Stanford Cardinal vs. Washington Huskies Predictions, Picks, Odds, and NCAA Football Week Five Betting Preview – September 30, 2016

Stanford Cardinal vs. Washington Huskies Betting Preview

Where: Husky Stadium, Seattle, WA

When: Friday, September 30, 9:00 PM ET

Line: Stanford Cardinal (+3) vs. Washington Huskies (-3) – total; 44.0 –  view all NCAA Football odds and lines

TV Broadcast: ESPN

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Betting on the Stanford Cardinal (+3)

When you’re good, you’re good. This past week, seventh-ranked Stanford was on the verge of losing to Pac-12 rival UCLA Bruins. The offense was out-of-sync before suddenly pulling an ace up their sleeve. Quarterback Ryan Burns led a game-winning drive and the Cardinal won, 22-13.

Against a team like the ninth-ranked Washington Huskies, also a PAC-12 rival, playing subpar and hoping for a late-game resurgence will be a no-no.

Star running back Christian McCaffrey, Stanford’s most dangerous weapon, is set to have another exciting clash with the solid Huskies ground defense. The junior has good memories of his last battle with the unit, as he rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown to lead Stanford to a 31-14 win. McCaffrey is recording 143 rushing yards per game this season (5.5 yards per carry); he will look to strengthen his Heisman-trophy candidacy.

Expect Stanford to be active on defense. Linebacker Peter Kalambayi, Tackle Harrison Phillips, Cornerback Quenton Meeks and the rest of their crew will have to limit the Huskies’ high-scoring ways (46.5 points per game). Stanford’s defense is giving away 71.5 yards on the ground and 242 yards through the air (5.2 yards per play).

Stanford has won six straight road games (5-1 ATS).

Betting on the Washington Huskies (-3)

Huskies sophomore quarterback Jake Browning is off to a great start. The QB is averaging over 300 passing yards per game and already has 14 TDs. In their thrilling 35-28 win over Arizona this past Saturday, he threw the TD pass that won the game in OT.

As they battle the higher-ranked Stanford Cardinal, Browning will have to expect a much tougher defense. Stanford is only allowing 12 points per game, far from what Rutgers, Portland State, Idaho State, and Arizona (Washington’s four previous opponents) offered on D. Browning shouldn’t sweat it out too much though; he has likes of Chico McClatcher and John Ross to throw to, and Myles Gaskin and Lavon Coleman on the backfield.

Through Browning’s accuracy (70-percent completion rate), McClatcher and Ross already has nine TDs between them. The running backs, on the other hand, are collectively averaging 140 yards per game on 6.1 yards per carry.

Washington defense will have to focus on the entire Stanford team, but whatever focus they are giving, they have to multiply it by a hundred against RB Christian McCaffrey. If the Huskies are allowing 3.4 yards per carry, it can easily go up to 6 or 7 with McCaffrey. The back is that damn talented.

The Huskies are 7-3 SU (6-4 ATS) in their last 10 home games.

Writer’s Prediction

Stanford (+3) wins, 35-31.

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