Stanford Football Predictions: Strengths & Weaknesses, and Expert Betting Analysis

Stanford Football Predictions for 2023: What Are Their Chances?

Expert college football handicapper Ron Marmalefsky runs down Stanford’s chances for 2023 and provides expert tips for betting on Stanford in 2023.

Ron looks at areas to watch, favorability of schedule, offers a predicted record for Stanford football in 2023 and offers some handicapping tips for betting on Stanford this season.

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Stanford Football Preview 2023: The Overview

Burnout. Culture change. NIL. The dreaded transfer portal. Chris Peterson (Boise, Wash) saw the writing on the wall and left the game due to the direction NCAA football was going. Bronco Mendenhall (Virginia) was next.

David Shaw had enough, and he needed a break. Troy Taylor did a bang-up job at Sacramento State. The former Cal QB might have his hands full in year #1.

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Stanford Football Predictions: AREAS TO WATCH, Betting Insights

Stanford doesn’t use the portal much at all, partly due to its high academic standards. It’s one-way traffic, and only six starters are back, three on each side of the ball.

Their top two offensive players are RB Smith (hurt most of ’22, but talented) and TE Yurosek. Two Ivy League transfers (wow) are projected OL starters.

The Cardinal often produces NFL OL. In a very telling sign, the average weight along the OL is UNDER 290 LBS. One of the coaching flaws with Shaw (who didn’t have many) is that the defense never improved.

Their last solid season was 2016. The run defense went from 5.45 to 6.0, to an awful 6.35 in ’22. I will say that the pass defense, which lived in the 62%-64% range was about 58% last year. What you see is what you get, and no unit looks good to go, including sack pressure.

In a piece of good news, special team play has been good for years, and their perfect (18-18) PK returns. Retaining their special team coordinator was a solid move.

Stanford Football 2023 Predictions, Stanford Schedule and Obstacles:

Hawaii replaces BYU on the schedule, and Utah is also gone, so that helps. In a shocker, 3-1 is possible. They play at Hawaii, host Taylor’s former team, Sacramento St, and host Arizona, whose defense looks just as bad as Stanford’s.

I show only three other games they could be competitive in. They play at Colorado, a team with 90% roster turnover. They host UCLA, who will have just played at Oregon State and stays on the road.

They host Cal, who if they are out of the bowl picture might have a lame duck coach, and even if they are in the bowl picture, rivalry games can be competitive.

Stanford Football Bottom Line: Total Expected Wins Over/Under

I like the coaching hire but in this year’s Pac 12 there’s either real good teams or real bad teams. Stanford is in the latter group.

4-8 is possible given the schedule, but their ultimate record may depend more on their opponent’s flaws and less on Stanford’s stat sheet.

Stanford Football HANDICAPPING TIP: EXPERT TIP

Rush data doesn’t work all that much in the Pac 12, but Stanford is 2-12 ATS when not a rush pick. Given the long-term success fading new coaching staffs when not a rush pick, that’s one look. I might look to fade them when the schedule heats up.

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