After opening the season with an upset loss at Northwestern, the Cardinal have won and covered three straight games, moved back into the rankings and look like the team to beat in the Pac-12 North. It’s back to the drawing board for Arizona after a humbling home loss to UCLA. The Wildcats now get the 18th ranked team in the country on the road and could be without two of their top players.
ODDS
Stanford hit the board as a 14-point favorite with the total at 64. Arizona’s injury woes and a thrashing at the hands of UCLA last week makes the Cardinal an overwhelming favorite. But laying two touchdowns in a tough Pac-12 matchup is a lot. The line was wagered to -13.5 and the total dipped to 61.
KEY MISMATCH
Stanford has put up 484.3 yards per game during its three-game win streak and the yards could continue to pile up against an Arizona defense that was exposed in last week’s 56-30 loss to UCLA. The Wildcats were shredded for 497 yards and the most points they’d allowed since giving up 58 to Arizona State in 2013. Coach Rich Rodriguez expects a different yet complicated look from Stanford with various offensive schemes and a stacked line to take advantage of the running game. The player for Arizona to watch is Christian McCaffrey, who ran for 206 yards on 30 carries last week at Oregon State. He had 303 all-purpose yards and is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses with his versatility. The Wildcats will try to contain him without All-American linebacker Scooby Wright, who is out with a foot injury.
KEY STAT
329.0 – Arizona’s rush yards per game this season. The Wildcats have rushed for at least 300 yards in three straight games. Stanford has allowed 200 yards or more on the ground just three times in the past 30 games.
BETTING ANGLE
As if getting waxed at home by UCLA last week wasn’t bad enough, the Wildcats lost their most impactful players on each side of the ball to injuries. The anticipated return of All-American Wright was to lift the Wildcats into the upper tier of the Pac-12 South. But his first game back since a season-opening knee injury was one to forget for Arizona. Wright sustained a foot injury in the 56-30 loss to UCLA last week and coach Rich Rodriguez said that “several weeks” was actually good news considering the initial diagnosis. Quarterback Anu Solomon is listed as day-to-day after suffering a concussion against UCLA. Senior Jerrard Randall took over against the Bruins and would likely start against the Cardinal. Things could get worse for the Wildcats, having to face the No. 18 team on the road, before they get better.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Arizona is in trouble without its playmakers, and while Wright is definitely a no-go, Solomon is still a possibility. The Wildcats were blitzed by UCLA last week, but the game was lost by three first half turnovers that led to Bruins’ touchdowns and an early hole they couldn’t climb out of. The Cardinal needed a good effort from the running game last week at Oregon State and they got it. Now they face a defense that just gave up nearly 500 yards, including 213 on the ground, and that plays right into Stanford’s hands. Arizona isn’t the same team without Solomon. Randall has trouble throwing the football, but he can run. And so can the Wildcats. Arizona will limit the turnovers and churn on the ground to keep it close. Ultimately, the Cardinal will get a few stops and pull away, but the Wildcats cover.
Stanford 38, Arizona 27
The college football odds for this game were first available at BookMaker Sportsbook. The Cardinal were pegged as 14-point chalk while the total opened at 64. Minute-by-minute spreads, totals and props are available for this game using the live betting platform at BookMaker.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The game between the Arizona Wildcats and Stanford Cardinal will start at 10:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 3, 2015, at Stanford Stadium. The contest will be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Network.