College Football Top 25: Buying or selling the 2015 preseason rankings

Dec 30, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal quarterback Kevin Hogan (8) throws a pass against the Maryland Terrapins during the third quarter of the Foster Farms Bowl at Levi

Highest Rank:  18 (SI)
Lowest Rank:  24 (SN, Athlon)

BUYING

The post-Andrew Luck era has not been kind to Stanford, particularly on offense. The Cardinal have gone from one of the best in the nation throwing the ball to the middle of the pack, finishing 66th with just 229 yards per game. That stalwart offensive line that use to grate roads for the running backs has fallen off somewhat as well.

Kevin Hogan has to make himself into the offensive team leader at quarterback and help this offense get into the end zone. Three of the five Stanford losses last season were by a total of three points.

What the Cardinal can do is stop the opposition from scoring, and that keeps them in a lot of games. Second nationally in scoring defense, seventh in rush defense and eighth in pass defense, the Stanford defensive unit is what keeps them as a ranked team, although it will need to be revamped a bit this season with 10 key players gone.

David Shaw is a quality coach, and shouldn’t feel in any real danger of losing his job, but the fact is that he made the most of the recruits he was handed by Jim Harbaugh, and Stanford simply hasn’t been able to attract that top-tier talent in the last four years, and the win-loss record has seen a steady decline.

Next: Boise State