Stanford Football: 2017 Cardinal season preview, predictions

Stanford football didn’t win the Pac-12 in 2016 but still won 10 games for the sixth time in seven years. Can the Cardinal win the conference in 2017?

Stanford has won three Pac-12 championships and played for another in six seasons under David Shaw. The Cardinal missed out on the conference title last season, however, when both Washington schools passed them in the Pac-12 North.

While the Cardinal still won 10 games again like clockwork, 2016 still felt like a letdown. After going to the Rose Bowl, Christian McCaffrey came back for one more season. By the end, he didn’t even bother playing in Stanford’s bowl game. Now that 10-win seasons are considered a baseline performance rather than a special campaign, Shaw needs to return the Cardinal to the top of the league.

While McCaffrey is gone to the NFL, Stanford brings back even more talent in 2017 than it did last year. The defense is loaded, ready to enjoy plenty more parties in the backfield. The offense should be more well-rounded now that McCaffrey is less of a focus. And the schedule lines up well on the back end.

The Pac-12 North will be even more competitive this year, with several teams vying with Stanford for top honors. Shaw has a roster that will be in the thick of the race to play for the conference title. What does this year’s Cardinal team need to do to return to Pac-12 supremacy and contend for a College Football Playoff spot?