carriers—Washington State experienced the full gamut of what Stanford has to offer. This is a squad capable of beating opponents in more different ways than any other team in the country. 

A week ago, Stanford dominated special teams in its 42-28 defeat of Arizona State. The Cardinal also rushed for 240 yards, attacking the holes in the Sun Devil run defense. 

Against Washington State, Shaw and offensive coordinator Mike Bloomgren changed the game plan. Stanford still pounded away with the rush, but quarterback Kevin Hogan was given the green light to throw. Hogan's presence was the missing element in that aforementioned loss a season ago.

With an effective passer behind center, Cardinal receivers are getting into the mix—and a lot of them, at that: Eight different receivers caught passes against the Cougars, none more than six. 

Stanford's ground game didn't have the evening off, either. Seven ball-carriers got touches en route to 238 rushing yards. 

Compare that to No. 1 Alabama, which beat SEC counterpart Ole Miss 25-0 Saturday. Eight Crimson Tide players made receptions. Seven rushers had their numbers called. If Stanford is going to have comparable patterns to anyone, the two-time defending national champion is a good place to start. 

And like the defending champion Tide, Stanford's multidimensional offense backs up one of the stingiest defenses in college football. 

Derek Mason's aggressive blitz packages overwhelmed Halliday and backup Austin Apodaca, while the secondary prevented any hope of the big play. Cougar quarterbacks averaged just five yards per pass attempt. 

Washington State only reached the end zone after Shaw went deep into his reserves. The Cougars notched two, late fourth-quarter scores that made the final count a little bit more palatable for those on the Palouse, but the statement Stanford made was no less resounding. 

Stanford may have left CenturyLink Field one year ago asking itself what would it take to balance its defense with an equally potent and efficient offense. This time, the Cardinal leave with the prevailing question being just how much it can do with all this balance.