NCAAF Game Preview - Northwestern at Stanford
Sat Aug 31, 2019 4:00 PM EDT

GATec
14
Clem
52
F
Duke
3
Bama
42
F
UGA
30
Vand
6
F
Hou
31
Okla
49
F
FlAtl
21
OSU
45
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GaSo
3
LSU
55
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MidTN
21
Mich
40
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ND
35
Lou
17
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LT
14
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45
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Oreg
21
Aub
27
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TxSt
7
TxAM
41
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EWa
14
Wash
47
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Utah
30
BYU
12
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Idaho
7
PSU
79
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FlaAM
0
UCF
62
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Tuls
7
MSU
28
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Wisc
49
SoFL
0
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MiaOH
14
Iowa
38
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NoIa
26
IASt
29
F(2OT)
Syr
24
Lib
0
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NMS
7
WaSt
58
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SoAl
21
Neb
35
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NW
7
Stan
17
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Alb
21
C Mi
38
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UCLA
14
Cin
24
F
RMor
10
Buff
38
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Wagn
21
UConn
24
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Mor
3
BGSU
46
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C Ark
35
W Ky
28
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GWebb
28
UNCC
49
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JacSt
14
SouLA
35
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AlaSt
19
UAB
24
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FLInt
14
Tul
42
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SDSU
21
MIN
28
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NoCol
18
SJSU
35
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Kent
7
AzSt
30
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Rice
7
Army
14
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UMass
21
Rut
48
F
UtSt
35
Wake
38
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Purd
31
NEV
34
F
ColSt
31
Colo
52
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OkSt
52
OreSt
36
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Miss
10
Mem
15
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MissSt
38
ULLaf
28
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InSt
17
Kans
24
F
Akr
3
Ill
42
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ECU
6
NCSt
34
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How
0
MD
79
F
Toled
24
KY
38
F
Ind
34
Ball
24
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Boise
36
FlaSt
31
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JMU
13
WVU
20
F
URI
20
Ohio
41
F
Buck
12
Temp
56
F
HolyC
7
Navy
45
F
Colg
7
AF
48
F
GASt
38
Tenn
30
F
SCar
20
UNC
24
F
E Mi
30
CoCar
23
F
ETenn
7
App
42
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MonSt
10
TxTch
45
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PorSt
13
Ark
20
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VaTec
28
BC
35
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SamHu
31
NM
39
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(N/A)
7
UTSA
35
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Camp
14
Troy
43
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UCDav
13
Cal
27
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VMI
17
Marsh
56
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IllSt
10
NIU
24
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Monm
13
WestMI
48
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AlcSt
10
SMiss
38
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Nich
14
K St
49
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SFA
17
Bayl
56
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SMU
37
ArkSt
30
F
Norf
21
OD
24
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MIZ
31
Wyo
37
F
Abil
31
NorTx
51
F
UVA
30
Pitt
14
F
Gram
9
ULMon
31
F
HBU
34
UTEP
36
F
ArkPB
7
TCU
39
F
Web
0
SDSU
6
F
SoUt
23
UNLV
56
F
Fres
23
USC
31
F
Northwestern-Stanford Preview
Fri Aug 30, 2019 1:41 PM

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) Stanford coach David Shaw enters every season with a level of curiosity about how everything he's seen in spring ball and fall camp will transfer over to the season.

That's especially true this season when the 25th-ranked Cardinal are trying to get back to their identity of a power-running team after struggling mightily in that facet a year ago. The first test comes Saturday when Stanford hosts Northwestern, which reached the Big Ten title game last season.

"It's hard to calculate how important that is," Shaw said. "Is vital too soft a word?"

The Cardinal finished 122nd out 129 FBS teams in rushing last season as star back Bryce Love struggled with injuries before leaving for the NFL and a patchwork offensive line failed to live up to the usual standards at Stanford. Easing the pain from that deficiency was the performance of quarterback K.J. Costello, who threw for 3,540 yards (second most in school history) and 29 touchdowns (third most).

Costello is back this season leading the offense. Shaw said it is comforting to have a quarterback he knows he can rely on to carry a heavy load if necessary but both Costello and Shaw want to get back to Stanford's usual approach.

"There's no doubt we have to be a team that's willing to run the football," Costello said.

The questions at Northwestern are at quarterback, where coach Pat Fitzgerald had not announced whether senior TJ Green or Clemson transfer Hunter Johnson will start.

Green has more experience, playing in nine games as a backup last season, going 20 for 36 for 169 yards. Johnson has better pedigree as a former five-star recruit who left the Tigers after being beaten out for the starting job by Trevor Lawrence.

There is plenty of talent around the quarterback for the Wildcats to provide optimism for the season. But Fitzgerald knows the real test of how good his team will be begins Saturday.

"I like it in 72 degrees and as much adversity as I can create in practice," he said. "But you learn a lot about your squad in the opener. How do we handle it? How do we handle everything that happens in a game?"

CATCH THE BALL

Stanford must replace four of its top five leading receivers from a year ago. The biggest loss is JJ Arcega-Whiteside, who had 63 catches and 14 TDs. The Cardinal will have less size on the outside but more speed with players like Michael Wilson, Connor Wedington, Osiris St. Brown and Simi Fehoko. Costello said the difference could lead to a change in approach, with fewer back-shoulder and seam passes and more plays to get receivers open in space where they can run after the catch.

DYNAMIC BACK

No matter who plays quarterback for Northwestern, the offense still figures to go through running back Isaiah Bowser. Bowser played a big role in the Wildcats success last year, rushing for 864 yards over the final eight games of his freshman season. That total ranked eighth best in the nation over the final eight games.

"There are guys who get what the play is blocked for and guys who get more than what the play is blocked for. He's one of those guys," Shaw said. "If it's blocked for 5, it's going for 8 or 10 or if he breaks that last tackle it's going for 20 or 30."

TOUGH SLEDDING

The opener starts a brutal start to the season for the Cardinal, who travel to USC next week and then No. 17 Central Florida the following week before hosting No. 11 Oregon and No. 13 Washington in two of the next three games.

"All the schedule stuff to me, that stopped last week," Shaw said. "I don't care about the schedule now. We have one game to play and that's this week."

NONCONFERENCE WOES

The Wildcats won the Big Ten West Division last season despite losing all three regular-season nonconference games. Northwestern lost early contests against Duke and Akron and then again later in the season to Notre Dame. The slate should be easier this year with the other two nonconference games coming at home against UNLV and UMass.

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