Who cares if the 2014 season is still in its infancy? This is the never-ending college football machine, so it's never a bad time to chop up Stanford's next go-round.
The Cardinal has scheduled a quality slate of nonconference games to complement what looks to be another rigorous nine-game jaunt through the Pac-12. The conference released the exact dates of the entire 2015 regular-season schedule Tuesday evening, guaranteeing plenty of spirited fan chatter with an eye on the future. Here are some takeaways from the Cardinal's 2015 slate:
There are no UC Davis-like cupcakes in the nonconference swing this time around. Stanford routed the Aggies, an FCS opponent, in Week 1 this year to make up for the schedule's loss of former regular opponent San Jose State. Northwestern (the Sept. 5 season opener) and Central Florida (the Sept. 12 home opener) have replaced UC Davis and Army on Stanford's slate. Notre Dame is the Cardinal's third and final nonconference opponent, and the Irish visit to conclude the regular season.
Fans vehemently complained about this current 2014 schedule, which features a visit from only one truly marquee opponent (USC, and that came before Stanford students even reported to campus). By contrast, this 2015 slate is absolutely glamorous. It features a mouth-watering line-up of home opponents. The following teams all visit Stanford Stadium: Central Florida, Arizona, UCLA, Washington, Oregon, California and Notre Dame. Six of those games take place with school already in session, as opposed to only three in 2014. Not too shabby.
Why Central Florida? Well, recruiting the Southeast is one of Stanford's top priorities. They've done a remarkable good job harvesting talent from the state of Georgia over the years, so playing the Knights should give the Cardinal program valuable exposure in the Sunshine State. Stanford will visit Orlando in 2019, providing a future opportunity to recruit in one of America's hotbeds of football talent.
It's not happening in Week 2 this time, but Stanford again plays USC early in 2015. That means that the Cardinal and Trojans will square off in September for the third time in four years. The previous two match-ups have (not surprisingly) resulted in sloppy games: In 2012, a patchwork Trojans' offensive line was not ready for Stanford's furious blitz; and just two weeks ago here in 2014, both teams still looked like they were in preseason form as they combined for 18 penalties for 155 yards.
The Cardinal must travel to Oregon State on a short week following their trip to USC. Granted, the Beavers won't enjoy a full week of preparation either, but they'll have a considerably easier test (San Jose State) the week before.
Until this week, 2011 was the last time Stanford had not enjoyed a full mid-season bye week. David Shaw even had to dig through his old practice notes to tailor his team's regimen during this hiatus. The Cardinal, in fact, will enjoy two full bye weeks here in 2014 -- but they'll be back to zero in 2015. There is a weekend off following the October 3 home game versus Arizona, but it'll be consumed by preparation for the following week's Thursday showdown against UCLA.
Stanford and Oregon have squared off in November in every single season since 2010. That will not change this time around. Mark Nov. 14, 2015, for the Ducks' return to Stanford Stadium.