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Stanford Cardinal vs. Washington Huskies Point Spread - Pick

Stanford Cardinal (3-0 SU, 3-0 ATS) vs. Washington Huskies (4-0 SU, 2-2 ATS)
College Football Week 5
Date/Time: Friday, September 30, 2016 at 9PM EST
Where: Husky Stadium, Seattle, Washington
TV: ESPN

By Loot, NCAA Football Handicapper, Lootmeister.com

Betting Odds: STAN +3/WASH -3
Over/Under Total: 44

The Stanford Cardinal come to Husky Stadium on Friday to face the Washington Huskies in a massive Pac-12 matchup of top-ten teams. This game could have far-reaching consequences, both in the conference and potentially beyond. Both teams emerged with big road wins on Saturday, but not without a sweat. The Huskies went to 4-0 with an overtime 35-28 win over Arizona. Stanford was challenged at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, getting out of there with a 22-13 win where the score barely tells the story, as the Cardinal scored 13 of those points in the game's final 24 seconds.

Washington opened the season with three straight games at home, before taking to the road for the win over Arizona on Saturday. With wins over Rutgers, Idaho, and Portland State, the win over Arizona was a good start and maybe a tough game will more quickly warm them up to the season. But to see the 16-point favorites struggle so mightily was not necessarily a positive development for a UW team looking to rejoin the national conversation. They couldn't shake the Wildcats, though Jake Browning and Company came through for the tough win. Arizona was still down to its fourth-string QB and was able to match Washington the whole way until the end.

The Arizona defense limited Browning from getting down-field on a regular basis, as the Huskies QB was forced to work with short stuff to his playmakers like John Ross, Dante Pettis, and Chico McClatcher, who led receivers with 72 yards. Ross caught a TD pass and ran in a 32-yard touchdown, while Pettis caught the overtime game-winner. The offense got a big boost from the run-game, with Lavon Coleman going for 185 yards on just 11 carries with a score, while Myles Gaskin added 85 hard-earned yards.

It was a back-and-forth game for Washington in their conference opener, with the contest never being more than a score from being tied, which it was on 4 separate occasions. Giving up 474 yards to Arizona doesn't suggest a great defense, but in the Pac-12, sometimes you just have to hang on for your life and win. There are any number of teams that can jump up and bite you in this conference. Thinking Washington is perhaps a bit overrated might be a fair-enough assessment at this point, but assuming they're not in Stanford's class based on last week is probably not going to cut it in the analysis department. It's been a while since the Husky faithful, a rollicking bunch, have had a really big game at home with a lot on the line. It's been years and maybe even some of us have forgotten what a Huskies' home crowd in a huge spot can be like.

Stanford had their own issues against UCLA on the road, which is never as easy for the Cardinal as it would seem on paper. On one hand, the offense was stuck in the mud. Christian McCaffrey's stats look pretty good for the game, but the UCLA defense kept him from becoming too much of a factor. Until very late in the fourth quarter, the Cardinal offense managed only three field goals. A similar performance on offense this week could be very problematic against a Washington team that might not let them off the hook.

In a late spurt, Stanford QB Ryan Burns led the team on a TD drive that he capped off with a go-ahead TD pass to JJ Arcega-Whiteside. A UCLA fumble on the last play of the game resulted in another Stanford TD, but the defining moment was Burns' game-winning drive and TD pass. For the senior, leading his team to a late win on the road in a very tough conference game is something that can give him some added confidence moving forward. On one hand, he hasn't surpassed 156 yards in the air in three starts, but he's being eased into action and Saturday's result should help. And make no mistake, Stanford possesses by far the most-compelling offensive weapon on the field in McCaffrey, who could also be due for special teams fireworks.

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Stanford naturally relies a ton on its defense, which looks really good early in the season. They've allowed just 36 points to opponents this season and when playing Kansas State, USC, and UCLA, that's a pretty low total that should force us to take notice. Washington, meanwhile, has played two FCS opponents and Rutgers at home, along with Arizona, making them less battle-tempered for this matchup. They haven't seen a defense like the one Stanford has. At the same time, Stanford has struggled to get separation at times this season. Their offense's occasional sluggishness and over-dependence on McCaffrey could allow opposing defenses to start finding answers increasingly as the season carries on.

This is a tough conference, where each team is challenged to avoid numerous landmines throughout the season. Stanford is looking to avoid that this week, as a road Washington team stands out as a major obstacle for them if they're looking to join the national fray. Both teams showed their vulnerability last week, while also showing their class with the difficult wins. You have to wonder about Stanford's Burns in this spot, but he thrived in a pretty electric Rose Bowl on Saturday. It might be a little more difficult here and I see the Huskies emerging with the win and cover.

Loot's Prediction to Cover the Point Spread: I'm betting on the Washington Huskies minus 3 points. Did you know... that you could be wagering on the Stanford vs. Washington game at discounted odds? There's a better than good chance that you're laying -110 odds (or more) with your book. Stop overpaying TODAY by making the switch to 5Dimes Sportsbook! You will be so glad that you did!

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