Stanford Football: 3 reasons to watch 2018 Sun Bowl vs. Pittsburgh

2. Stanford will field a potent passing attack

Stanford has a long history of great quarterbacks, from Jim Plunkett and John Elway to more modern examples like Andrew Luck and Kevin Hogan. Over the past few years, though, the team has struggled to find their next great passer. Cycling through guys like Ryan Burns and Keller Chryst, the Cardinal would think they finally found their next gem only to have the player taper off.

This year has been different. After he seized the job under center midway through 2017, K.J. Costello really claimed the quarterback position as his own. Costello ranked in the top 15 nationally in yards per game, passing touchdowns, and passing efficiency. The junior completed more than 66 percent of his passes, and he averaged less than an interception per game.

Costello has benefitted from a receiving corps led by J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, who averages 88 receiving yards per game and ranks No. 3 in the country with 14 touchdown catches in the regular season. Trenton Irwin and Kaden Smith have also been reliable safety valves for Costello, and tight end Colby Parkinson has been reliable in the red zone as he hauled in seven scores in the first dozen games.

Pitt’s defense ranked 71st in the nation in opponent passing efficiency, and the front seven just isn’t good enough to dominate at the line of scrimmage. Unless something gives, the Cardinal passing attack is going to put up big numbers once again.