Washington vs. Stanford Point Spread at Cardinal -9
Carrie Stroup here with your Washington vs. Stanford point spread. Be sure to claim your FREE $100 BET HERE.
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Stanford -9 & 53
Opening Line & Total: Cardinal -7.5 & 53
No. 15 Washington looks to continue its fast start this season when it visits No. 5 Stanford, which will be looking for some revenge after falling 17-13 to the Huskies last year.
After a disappointing 2012 season, Washington QB Keith Price is back to his 2011 form. When Price is on top of his game, he is one of the most accurate quarterbacks in all of the country. With RB Bishop Sankey ranking fifth in the country with 607 rushing yards, the Huskies have one of the most balanced offenses in the country with the ability to score on anybody. With its 31-13 victory over Arizona last week, Washington is now 4-0 ATS this season. However, the Huskies will be put to the test against the Cardinal, who have one of the best defenses in the country. After allowing Washington State to hang around for the first half in last Saturday’s game, Stanford put on an incredible defensive display, including two interceptions returned for touchdowns in the third quarter. As good as the defense is, it is the play of their quarterback that has Cardinal fans dreaming of a potential national title berth. In his brief career, QB Kevin Hogan has shown the ability to be a big-time college quarterback. He has won all 10 career starts (7-3 ATS), while throwing 19 touchdowns to just six interceptions so far in his career. He is very athletic, but when he scrambles, he does it more to give his wide receivers more time to get open than trying to rush downfield. This game could be decided on which quarterback plays better, which makes for an interesting game. Washington is 18-8 ATS (69%) when the total is between 49.5 and 56 points under head coach Steve Sarkisian, but Stanford is 10-0 ATS after scoring 42+ points in a game under head coach David Shaw.
After a 2011 season that saw him throw for 3,063 yards and 33 touchdowns, Washington QB Keith Price threw for only 19 TD last season, and was a big reason why the Huskies struggled. This year, he is leading an offense that ranks fifth in the country in total offense with 574 yards per game. He has tremendous arm strength, and is extremely accurate, as he is completing 72.3 percent of his passes this season. While Price didn't play very well against Stanford (19-of-37, 177 yards, 4.8 YPA, 1 TD, 1 INT; minus-14 rushing yards), RB Bishop Sankey picked up his slack in a big way. Sankey paced the Washington offense with 144 yards on 20 carries (7.2 YPC), including a 61-yard TD run on the final play of the third quarter. Washington has everything needed to become a powerhouse in the Pac-12, now it’s time for them to put it together and make it happen. The Huskies have not defeated a top-25 team on the road since 2010, when they upset USC 32-31. However, repeating that feat will be no easy task as they go up against a Stanford team that has the second longest winning streak in the country at 12 games.
When Jim Harbaugh left, it was thought that the Stanford success went with him. However, that has proven not to be the case at all, as David Shaw has taken the Cardinal program to the next level in his three years in charge. While people think of the great defense that Stanford has, the offense has an abundance of firepower as well. Junior WR Trent Montgomery is a big-time athlete that is as complete of a wide receiver as there is in the Pac-12. He is a great combination of size and speed, while also having the ability to block downfield in the running game. Speaking of the running game, senior RB Tyler Gaffney is having a huge season with 377 yards (5.2 YPC) and five touchdowns. He is looking to bounce back from a subpar showing in Pullman last week when he gained just 54 yards on 14 carries (3.9 YPC). He has helped Stanford outrush its two Pac-12 opponents this season by a wide 478 to 101 margin.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
