Stanford Football: 5 Reasons Why the Cardinal Will Beat Oregon

In 2010, the Stanford Cardinal were one victory away from playing in the BCS national championship.  Even though winning the Orange Bowl is a great way to end the season, the players on that team will always think of what could have been if they would've beaten Oregon.

This season's matchup is already one of college football's most-anticipated games, as the winner will likely be the champion of the Pac-12 North.  Andrew Luck and company are hoping that this year will be their turn in the spotlight as Pac-12 champs.

Here are five reasons why the Stanford Cardinal will take down Oregon this fall.

5. Stepfan Taylor

The last time Stanford beat Oregon, a running back by the name of Toby Gerhart was a big reason why.  If the Cardinal plan on taking down the Ducks in 2011, they will need a big game out of their running back, Stepfan Taylor.

Although Taylor is a slightly different style of running back, he has put up very solid numbers since stepping foot on campus.  As a true sophomore last season, Taylor rushed for 1,137 yards and 15 touchdowns. 

Stanford fans are hoping that Taylor can continue to improve and, as a result, help take down the reigning conference champions.

4. Stanford Stadium

Despite the fact that the 50,000-seat Stanford Stadium is not the loudest in the Pac-12, that doesn’t mean it is not important. 

Oregon lost to the Cardinal the last time these two met on Stanford’s campus, and fans are hoping for the same result in 2011. At that game in 2009, LaMichael James had one of his worst games of his college career, so I would bet that Stanford will be watching plenty of tape from that game. 

For other teams, the home-field advantage might be more crucial, but the Cardinal now have enough talent that they can take on any team, anywhere, at any time.

3. Delano Howell

Although he may not be a household name now, Delano Howell will be by the end of the 2011 season. As a junior last year, Howell was arguably Stanford's best defender, recording 60 tackles, five interceptions and one sack.

The senior safety is one of the leaders on the Cardinal defense and should have another great year despite the very talented quarterbacks in the Pac-12.

Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas will need to know where Howell is on every play for the Ducks' offense to run effectively.

2. Oregon’s Offensive Line

Stanford is not the only team in the Pac-12 that lost a few offensive linemen after last season.  The Ducks graduated three starters from a season ago and will have new starters in their places in 2011.

Because of the frenetic pace at which the Oregon offense is run, a stable offensive line is critical. 

In addition, Oregon has had trouble in the past against 3-4 defenses, like at Cal last year.  If Stanford can generate good penetration against the Oregon offensive line, they should have little problem containing LaMichael James and company.

1. Andrew Luck

This should surprise no one. Andrew Luck is arguably the best quarterback in college football, and he will be a big reason for Stanford’s success in 2011.  Last season, when the Cardinal visited the Ducks in Eugene, Luck threw for well over 300 yards, but he had the same amount of touchdowns as interceptions with two. 

In 2010, Oregon was one of the most opportunistic teams in the country, especially when it comes to turnovers. If Andrew Luck is going to take down the Ducks for the second time in Palo Alto, he will need to take extremely good care of the football.