ESPN2 TV Preview: A look at Wake Forest Vs Stanford Point Spread

Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Stanford Cardinal, Stanford Stadium, Palo Alto, CA
Saturday, September 18, 2010, 11:15 pm EST, TV: ESPN2
Opening Line: Stanford 18 1/2
Current Line: Stanford -17 1/2
Opening Total: 60
Current Total: 58.5
Money Line: Stanford -825 / Wake +625
Betting Odds Taken from the Best Sportsbook in the World, Bookmaker

Stanford Football — Andrew Luck and the Stanford Cardinal are 17.5 point home favorites in the late night ESPN2 game

Coach Jim Grobe takes his Wake Forest team out west to take on Jim Harbaugh and the #19 Stanford Cardinal. Both teams are 2-0, and look for another win before conference play begins.

Wake Forest played in-state rival Duke last week and ended up winning a shootout 54-48. The game was back and forth and they were tied 35-35 at halftime. It wasn’t what you would call a defensive struggle as the teams combined for almost 1,000 total yards and 102 points. The Deacons rush for 322 yards a game, fourth best in the country, led by QB Ted Stachitas and running back Josh Harris. Freshman Tanner Price wasn’t bad as he replaced Stachitas who left the game against Duke in the first quarter with a hand injury. Price wasn’t bad throwing for 190 yards, 3 touchdowns, and a pick. Price also rushed for 56 yards and another touchdown. Wake’s defense struggled to say the least against Duke, and it doesn’t get any easier this week as they get Andrew Luck and the high-powered Cardinal offense. If theyy couldn’t stop Duke, they will have a difficult time stopping Stanford especially travelling across country to play a game at 11:15 pm Eastern.

Stanford is also 2-0 but has victories over Sacramento St and a UCLA that has had problems moving the ball. Stanford has outscored it’s two opponents 87-17, and UCLA didn’t score at all getting skunked 35-0. The Cardinal have a pretty balanced attack. Andrew Luck has thrown for 467 yards, 6 touchdowns and no interceptions so far this season. The Cardinal rushing game is averaging 212 yards a game as well. the Cardinal do not have a definitive star running back as they did last year with Toby Gerhardt. Five Cardinal players have least 10 carries in two games so far, including Luck. Defensively the Cardinal have been dominant giving up only 200 yards a game, and forcing 6 turnovers and 6 sacks. The game against UCLA wasn’t even close, and the Bruins were at home. The Bruins passing game was pathetic getting only 81 yards with 2 picks. The rushing game wasn’t much better but did manage 152 yards. The Stanford offense wasn’t that great either, as Luck only threw for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Luck has yet to throw an interception this season. The Cardinal were missing two key offensive players, running back Jeremy Stewart and receiver Chris Owusu. Both are questionable against Wake Forest as well. The Cardinal did rush for 212 yards though.

These two teams met last year in Winston-Salem for the first time ever. Wake came out on top 24-17. The Cardinal look to avenge that loss, and are a double digit favorites to do just that. As I mentioned Wake is travelling across country to play at 11:15 pm Eastern for television. Some of the Wake players are quoted as saying they are usually in bed by 10:30 every night, so sluggishness could be a problem for the Deacons.