Washington football goes to Stanford to try and keep its winning streak alive. Will Stanford ride a last-second victory last week to overcome the Huskies?
Washington Football goes into Stanford coming off three straight wins and is riding their transfer quarterback Jacob Eason looking to win a Pac-12 title. Washington’s only loss came at home against Cal in a severely fluky situation with a rain delay and many other strange factors that led to the Huskies fall 20-19.
Stanford has had a tough go of it thus far in 2019. The Cardinal are 2-3 overall and have struggled against good opponents. They were beaten up by both USC and UCF in consecutive weeks, while also losing to Oregon at home against the Ducks. Last week they won a thriller that came down to a last-second kick that put them on top of Oregon State 31-28.
Jacob Eason and the Huskies are riding a bit of momentum coming into this one, beating USC at home last week and solidifying themselves as one of the best Pac-12 teams in the country. They are also ranked 15 overall and might just be on the outside looking into the college football playoff.
Washington and Stanford always seem to have a little extra in the tank when it comes down to playing each other, we will see how this one shakes out on Saturday night for Pac-12 After Dark.
Here’s how you can watch:
Date: Saturday, Oct. 5
Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
Location: Stanford, Calif.
Venue: Stanford Stadium
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: Watch ESPN
Keys to Victory
Eason is regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the country when it comes to NFL prospects. He has proven that in his junior campaign throwing for over 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns with just two interceptions in five games. He will be the key for the Huskies on Saturday night if they want to come out of Stanford with a win.
Stanford has struggled on defense this year, giving up almost 30 points a game. The Huskies have a great offensive line that buys Eason a bunch of time and this will be the main key for the Cardinal to overcome.
If they can force pressure up front and grab a couple of turnovers at home, they can make this game really interesting. Davis Mills for the Cardinal has been insanely efficient and could spark the Cardinal offense late if they have a chance. It will be up to the defense to make sure this one is in range though.
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of Bovada
Points Spread: Washington -14.5
Over/Under: 50
Prediction
Washington has played really well this season barring a literal rainstorm. Stanford has not been good on defense all year and that plays right into the hand of the Husky offense. We may see Eason throw for over 300 yards and have a highlight reel type game for the junior if Stanford can’t get pressure upfront.
I expect Stanford to keep this close for awhile at home, getting the crowd going in California and throwing a wrench into the Huskies plans. Overall, Washington is just more talented and has much better speed on both sides of the ball for the Cardinal to compete all four quarters.
Final Score: Washington 38, Stanford 14