2011 College Football Week 1 Scores: Stanford Up Big at Halftime

The Stanford Cardinal lead the San Jose State Spartans 27-3 at halftime.

All American quarterback Andrew Luck has gotten off to a fast start for the Cardinal. He is 10-15 for 95 yards and two touchdowns through the air. He also has a touchdown on the ground. Luck’s ability to beat teams through the air, or with his legs, makes him virtually impossible to stop for Stanford.

Helping Luck so far today is running back Stepfan Taylor. He has 74 yards rushing, at a rate of 8.2 yards per carry. Taylor is constantly overlooked because of the accolades and expectations placed on Luck. However, Taylor can, and will, make you pay if you don’t give him the respect he deserves as a defense.

Seven different receivers have caught Luck’s passes. Chris Owusu, Zach Ertz, and Ryan Hewitt all lead the way with two receptions a piece.

Defensively, the Trojans have allowed 169 yards through the air but they have also forced two turnovers. More encouraging than the passing numbers are the -7 yards allowed so far on the ground. The loss of nose tackle Sione Fua does not appear to be a major problem on the Cardinal’s defensive front, but we will see that more once they enter Pac-12 play.

New head coach David Shaw must feel relieved to have a solid debut so far for the Cardinal. With the game most likely in hand, the Cardinal must make sure they retain focus until the last whistle blows.

For the Spartans, Matt Faulkner and Noel Grigsby have found each other six times through the air. Facing a 24 point deficit at halftime, it is important to find bright spots wherever they may be.

Next week the Cardinal travel to face Duke University. This should be another relatively easy matchup before they enter the heart of their schedule.

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