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Stanford Football: Top 3 takeaways from Week 1 victory over Northwestern

By Justin Fried

PALO ALTO, CA - AUGUST 31: Michael Wilson #4 of the Stanford Cardinal reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second quarter of an NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
PALO ALTO, CA - AUGUST 31: Michael Wilson #4 of the Stanford Cardinal reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second quarter of an NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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Stanford Football
PALO ALTO, CA – AUGUST 31: K.J. Costello #3 of the Stanford Cardinal drops back to pass against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second quarter of an NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Palo Alto, California. Stanford Football (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

1. Injuries threaten to derail the season

Unfortunately, there was no bigger takeaway from Saturday’s game than the injuries suffered by two of Stanford’s top offensive players.

No one will be talking about the improved running game. Nor will they be talking about the team’s dominant defense. Instead, the focus will be on the health of quarterback K.J. Costello and offensive tackle Walker Little.

Costello, as previously mentioned, went down at the very end of the first half as a result of a brutal hit to the helmet. The dark horse Heisman candidate was quickly rushed to the locker room and would not return to the game.

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Meanwhile, Little was injured much later on the Cardinal’s last offensive drive of the afternoon. The potential first-round draft pick’s left knee buckled while blocking on a run play and he had to be helped off the field.

Both of these injuries appeared particularly gruesome at the time and the team has yet to release any updates on either Costello or Little’s status.

Costello would obviously be a major loss as the young signal-caller was looking like Stanford’s best quarterback since Andrew Luck and was primed for a huge 2019 season after breaking out last year.

As for Little, this was supposed to be the year that he returned to form and came back healthier and better than ever. Now, each of their seasons appears to be in doubt.

With an incredibly challenging upcoming schedule, Stanford could ill-afford to be without their two best offensive players.

Stanford Football: The Cardinal are primed to exceed expectations in 2019. dark. Next

And if they are absent Costello and Little for those games, Stanford’s season could be derailed before it ever really got started.

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