The sixth-ranked Stanford Cardinal (2-0) travel right down the road to the Rose Bowl to take on the UCLA Bruins (2-1) in what could be a PAC-12 championship preview. The game is scheduled for Saturday, September 24th at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on the ABC network. The Cardinal are -3 point favorites and the over/under is set at 46.5.
Stanford:
The Cardinal’s offense isn’t putting up the big numbers that they did in 2015, but they have squared off against two pretty tough defenses in Kansas State and USC. They still managed to get results from an offensive line that can push anybody around the field on Saturdays.
There are a lot of little intricacies that go into Stanford’s offensive scheme, so it’s going to take a little time for new signal caller Ryan Burns to work out the kinks. So far this year, Burns played smart and not turned over the football and his numbers are indicative of that. He has 23 completions for 265 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
You, me, and every other football enthusiast in the nation knows exactly where the Cardinals look to get their offensive production. Heisman-hopeful Christian McCaffrey is truly amazing. The prodigal son has already gained almost 300 yards on 52 carries and three touchdowns.
The multi-talented back is also Stanford’s leading receiver. Christian McCaffrey has 11 catches for 113 yards and another trip to the end-zone. Let’s not forget he is the best punt returner and kickoff returner in the nation. He hasn’t popped one yet, but he is well overdue.
Michael Rector is the Ryan Burn’s go-to receiver. He has nabbed five catches for 76 yards and a score. The numbers are a bit skewed because he is not benefiting from a conservative offense.
The Cardinal’s defense is tough and physical once again this year. More importantly, they are coming up big when it matters the most. This unit has been phenomenal on third downs and have only seven penalties for just over sixty yards on the year. The experienced secondary has tallied three interceptions through two games and the defense as a whole is giving up only 11.5 points per game (8th).
UCLA:
The Bruin’s offensive hasn’t been all that bad through three games. Josh Rosen has settled in after his three interception performance to open the season at Texas A&M. Rosen has tossed just over 900 yards and has four touchdowns and four picks.
The problem for the Bruins lies in their running attack. UCLA is averaging just over 3.5 yards a carry. Soso Jamabo leads the way with 181 yards on 34 carries and three touchdowns. To make matters worse, Jamabo is still officially questionable for this game due to disciplinary issues.
Unlike their opponents, the Bruins aren’t shy about tossing the football around the stadium. Josh Rosen has connected with six different receivers that have at least six or more catches. Leading the way is junior Darren Andrews. Andrews has caught 10 balls for 160 yards and one trip to pay-dirt.
The UCLA defense has been pretty good since the start of the 2016 season. The Bruin’s defense kept the Texas A&M’s offense in check and gave the team a chance for an overtime victory. The secondary has been solid so far. Corner back Randal Goforth has already nabbed two interceptions but Stanford probably wont throw the ball very much anyways.
Trends and Notes:
The Cardinals are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.
The Cardinals are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 meetings in UCLA.
The Under is 9-3-1 in the Bruin’s last 13 home games.
The Bruins are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 home games.
Game Prediction:
The Bruins haven’t proven that they can win a physical grudge-match like the one that the Cardinals will bring. Furthermore, they haven’t put together a solid sixty minutes of football in 2016. If they are going to make their mark this year, this would be the time to do it.
The Stanford Cardinal are keeping it simple. They feed the ball to “Mr. Everything,” Christian McCaffrey and limit the mistakes that a new kid under center could cause. This could be the game that the unbalanced attack could bite Stanford. The Cardinals possess the edge on the ground and in the special teams department.
The three-point spread indicates that Las Vegas line-setters think this game could go either way. That being said, UCLA will find some points and Christian McCaffrey should be good for a few by himself. This one will be tight but the 46.5 over/under is just too low for a PAC-12 match-up in sunny California.
Take the over 46.5
