Pac-12 Football: Midseason report cards for every Pac-12 team

Oct 15, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal players celebrate after 56-35 victory against the UCLA Bruins in a NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Stanford Cardinal

Stanford lost 11 of their top 14 tacklers from the 2014 season, which was a huge concern heading into this year. The Cardinal has been known for playing hard-nosed defense and winning those heavyweight battles by a final score of 21-13.

That’s not quite the case this season. It’s their offense that has led the attack, averaging well over 31 points a game. With fifth-year senior quarterback Kevin Hogan and sophomore tailback Christian McCaffrey, the offense is showing no weaknesses.

They’ve faced a tough schedule thus far, and their remaining schedule isn’t that daunting of a task. Considering that many might have picked Oregon to win the Pac-12 North and written off Stanford before the season even began, this Cardinal team is poised to make a case for the College Football Playoffs.

Overall Grade: A

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