The Five Biggest College Football Disappointments of the 2014 Season
By Jerry Levi
Sep 6, 2014; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal receiver Devon Cajuste (89) is defended by Southern California Trojans safety Gerald Bowman (27) at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
3. Stanford Cardinal
Preseason Ranking: No. 11 AP Poll & USA Today Poll
Regular Season Finish: 7-5
Stanford was supposed to battle for the Pac-12 against the likes of Oregon, UCLA and USC. The Oregon/Stanford game on November 1st was supposed to be the game of the year in the Pac-12. They were Final Four favorites, if not by experts, then as a ‘dark horse.’ Senior QB Kevin Hogan was back for his final year after having led the Cardinal to the Rose Bowl last year.
So what happened? A 13-10 loss to USC at home in Week 2 started the crumbling and continued with losses to Notre Dame, Arizona State, and Utah. That Oregon Game of the Year? The Ducks crushed them 45-16. Stanford stands at 7-5, with a 5-4 conference record. They did salvage a bit of the season by playing spoiler to UCLA by defeating the 8th ranked team 31-10. If they didn’t do that, they’d be 6-6. But a 7-5 Stanford team that was destined for greatness in 2014 fresh off a Rose Bowl appearance? Disappointing.
Next: #2 South Carolina