Stanford Football: Ducks host Cardinal in pivotal matchup
By Zach Bigalke
Stanford football meets Oregon on Saturday night in their annual divisional clash. Will the Cardinal win their fourth straight?
The annual battle between Oregon and Stanford could once again have national implications for both schools after several down years for the Ducks. Both teams are ranked as they prepare to meet up at Autzen Stadium on Saturday night, with Stanford sitting at No. 7 and Oregon at No. 20 in the current AP Top 25.
Both teams are undefeated entering the contest, and both have high hopes of contending for the Pac-12 title and a potential spot in the College Football Playoff. Oregon is back to its offensively dominant ways, averaging more than 51 points per game through the first quarter of 2018. Stanford boasts the top scoring defense in the country, making up for a surprisingly anemic offense.
After cycling through Mark Helfrich and Willie Taggart in the past few seasons, Oregon seems to finally have a head coach in Mario Cristobal who can restore the Ducks to glory. The former Florida International coach has the Ducks undefeated, though he now gets his biggest test to date in a duel against David Shaw and his staff.
Some players are beginning to break out this year, while other stars have seen their numbers suffer a downturn. Who will ultimately prevail in a battle that has frequently cost the loser a shot at the national title over the past decade? Here’s how you can watch the Saturday night #Pac12AfterDark action between Pac-12 North rivals Oregon and Stanford:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 22
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Location: Eugene, Ore.
Venue: Autzen Stadium
TV: ABC
Live Stream: WatchESPN | FuboTV
Keys to Victory
To win on its home turf, Oregon needs Justin Herbert to keep putting up prolific numbers. Through his first three games of 2018, Herbert has averaged more passing yardage and accounted for more total touchdowns than Marcus Mariota put together in the first quarter of his Heisman-winning season. Oregon also needs to maintain the discipline that has seen them go from ranking dead last in penalties in 2017 to the least-disciplined team in the Pac-12 this year.
Stanford, meanwhile, needs Bryce Love to emerge from the doldrums and reassert himself as a Heisman contender. Love sat out last week’s win over FCS opponent UC Davis with an undisclosed injury, but even when he was on the field in the first two games his productivity was lacking. To break down a surprisingly stout Jim Leavitt-coached defense, Stanford needs Love to put together several of his trademark big-yardage plays to stand a chance of winning.
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of oddsshark.com
Point Spread: Stanford -2.5
Over/Under: 56
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Prediction
The oddsmakers are calling Stanford a slight favorite on the road this weekend, but Oregon is going to take advantage of a partisan home crowd to silence their rivals. Herbert will throw for 300 yards and three scores, the Ducks ground game will combine to produce at least 200 yards as a team, and the Oregon defense will clamp down on K.J. Costello, Bryce Love, and the rest of the Cardinal stars. It will amount to a vintage Oregon result in a week where College Gameday is coming to down.
Final Score: Oregon 52, Stanford 38