Will Stanford Be Distracted in the Orange Bowl?
ESPN Pac-10 blogger Ted Miller isn't at the Orange Bowl, but he's more familiar with Stanford than most and weighed in with his prediction for the game. Miller likes the Cardinal to prevail, but suggests the Virginia Tech running game and the potential distraction created by the constant speculation about head coach Jim Harbaugh's future will keep things interesting.
"Further, we really don't know if all the 'We don't know where Harbaugh is going but he is going' talk has been a distraction. There's a lot of down time at bowl games. Players chat. You know that has been a hot topic, particularly with the young guys coming back in 2011."
It's a valid point, but I don't think focus will be an issue. As Shayne Skov said earlier this week, "We've invested too much to let something like that distract us." Tonight's game is about much more than Jim Harbaugh. Tomorrow morning, it's all about him. Enjoy the game, and go Stanford!
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They may say its not a distraction
But it’s really difficult not to be distracted when the Merc runs top of the front-page stories about Harbaugh and Luck leaving as foregone conclusions in both its print and online editions, as well as ESPN and SI. And that’s not even including the Chronicle’s coverage.
by RedOscar on Jan 3, 2026 12:35 PM PST reply actions
Maybe JH
will hear all the “experts” bleating their “informed opinions” and say, “Well, screw you guys. I’m staying at Stanford just to prove you dolts wrong.”
That’d be a real Harbaugh-like thing to do.
One can always hope…
by Cardinal&Orange; on Jan 3, 2026 1:03 PM PST reply actions
GO CARDINAL!
"(Kelly's) got a veteran team that is the favorite to win the Pac-10. His choice of Thomas reflects only one belief: He’s our best QB today."-Ted Miller....I'd say Chip made an alright decision.
by TennesseeQuackAttack8 on Jan 3, 2026 2:29 PM PST reply actions
No distraction
I don’t think that the players will be thinking about it at all. The Cardinal have not been in this position before. They won’t take it lightly.
I expect a good game, wish that I was there.
by jterry94 on Jan 3, 2026 2:48 PM PST reply actions
The Seniors wont be distracted......
Luck wont be distracted……….once the game starts……..they’ll be all in.
And I bet Coach Harbaugh is making sure the guys stay focused.
I’m not worried, even if they are distracted.
The score dictated they pass
by norcaliangelsfan on Jan 3, 2026 2:50 PM PST reply actions
Link to stream forthcoming?
I sure hope there is a link forthcoming for those of us who rely on internet. FWIW, I did graduate work at Stanford…
Thanks!
by Calbear91 on Jan 3, 2026 3:19 PM PST reply actions
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