By Morris Phillips

The Foster Farms Bowl is a meeting of also-ran 7-5 teams, but make no mistake, Stanford and Maryland, come from quite different places.

First off, Stanford is in its backyard, playing in Levi’s Stadium on Tuesday for the first time in the history of their program.  As the home of the Pac-12 Championship game for the foreseeable future, the Cardinal want to feel comfortable right away at the NFL facility that’s just 15 miles from campus.

Stanford’s prospects for a quick recovery from their first subpar season under David Shaw will be made clearer in the coming days, as quarterback Kevin Hogan and others will decide on returning to school for another season or declaring for the NFL draft.  Hogan is on schedule to graduate this spring, and could declare as he’s projected to be a late round draft pick, but he has another year of eligibility remaining.

Big wide receiver Devon Cajuste and All-American offensive tackle Andrus Peat are others considering leaving the Farm early.  Cornerback Wayne Lyons appeared to tip his hand by accepting an invitation to NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, a showcase for draftees.  But Coach David Shaw said Saturday that Lyons merely wanted to keep his options open and had not yet made a decision on declaring for the draft.

Not only has the NFL noticed Stanford, but so have the odds makers, who have the Cardinal 13-point favorites over Maryland, an Eastern seaboard transplant that took its lumps in an inaugural season in the Big Ten.  While Stanford lost five, each time to ranked teams, Maryland was blown out by new conference mates, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Michigan State.

Defensive back William Likely is about a clear cut an NFL prospect as the Terrapins have.  CBS Sports theorizes that Likely would have to score a fourth defensive touchdown this season just for Maryland to give Stanford a compelling game into the fourth quarter.

Stanford’s Ty Montgomery continues to hold out hope that he can be cleared to play in advance of Tuesday’s kickoff.  But the closest thing the Cardinal has to an offensive star hasn’t played since being injured in the Big Game against Cal a month ago.  Montgomery’s status is key: Stanford’s offense has been tepid all season and the 6’2” receiver gives them a legitimate big-play threat.  If Stanford can score some points, Maryland could be left pressed to beat the nation’s second stingiest defense.  Still, Shaw seemed resigned to having his team ready with or without Montgomery.

“I don’t have a feeling one way or another,” Shaw said. “It’s 50-50.  If he has a setback tomorrow, he can’t play.”