Stanford Football: 5 bold predictions for Alamo Bowl vs. TCU
By Zach Bigalke
3. The battle in the trenches might be the best positional matchup
The most interesting positional battle on the field at the Alamodome might just be the Stanford offensive line against TCU’s fearsome defensive front. Over the course of the 2017 regular season, the Horned Frogs ranked fourth nationally in rushing defense by allowing just 99.8 yards per game. They also ranked second in red zone defense and 10th in sacks.
Stanford’s offensive line, meanwhile, has been great at opening holes for Love and the other Cardinal running backs. Despite the various quarterbacks they have had to protect, the line has given up only 16 sacks all year. Few units have been as good in both run blocking and pass protection as this year’s Stanford line.
In the Alamo Bowl, though, something will have to give. The battle in the trenches when Stanford has the ball is truly a showdown of strength versus strength. When TCU is in possession, however, the narrative shifts. Stanford has been solid on the back end and at generating turnovers, and they could give TCU’s line a bit of trouble.
Keep an eye on whichever defense wins more plays along the line of scrimmage. The defense that can get into the opposing backfield more consistently is the one that will put its team in position to win the Alamo Bowl on Thursday.