Stanford Football: No Bryce Love amplifies Sun Bowl challenge vs Pitt

Stanford football and Pitt square off for the first time in eight decades. Will the Cardinal or the Panthers prevail in their meeting at the historic Sun Bowl?

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Back in 1932, Pittsburgh won 7-0 against Stanford in the season finale for both teams. The Panthers finished 8-1-2 in the follow-up to their national championship season in 1931, while Stanford ended its season 6-4-1 with the defeat. Pop Warner’s Stanford squad lost four of their last six games after starting 5-0 in the first month and a half of the season.

This season, Stanford started 4-0 before things started to collapse for the Cardinal. Pittsburgh wasn’t quite as good as their early-1930s vintages, but they still reached the ACC championship game after winning the Coastal ahead of Georgia Tech. The reward for the two teams is their first meeting in 86 seasons.

After several seasons of the run dominating the offense, Stanford relied heavily on their passing game in 2018. K.J. Costello was a top-12 quarterback in the FBS in terms of passing yards per game, touchdowns through the air, and passing efficiency. It was needed, as incumbent tailback Bryce Love struggled to recreate the magic of his 2017 season.

Pittsburgh, on the other hand, leaned heavily on a rushing attack that produced two 1000-yard running backs this year. Qadree Ollison and Darrin Hall combined for more than 2200 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground this year, pacing the No. 18 rushing offense in the country. They covered for Kenny Pickett and one of the nation’s worst passing games.

Stanford was the team with hopes of reaching their conference championship game. The Panthers were the team that actually pulled it off. But which will be more motivated for their showdown in El Paso on New Year’s Eve? Here’s how you can watch the Sun Bowl between Stanford and Pittsburgh:

Date: Monday, Dec. 31
Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
Location: El Paso, Texas
Venue: Sun Bowl Stadium
TV: CBS
Live Stream: CBS Sports Live | FuboTV

Keys to Victory

Stanford should have no trouble breaking down the Panthers through the air. But with Bryce Love opting to forgo his final college football game to preserve his body for the NFL, the Cardinal need to find their next great running back and have him break out at the Sun Bowl. Cameron Scarlett will get his chance to lay claim to the starting role in 2019, and he needs to seize it like Love did a few years ago when Christian McCaffrey sat out Stanford’s bowl game.

Pittsburgh needs Kenny Pickett to find himself against a Stanford secondary that ranks 121st in the FBS in yards allowed through the air. Pickett needs the second 300-yard game of his young career to set the Panthers up for victory. They also need to take advantage of their propensity to hold on to the football as a top-20 team in time of possession and limit the opportunities the Cardinal get with the football.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of oddsshark.com

Point Spread: Stanford -5
Over/Under: 52

Prediction

Given the trajectory of these two teams in 2018, it seems like Pittsburgh would be a likely favorite. But the odds favor Stanford in the Sun Bowl, even with Bryce Love sitting out the game. The Cardinal defense gets to face a quarterback that struggles to produce consistently, and Cameron Scarlett is a legitimate threat in the Cardinal backfield.

Look for the redshirt junior to pound out at least 100 yards on the ground as Stanford takes down the ACC Coastal champs. Though David Shaw‘s team won’t cover the spread, they will get the victory on the field for their ninth win of the season. And, in the process, Pitt will be relegated to 7-7 in what is still a division-winning year.

Final Score: Stanford 24, Pittsburgh 20