2014 Foster Farms Bowl
Maryland Terrapins vs Stanford Cardinal
Levi’s Stadium – Santa Clara, California
Tuesday, December 30, 2014, 10:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN
Opening Line: Stanford -13 1/2
Current Line: Stanford -14
Opening Total: 48 1/2
Current Total: 48
Opening Money Line: Stanford -600 / Maryland +460
Current Money Line: Stanford -550 / Maryland +445
The 7-5 Stanford Cardinal and 7-5 Maryland Terrapins meet for the first time ever Tuesday in the Foster Farms Bowl in Santa Clara. Stanford went 5-4 in the Pac 12 North and finished second. Maryland went 4-4 in their first year in the Big Ten East Division and finished third.
Maryland is 11-12-1 all-time in bowl games. The Terrapins lost to Marshall 31-20 in the Military Bowl last season. Maryland lost to Oregon State in the 2007 edition of this bowl game when it was the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco.
Stanford is 11-13-1 all-time in bowl games. The Cardinal are playing in a bowl game for the sixth straight season. Before this year, Stanford had played in four straight BCS games including a 24-20 loss to Michigan State last year in the Rose Bowl. Despite this being almost a home game Stanford has never played in this bowl in San Francisco/Santa Clara.
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Maryland is coached by Randy Edsall. The Terrapins started off the season 4-1 but have alternated wins and losses since then. Maryland has home wins over James Madison 52-7 and Iowa 38-31, along with road wins at South Florida 24-17, Syracuse 34-20, Indiana 37-15, Penn State 20-19, and Michigan 23-16. The Terrapins have a road loss at Wisconsin 52-7, plus home losses to West Virginia 40-37, Ohio State 52-24, Michigan State 37-15, and Rutgers 41-38 in the last game of the regular season. Maryland is 6-6 ATS and the total is 6-5-1 this season. The Terrapins were 7.5 point favorites against Rutgers and the total was 52.5.
Stanford is coached by David Shaw. Stanford has home losses against USC 13-10 and Utah 20-17 in double overtime, plus road losses at Notre Dame 17-14, at Arizona State 26-10 and Oregon 45-16. The Cardinal have home wins over UC-Davis 45-0, Army 35-0, Washington State 34-17 and Oregon State 38-14 along with a road wins at Washington 20-13, California 38-17 and UCLA 31-10 in the last game of the season. The Cardinal have won 2 straight games. Stanford is 6-6 ATS and the total is 2-9. The Cardinal were 6 point underdogs against UCLA and the total was 48.5.
Maryland is outscoring teams 29.1-28.9 this season. The Terrapins are averaging 352 total yards per game including 222 passing yards and 131 rushing yards. Maryland is #105 in total offense and #109 in rushing out of 128 FBS teams. On defense Maryland is allowing 438 total yards per game including 237 passing and 202 rushing yards. The Terrapins are #81 or worse in all three categories. Maryland has forced 21 turnovers but has 21 of their own. The Terrapins average 53 penalty yards per game and opponents average 57. Maryland is 62/183 on third and fourth down conversions and opponents are 95/237. Maryland has forced 31 sacks and allowed 31 this season. The Terrapins are 30/33 scoring in the red zone with 22 touchdowns and opponents are 43/52 with 28 touchdowns. Maryland has 2 punt returns for touchdowns and two pick sixes. Maryland has allowed 3 defensive touchdowns.
Maryland quarterback C.J. Brown has completed 53.2% of his passes for 2,083 yards with 13 touchdowns and 9 interceptions, along with 148 carries for 569 yards with 7 touchdowns. Back-up Caleb Rowe has thrown for 489 yards with 5 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He is out for the season with a knee injury.
Running back Brandon Ross has 78 carries for 385 yards and 4 touchdowns, plus 14 catches for 212 yards and 2 touchdowns. Wes Brown has 97 carries for 341 yards and 5 touchdowns, plus 20 catches for 184 yards. Receiver Stefon Diggs has 52 catches for 654 yards and 5 touchdowns. He is probable with a kidney injury. Deon Long has 49 catches for 554 yards and 2 touchdowns. Marcus Leak has 20 catches for 297 yards but three went for touchdowns. Jacquille Veii has a receiving touchdown and 2 rushing touchdowns. Three little used receivers are questionable or out for the Terrapins. Six defensive players including 4 defensive backs are out for the season.
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Stanford is outscoring teams 26-16 this season. The Cardinal are #2 in points allowed nationally and #89 in scoring. The Cardinal are averaging 386 yards per game on offense including 232 passing and 155 rushing yards. On defense, Stanford is allowing 287 total yards per game, including 176 passing yards and 112 rushing yards. The Cardinal are #7 in pass defense and #4 in total defense nationally. Even the rush defense is #11 nationally. Stanford is -5 in turnovers with 15 takeaways. Stanford is 65/161 on third and fourth down conversions and opponents are 79/214. Stanford averages 52 penalty yards per game and opponents average 55. The Cardinal have forced 40 sacks and allowed 22 this season. Stanford is 35/49 scoring in the red zone with 25 touchdowns and opponents are 25/31 with 17 touchdowns. The Cardinal have 2 punt returns for touchdowns, and have allowed a defensive touchdown.
Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan has completed 65.7% of his passes for 2,603 yards with 17 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, plus 5 rushing touchdowns and 285 yards on 84 carries. Running back Remound Wright has 127 carries for 552 yards and 8 touchdowns, plus 7 catches. Barry Sanders, Jr. has 54 carries for 304 yards, plus 6 catches. Kelsey Young has 57 carries for 306 yards, plus 5 catches. Fullback Patrick Skov has 4 rushing touchdowns.
Receiver Ty Montgomery has 61 catches for 604 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also has a rushing touchdown and 2 punt returns for touchdowns. Montgomery is out with a shoulder injury. Austin Hooper has 35 catches for 428 yards and 2 touchdowns. Devon Cajuste has 30 catches for 510 yards and 4 of them went for touchdowns. Michael Rector and Christian McCaffery each have two touchdown catches.
Maryland is 6-0 ATS after a loss, 4-0 after failing to cover, 5-1 after allowing more than 40 points, 2-5 on grass, 8-20 after allowing 280 passing yards or more, and 0-7 after allowing 450 total yards or more.
Stanford is 5-0 ATS in December, 4-1 in bowl games and neutral site games, 22-9-1 after rushing for 200 yards or more, 14-6 after allowing less than 170 passing yards, 3-7 after allowing less than 20 points, 2-5 against teams with winning records and in non-conference games, 1-5 after allowing less than 275 total yards, 1-6 after a straight up win, 1-7 after failing to cover and after a straight up win of 20 points or more.
Stanford has a dominant defense but struggles to score sometimes. The offense came alive though in the last game against UCLA. Maryland struggles on defense and I think Stanford should be able to exploit that weakness even without Montgomery. I like the Cardinal to win but 14 points seems like a lot even though they are playing in nearby Santa Clara.
