The Sun Devils will come in returning from their cardiac Week 4 victory, where they edged out the Oregon Ducks 37-35. It gave the team a sigh of relief, as it brought them back to the win column after back-to-back losses.
Much of the damage done by the Arizona State offense is courtesy of quarterback Manny Wilkins, who’s off to a great start. The junior is averaging 317.7 yards per game and has eight touchdowns with no interceptions. This year is shaping up to be his breakout campaigns.
The QB’s receiving corps includes a couple of talented wideouts, and he’s been pairing well with sophomore N’Keal Harry, who’s also having a productive season – 31 receptions for 436 yards and two TDs, all of which have him leading the team. Harry, however, is dealing with an undisclosed injury, and it is yet to be determined if he’ll be available on Saturday.
Whether Harry suits up or not, the offense will simply have to do a lot of the heavy-lifting, because their defense is currently playing awfully, particularly against the pass. The group is 115th overall in points (37) and total yards allowed (480.3) per game.
Stanford is also entering the field having earned a great win in the week prior. They poured in points after points versus UCLA over the weekend, which eventually led to a 58-34 rout.
One concern they have now, however, is the concussion of third-year QB, Keller Chryst. The junior suffered the injury early in the first quarter against the Bruins, and was ruled out for the rest of the game. Although his backup, freshman KJ Costello, stepped in and played quite well (13-for-19 for 123 yards and two TDs), it’s always hard to expect a second-stringer to guide your offense all throughout the season. Also, no one in their pool of wide receivers appears to be ready to become the clear-cut number one target.
With that, we should expect more from two of their other key juniors, running backs Bryce Love and Cameron Scarlett. The RBs are combining for 11 rushing TDs, with the former netting a an impressive 10.8 yards per carry.
Like ASU, defense is also not Stanford’s strong suit. The Cardinal are 70th in points, 109th in total yards, and 112th in completion percentage allowed.
Writer’s Prediction
Stanford (-15.5) wins, but doesn’t cover the spread, 34-24.
