Stanford football went from being picked to win the Pac-12 Conference to struggles with injuries and inconsistent quarterback play that led to the Cardinal dropping 3 out of 4 straight games. After a qb switch and players getting healthy the 4-3 Cardinal went on a 6-game winning streak. Stanford finished the year 10-3 capped off with a thrilling defeat of the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Sun Bowl. This performance was good enough for Stanford to finish 12th in the nation in the final College Football Associated Press Poll.
Elsewhere around the Pac-12 conference two teams finished in the top 4 with USC finishing 3rd and Washington finishing 4th.