Stanford Football: Cardinal Continue Their Dominance With Defense, Running

If you could pick a song that best describes Stanford's latest Big Game win, it would be _______ because ________.

Scott Allen, Rule Of Tree: "Don't Worry, Be Happy"; there's no reason to worry about a sluggish offensive performance in the second half when you blow out your rival on the road.

Hank Waddles, Go Mighty Card: Really, it could be any song you like, just as long as it's on vinyl and there's a big scratch going down the middle. This game is like a broken record, only it's a broken record I could listen to over and over again. And again. And again. And again...

What aspect of the Big Game victory most satisfied you?

Scott Allen, Rule Of Tree: The three total rushing yards allowed. The Stanford defense made Cal's offense -- particularly the Bears' running game -- look absolutely horrific. The score may not have been as lopsided as in 2010, but the Cardinal's performance seemed every bit as dominant.

Hank Waddles, Go Mighty Card:. Without question, it was great to see the defensive domination. Here's my favorite statistic: the Stanford defense held the Cal offense to 3.86 inches per run carry. Simply awesome.

Obviously the offense is never going to be quite the juggernaut it once was, but is this physical style of offense satisfactory for you going forward even if it has its limitations?

Scott Allen, Rule Of Tree: I'm happy to watch Stepfan Taylor get 40 carries a game if it moves the chains. The reality is that most teams aren't going to let Stanford do that and I'd like to see a little more variety on offense. There were some signs of that against Cal. The next two weeks should provide a good opportunity to experiment, unless David Shaw wants to keep any tricks up his sleeve until the Cardinal faces the Oregon schools in November.

Hank Waddles, Go Mighty Card: If anything, I'd say this offense isn't physical enough. As angry as Stanford fans were about the South Bend Robbery (and well they should've been), the fact remains that Stanford offensive lines of seasons past would never have put the referees in that position. They simply would've blasted a hole in the Notre Dame defensive line big enough for an entire conga line to dance into the end zone. But of course, this doesn't all fall on the linemen. With little or no passing threat, defenses can key on the running game. If Nunes can just make a few more throws, or if the play calling can open up just a bit more, just enough to give defenses something else to think about, the offensive line can get back to punishing people.