Stanford-Washington State
Time: 9 PM ET
Spread: STA -15.5
Total: 53
M/L: STA -600; WAS +500

Betting Odds from Bookmaker

Stanford clocks in at No. 25 in the AP rankings with a 3-2 record, but has split its Pac-12 games thus far. Playing Washington State should elevate Stanford to a 2-1 conference record, as NCAA football odds list the Cardinal with a 15.5 point spread over Washington State Cougars.

Stanford has done it on the heels of a top-rated defense. The Cardinal rank 9th in points allowed, surrendering just 8.6 points per game to opponents. Though the Cardinal lost to then- No. 14 USC, it defeated Notre Dame last week by a field goal to propel into the rankings.

Quarterback Kevin Hogan is compiling an impressive season, and is approaching the accuracy mark he set as a sophomore. This season he’s been good for 65.4 percent completion while accumulating 8 TDs to just 4 INTs. He has a wealth of viable receiving options, with three receivers already having totaled 180 yards or more. T.J. Montgomery leads the way with 287 yards on 30 receptions with three TDs. Devon Cajuste has contributed three TDs, as well.

In the backfield, the Cardinal have workhorse Remond Wright, who has rushed for 180 yards on 37 carries. His 4.9 per rush average ranks behind No. 2 back Barry Sanders who has rushed 24 times for 167 yards (7.0 per carry). Kelsey Young rounds out the backfield with 162 yards, while Hogan has rushed for three TDs to lead the team in rushing TDs.

Washington State has focused almost exclusively on throwing the ball, as the offense leads the nation in passing yards (523 per game). Without a reliable option in the backfield, it has led to the mediocrity of a 2-4 season thus far. The Cougars get just 56.5 yards per game from its rushers, helping it rank near the bottom of all D-1 programs.

The scoring hasn’t been bad (38 per game), but the defense has been woefully inadequate, allowing nearly as much (35.2 per game). Even so, the Cougars held its own against then-No. 2 Oregon, losing by just seven points. In a shootout last week, W-State lost by a point to Cal.

Connor Halliday has already thrown for over 3,000 yards at a 67 percent clip. His TD to INT ratio is 26 to 7 this year, while he boasts a 156.7 QB rating. The Cougars have four receivers with 490 yards or more, and the top four receivers have all scored at least six TDs.

Gerard Wicks has actually be a pretty solid option on rush situations. He’s scored three TDs, and both he and Jamal Morrow have over 180 yards on the season. While that only works out to 30 yards per game, it’s hard to blame two backs who may be far better with more opportunities. Until the offensive coordination changes at Wash State, though, expect unbalanced attacks like these which lead to average results, at best.

Though the Stanford Cardinal may be an underrated 3-2, the Cougars are far better than its 2-4 record suggests.  The line shift reflected in college odds has shown this, with the Cardinal advantage having shifted from 1.0 to 1.5 points on most betting sites.