Three Factors That Could Determine Stanford Football's Fate vs. Hawaii

On Saturday, the Stanford Cardinal will travel to Honolulu for their opening game of the season, where a matchup against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors awaits. Coming off of a fourth straight 3-9 season, the Cardinal are hungry to prove that they are an improved program and are eager to take a massive step forward under interim head coach Frank Reich.

But their first game of the season will not be an easy one. Hawaii features a lot of talent, with the program eager to prove that this is their year to win the Mountain West Conference. For Stanford to go home with a win, it will take a lot. Here are three factors that could determine the result for the Cardinal on Saturday.

Protect the football

Football is very complex, yet so simple: protect the football. For many teams, that is the goal of each game: keep possession of the ball for as long as possible and do not turn it over.

Last season, turnovers plagued Stanford's offense, with the team committing 22 total offensive turnovers throughout the season--17 interceptions and five fumbles--and ranked 101st in the nation in turnover margin.

It is very hard to win when you turn over the ball, and this season, Stanford's top priority is protecting the ball on offense. Hawaii is a team that will come out fast and aggressive, and will do all they can to disrupt Stanford's offense. If the Cardinal move the ball but also protect it, they could find themse lves in a good position to win when the final whistle blows.

Offensive line play

In recent seasons, Stanford's offense has struggled mightily, but a big reason for that could be the inconsistent play of the offensive line. Injuries combined with struggles with play caused the Cardinal offense to not move the ball well and in a conference that features fast paced defenses, moving the ball is most important.

Establishing a core on the offensive line will be crucial for the Cardinal this season, who will be relying on several new faces such as Niki Prongos. But it is equally important that the line plays well against a physical Hawaii defense that will look to cause problems. It all starts up front in fo otball, and this week, that notion will be fully exemplified.

Defend the pass

A lot went wrong for the Cardinal last season, which contributed to the strengths of the team being hidden. But considering the struggles that Stanford experienced defensively last season, pass defense actually was a strong point.

Despite allowing an average of about 280 passing yards per game, the Cardinal pass defense recorded nine total interceptions and had several players make a name for themselves as elite pass defenders.

But with a lot of change to the roster this season and uncertainty surrounding some of the personnel, it will be extremely important for the Cardinal to emphasize pass defense--especially in a quarterback/pass centric conference like the ACC.

Hawaii is known for its speed and athleticism, with the program's receiving core having a lot of fast and quick guys. But if Stanford can disrupt Hawaii's passing attack, then it could bode well towards earning a win and starting the year 1-0.