Stanford Cardinal Takes on Rice In Their Home Finale

The Stanford Cardinal finish the season at home against the Rice Owls who rank last in the FBS defensively. Despite expectations falling short before the season began, Stanford looks to give home fans an offensive showcase.

At this point of the season, Stanford Cardinal coach David Shaw would normally be viewing Rice as a tune up game. Ordinarily, the team would take care of business and then begin preparations for the Pac-12 Championship game.

The Cardinal would normally escape with a close victory to win back-to-back conference championships. And then, with that victory in hand, Stanford would earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Unfortunately, the goals set by the team did not pan out as planned. Highlighted by offensive struggles, losing to both Washington schools as well as Colorado derailed Stanford’s plan of reaching the playoff.

With their plans in shambles, Stanford could have given up and not competed for the rest of season. Instead, all players remained confident they could fix the mistakes despite expectations being lowered.

This Cardinal team is a proud group of individuals who work hard and play for each other. Since Jim Harbaugh’s tenure at Stanford, those who have worn a Stanford jersey have been proud of the accomplishments achieved regardless of the result.

Since replacing Ryan Burns with Keller Chryst as starting quarterback, the Cardinal offense has surged after offering a vanilla flavor early this season. The offense got back to complementing the stout defense and overwhelming opponents. Chryst improved each game he played, capped by convincing wins at Oregon and Cal.

Like Kevin Hogan, who provided a spark when taking the reins as a starter, Chryst is in position to lead Stanford to a potential bowl win. If history tends to repeat itself, Stanford is in a good position to remain relevant.

As seen in recent seasons, Pac-12 teams tend to beat each other up. Regardless of rankings or conference standings, Pac-12 teams all have the talent to compete and win on any given weekend. Regardless of the Washington schools who are ahead of Stanford in the conference, the Cardinal put the pressure on the two teams.

Although the winner of the Apple Cup — the match between the Washington schools — will represent the North division, Stanford has positioned themselves to contend next season.

Roses may not be in the air this season, but Stanford will go to a respectable bowl game and face a quality opponent. However, the importance for Shaw right now is for the Cardinal to continue trending upward after claiming the Axe for the seventh straight time.

Rice may rank last in the country defensively, giving up an average of 7.3 yards per play, but Shaw does not want his team to take their foot off the gas.

Christian McCaffrey has been a dynamic player since his arrival on the Farm, and could be playing his final game at Stanford. Despite a Heisman campaign derailed by an injury, McCaffrey put on a show in The Big Game last week. His 284-yard rushing performance set a record for the rivalry game and was highlighted by a 90-yard touchdown run. Expect an encore performance to delight Stanford fans should McCaffrey opt to start playing on Sundays.

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With McCaffrey at full strength, expect to see Stanford’s receivers in the open. JJ Arcega-Whiteside had a big game last week with four catches for 107 yards. His playing time could possibly be limited this week though, after dealing with an apparent shoulder injury he sustained last week.

Tight end Dalton Schultz has quietly developed into an offensive threat over the course of the season. Expect him to have a bigger role come next season.

The resurgent Stanford offense wouldn’t have been possible without the resilient Stanford defense. Led by Solomon Thomas, the Cardinal defense did not buckle after consecutive losses to the Washington schools. If anything, the defense has looked stronger than when the season started.

With some players leaving next season due to graduation or departing early for the draft, this is a chance for returners to make their mark. One player to keep an eye on is Justin Reid who has been making a bigger presence defensively each game.

Rice’s defensive struggles have resulted in a rough year for head coach David Bailiff. The team currently sits fifth in the Conference USA with a 3-8 record. Despite a tough season, the Owls will come into Stanford with confidence as they are riding a two-game win streak. Quarterback Tyler Stehling has 12 touchdowns on the season. Darik Dillard is the Owls leading rusher with 416 yards and three touchdowns.

Unlike last week, the Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band will be playing at Stanford. A current ban did not allow the band to travel last week to Berkley, deflating the loudness of the Stanford section after each score. What the band decides to do in the home finale — like perhaps, taking a shot at President-Elect Donald Trump is not out of the question.

Next: New Big Game, Same Result as Stanford Keeps Axe

Expectations took a turn for the worst early in the season, but that did not stop Stanford from producing another winning campaign. By building momentum from recent successes, Stanford will set a bright future next season for incoming and returning players. And with the team likely run away with the game against Rice, they hope to send the seniors off the Farm in style.