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2014 Schedule Breakdown and Predictions

Back by popular demand -- or, more accurately, by one person's demand -- is GMC's yearly schedule breakdown. Why wait for the games to be played when you can just read on? As usual, I'll give you my thoughts on each game along with the likelihood of a Cardinal victory, but just for fun I've also assigned a different 80s movie to each matchup. It promises to be entertaining...

August 30 vs. UC Davis
Movie: The Sure Thing
Quote: "I hope you appreciate the magnitude of your impending good fortune."

I don't know the real reason why UC Davis is on the schedule this year, but it might just be to remind Stanford fans how far the program has come. It was nine years ago that Davis somehow beat Stanford, 20-17, in a game that was surely brought up in the halls of the Stanford athletic department as some voices pushed to drop the football program down to Division II. In less than a decade, Stanford football has gone from being one of the worst teams in the country to one of the nation's elite. 

As devastating and shocking as that 2005 loss was, I can't imagine that anyone connected with the 2014 Cardinal is thinking about revenge. No one on the team was even out of middle school at that point, and this team has goals much larger than righting a nine-year-old wrong. This game isn't about revenge, it's about finishing without any major injuries.

I can't imagine that we'll see much from the starters after half time, but while they're in there it'll be interesting to see how the offensive line plays and what the running back rotation looks like. In the second half we should get a look at some of the younger players, including Christian McCaffrey, and the second- and third-string quarterbacks. It'll be fun.

Expected Outcome: This is a sure thing. 100% chance of Stanford victory.

Pac-12 Media Day Interview: Jordan Richards

For the past two seasons strong safety Jordan Richards teamed with Ed Reynolds as one of the best safety tandems in the country (Reynolds made the game-changing interceptions, but it was often Richards who delivered the crushing hits). With Reynolds having graduated and departed for the NFL, Richards remains. Aside from being one of the team's senior leaders, he will also be one of the nation's top safeties, as evidenced by his inclusion on several pre-season watch lists (Lott IMPACT Trophy, Bednarik Award, and Nagurski Award) and all-conference teams (first team Pac-12, according to Athlon, Phil Steele, and the Sporting News).

Along with quarterback Kevin Hogan, Richards was one of two player representatives at last week's Pac-12 Media Days, and I was able to spend some time talking to him about new defensive backs coach Duane Akina, the team's sudden success against Oregon, and the importance of finding new team leaders. A handful of journalists surrounded Richards during the interview session. The questions in italics were posed by one of these other writers. Enjoy...

2014 Position Previews: Running Backs

Much of Stanford's football history is marked by outstanding quarterbacks ranging from John Brodie to Jim Plunkett to John Elway to Andrew Luck, four of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the college game, but it's been a generation or two since the program was defined by the men under center.

When Jim Harbaugh arrived at Stanford in 2007, he immediately went about changing the culture of the football program, instilling toughness and physicality by emphasizing the running game and a pro-style offense. The Cardinal has thrived since then, and even as leadership has transferred from Harbaugh to David Shaw, the blueprint remains. In a five-wide world, Stanford football is a quaint reminder of yesteryear.

2014 Position Previews: Quarterback

There are few Stanford players in recent memory who have been the focus of more debate than senior quarterback Kevin Hogan. All one need do is mention Hogan's name at a gathering of Stanford fans and the eye-rolling and hand-wringing will begin.

During last year's Rose Bowl loss against Michigan State, I found myself sitting a row in front of a young fan who was certain that Hogan was a bad quarterback. I listened politely for most of the game, but when he unleashed another diatribe following an inocuous incompletion in the second half, I couldn't help myself. I turned around and said simply, "Hogan's a good quarterback."

2014 Schedule Preview

Of all the variables facing a team with championship aspirations, perhaps the most important -- the schedule -- is almost completely out of its control. Sure, the schools are responsible for scheduling their non-conference opponents, but even that can be problematic. Should a team take the risk of playing high caliber opponents that would boost strength of schedule, or should they simply look for easy wins? This fall Stanford gets a little of both with two certain wins at home against UC Davis (FBS) and Army, but a difficult test on the road against Notre Dame.

Beyond the three non-conference games on the Cardinal's schedule, there are the usual nine Pac-12 games (not eight, like the SEC, Big Ten, and ACC). There are no favors here. Stanford misses Arizona and woeful Colorado, but this is an even year, which means almost every game of note takes place on the road. Here's a quick preview...