The Stanford Cardinal will be undertaking a massive transition this season as they move beyond the Andrew Luck era. They have to replace their Heisman Trophy-caliber quarterback in Luck, two top offensive linemen in David DeCastro and Jonathan Martin, and a solid tight end in Coby Fleener. That's a lot of crucial cogs to replace.
Still, there's a lot of talented players coming back and incoming recruits that could seal off the gaps. Bud Elliott of SB Nation files his Pac-12 picks column which talks about over/unders for each team in the conference, and Stanford ends up picking over seven wins.
Stanford Over 7 Wins (-210), 5Dimes: Stanford has to replace one of the best quarterbacks in the history of college football, two NFL draft picks along the offensive line, its best two receivers, its top tight end, and three starters in the secondary.
But that's OK, because A) Stanford recruited quite well over the last few years, and B) the schedule is kind.
Out of home games vs. San Jose State, Duke, Arizona, Washington State and Oregon State, and road trips to Colorado, UCLA, Cal and Washington, Stanford should pick up seven or eight wins. A game at Notre Dame offers another chance, though the Cardinal will likely be an underdog. Two contests against USC and Oregon are unlikely to yield a win.
If this like were (-170), I'd consider playing it. It's too rich for my blood at (-210).
Stanford does have a lot of good players on their team this season and they could be a Pac-12 North dark horse contender if the talent could come together, and the quarterback talent is up to task.
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