On Saturday at 12:30 PM PT on Pac-12 Networks and KNBR 1050 AM radio, Stanford football will welcome Washington State to The Farm. Stanford comes in at 3-5 overall and 1-5 in the Pac-12 while Washington State comes in at 4-4 overall and 1-4 in the Pac-12.
Last time out: Last week, Stanford fell on the road at #12 UCLA by a final score of 38-13.
RECAP: Stanford offense sputters in loss at #12 UCLA
On Washington State: After getting off to a hot 3-0 start with wins over Idaho, then-No. 19 Wisconsin, and Colorado State, the wheels have started to come off for the Cougars as their only win since September 17th (Colorado State) is their 28-9 home drubbing of Cal. Things are not going in the right direction for Washington State at the moment as they come to The Farm on a three game losing skid.
Despite their struggles, the Cougars do have a strong quarterback in Cameron Ward, who has 17 touchdown passes, 8 interceptions, and 2184 passing yards for a 65.6 completion percentage. Ward is playing well this year. The top passing target for Ward is sophomore split end receiver De’Zhaun Stribling, who has a team-high 5 touchdown receptions as well as a team-high 425 receiving yards. At running back, Nakia Watson (5.1 yards per carry and 2 touchdowns) and Jaylen Jenkins (6.5 yards per carry and 1 touchdown) lead the way. Watson did not play last week and judging from the depth chart it looks like he might play, but not a guarantee. That’s something to definitely watch for.
Senior linebacker Daiyan Henley leads the Cougars defense with a team-high 80 total tackles (36 solo) this year. Last week against Utah, Henley had 12 total tackles (3 solo).
As a team, the Cougars average 23.6 points per game while their opponents average 20.8. They’re definitely a passing oriented team and will look to attack a Stanford secondary that is a bit vulnerable with Ethan Bonner unlikely to play.
Keys to the game: For Stanford, the first thing they need to do is get their passing game going. With Brendon Barrow as the top running back, Stanford has to make sure they are doing all they can to take the pressure off Barrow in his first start. If Tanner McKee gets his time to throw, Stanford should be in good shape.
Secondly, Stanford needs to score touchdowns. This sounds obvious, but their late touchdown last week at UCLA was their first touchdown since the Oregon State game. As good of a kicker as Joshua Karty is, Stanford cannot expect to win games if they are finding the end zone. Stanford will get red zone opportunities. The question will be can they come away with touchdowns this time.
Finally, Stanford’s secondary needs to be sharp. The front seven should be fine, but it’s the secondary that’s a bit dicey. If Stanford makes sure Washington State’s air it out attack doesn’t burn them deep, that will do wonders for their chances.
Prediction: Neither team has had good seasons up to this point, but Stanford seems to be figuring things out a little better than Washington State as of now. Plus, Stanford is at home. I like Stanford to win this game, but I think it’s going to be close. 27-23 is how I see this shaking out.
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