October 8, 2016; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal head coach David Shaw watches against the Washington State Cougars during the second quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
What surprising headlines popped out in Week 6 of the 2016 college football season?
Aside from a few interruptions by Hurricane Matthew, Week 6 gave the everyday college football fan something to love. The additional upsets of Week 6 reminds us that there’s not really one team that’s stood out (other than Louisville). Nearing midseason, programs are also in the process of restructuring, particularly with coaches.
Tom Herman is the bearer of bad news heading into Week 7. It’s not a groundbreaking concept that he might not be with Houston next season. And the loss in Annapolis over the weekend solidified that. Charlie Strong and Brian Kelly are also in trouble. With a combined record of 4-7, Strong and Kelly may have retired their time at their respectable institutions.
With Week 7 on the horizon, these are the most surprising moments from Saturday’s action.
5. David Shaw’s Last Semester at Stanford
After a 12-1 season in 2010, the Stanford Cardinals and Jim Harbaugh officially parted ways. That same season, Stanford would go on to defeat Virginia Tech 40-12 in the Orange Bowl. During his time at Standford, Harbaugh collected 29 wins to 21 losses. The Cardinals also appeared in two bowl games, while Harbaugh was at the helm for four years.
Then, in 2011, David Shaw’s bus stopped in the city of Stanford. For the next three seasons, Stanford would be a witness to its best stretch in school history. Shaw carried the program to a 34-7 record in the beginning of his career, in addition to a 1-2 postseason record in that span (2011-2013).
The following season (2014), the Cardinals went through a pseudo-slump. Though they had five losses, all of them were at the mercy of ranked teams (USC, Notre Dame, ASU, Oregon, Utah). And all five were lost by a single possession. Their only credible win in 2014 came at the end of the season when they faced then-No. 9 UCLA in Week 12.
Things turned around again for Stanford in 2015. Shaw was accompanied by QB Kevin Hogan, who had his best season at Stanford (2,867 pass yards, 27 TD, 8 INT). Everything was smooth sailing for the Cardinals. They finished 3rd in the final AP Poll and beat Iowa in the Rose Bowl, 45-16. That season, Shaw also orchestrated a nail-biter-of-a-contest with then-No. 4 Notre Dame (W 38-36).
It’s now 2016 and things aren’t faring well for David Shaw and the Cardinals. Since starting out with a win against Kansas State, Stanford’s crippled itself. In Weeks 5 and 6, Shaw and Co. lost to two programs from the State of Washington. Both were embarrassing losses for a school that has college’s best RB in Christian McCaffrey.
Sitting at 3-2, Stanford occupies the middle ranks of the Pac-12 North. Unfortunate for Stanford, they lost Christian McCaffrey during Week 6 vs. Washington State. Who knows what kind of impact that’ll have? But if David Shaw can’t muster up a win vs. Notre Dame next Saturday, then he, too, will join Brian Kelly on the hot seat.