Sacramento State
N/A0-0
Stanford
2nd PAC-1211-1
Sacramento State @ Stanford preview
Stanford Stadium
The Stanford Cardinal and Sacramento State Hornets meet for the first time Saturday night. It should be a tune-up for Stanford, which opens Pac-10 play at UCLA next week.
Stanford is hoping redshirt sophomore quarterback Andrew Luck can carry the offense now that Heisman Trophy runner-up Toby Gerhart is in the NFL.
Luck, who has been popping up on a few pre-season Heisman watches of his own, should get off to a fast start against the Hornets, an FCS team from the Big Sky.
The Hornets finished 5-6 last year, 4-4 record in conference play, while Stanford is coming of its best season since 2001 when they went 9-3. The Cardinal’s 8-5 mark included a 6-3 record in the Pac-10. But the season on a sour note: a 31-27 Sun Bowl loss to Oklahoma that Luck missed with a finger injury.
After throwing for 2,575 yards and 13 touchdowns, and running for 354 yards and two more scores, Luck is prepared for an even bigger role. He should get good protection from an experienced line that returns four starters, and has fine targets in returning receivers Ryan Whalen and Chris Owusu. Running back Stepfan Taylor should get most of the carries.
Sacramento State is led by senior quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, a UCLA transfer who started five games for the Bruins in 2007. Running back Bryan Hilliard, who led the team in rushing as a freshman and sophomore, returns after missing last season with shoulder injuries. The Hornets also return almost their entire receiving corps, including star Brandyn Reed (46 catches, 731 yards, 7 TDs).
Stanford will counter with a 3-4 scheme installed by new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who took over after the Cardinal finished 90th in total defense and 110th in pass defense last season.
Stanford is the only BCS team Sacramento State will face this year, and the Cardinal should dominate.
Stanford is hoping redshirt sophomore quarterback Andrew Luck can carry the offense now that Heisman Trophy runner-up Toby Gerhart is in the NFL.
Luck, who has been popping up on a few pre-season Heisman watches of his own, should get off to a fast start against the Hornets, an FCS team from the Big Sky.
The Hornets finished 5-6 last year, 4-4 record in conference play, while Stanford is coming of its best season since 2001 when they went 9-3. The Cardinal’s 8-5 mark included a 6-3 record in the Pac-10. But the season on a sour note: a 31-27 Sun Bowl loss to Oklahoma that Luck missed with a finger injury.
After throwing for 2,575 yards and 13 touchdowns, and running for 354 yards and two more scores, Luck is prepared for an even bigger role. He should get good protection from an experienced line that returns four starters, and has fine targets in returning receivers Ryan Whalen and Chris Owusu. Running back Stepfan Taylor should get most of the carries.
Sacramento State is led by senior quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, a UCLA transfer who started five games for the Bruins in 2007. Running back Bryan Hilliard, who led the team in rushing as a freshman and sophomore, returns after missing last season with shoulder injuries. The Hornets also return almost their entire receiving corps, including star Brandyn Reed (46 catches, 731 yards, 7 TDs).
Stanford will counter with a 3-4 scheme installed by new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who took over after the Cardinal finished 90th in total defense and 110th in pass defense last season.
Stanford is the only BCS team Sacramento State will face this year, and the Cardinal should dominate.