STANFORD, Calif. – The smart kids are not sneaking up on anybody this season.
Since Stanford first fielded a football team in 1892, never have the Cardinal carried so much momentum. The defending Pac-12 champions and Rose Bowl winners return almost everybody from a dominant defense, an intriguing quarterback who is undefeated as a starter and the conference's twice reigning coach of the year.
Once thought out of reach for a prestigious academic university, Stanford has risen to a national title contender that everybody is taking seriously now.
Stanford has made a BCS bowl game the last three seasons. And after coming up one win short of a possible berth in the BCS championship game each time, the Cardinal believe this could finally be their year to win it all.
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