Four Things Stanford Needs To Do In Order To Upset Deion Sanders and Colorado

Stanford is looking to end a four-game skid in their matchup against Colorado

On Friday, Stanford will be taking the field in Boulder to suit up against the most popular team in the country in the Colorado Buffaloes.

Headlined by head coach Deion Sanders and his son/quarterback Sheduer, Colorado has taken the nation by storm. They got off to a strong 3-0 start which saw them climb into the top-25, but dropped their next two games against Oregon and USC. They were able to hop back in the win column this past week against Arizona State, and now they are favored by 11.5 points against the Cardinal. 

As for Stanford, they started the season off with a convincing victory over Hawaii but dropped four straight heading into the bye week this past week. When a team is in a rebuilding stage like Stanford is, there is certainly room for morale victories and there have been signs of improvement. It is clear what the team's strengths are, and while a high-scoring team like Colorado is a tough matchup there are four things that Stanford needs to do in order pull off the upset. 

Run The Ball Effectively

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Troy Taylor already acknowledged that the best way to combat Colorado's offensive firepower is to keep them off the field. The best way to do that with how limited Stanford's offense is due to their poor pass blocking, is to feed the running backs. There hasn't been a clear No. 1 back, but Stanford has three backs in E.J. Smith, Sedrick Irvin, and Casey Filkins that they can utilize against a Colorado defense that ranks No. 96 in the country against the run. This could also mean continuing to use quarterback Justin Lamson's ability to run the ball as well, as running quarterbacks have also given this Buffs team trouble. 

Get Pressure On Shedeur Sanders

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Colorado statistically has the worst offensive line in the Power 5 and the second-worst in the country, giving up 31 sacks through six games. Obviously, every team on their schedule has had no problem pressuring him, but Stanford needs to maintain that pressure and force him to take the short throws rather than the daggers he delivers down the field. It can also lead to him taking more risks and missing on throws. Look for David Bailey who leads the team with four sacks to really get after Sanders.

Finish Drives With Touchdowns

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Stanford as a team has just nine touchdowns on the season, while having 11 field goals. That shows us that they are getting into scoring position, but not getting into the end zone. Being that Colorado's offense is privy to putting up points, but their defense is known for giving up scores, Stanford can stay in the game if they are able to have their drives result in six more often. The Buffs' defense ranks No. 119 in scoring defense, giving up 29 touchdowns on the year 

Create Big Plays

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Stanford has seen touchdowns, dropped, balls overthrown, and penalties negate big plays all season. Colorado's defense is no stranger to giving up a big play, which means both Ashton Daniels and Justin Lamson need to connect down the field with receivers. This also means that they need their pass catchers to create separation, which has been an issue as well. This may also require Troy Taylor to scheme up some big plays that trick the Colorado defense.