Frank Lorenzo(23) Stanford at (17) Arizona State (+3.5, 54 o/u)
Neither the Stanford Cardinal (4-2, 2-1 Pac-12) nor the Arizona State Sun Devils (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) have a real shot at the College Football Playoff. But both are still in the hunt for the Pac-12 championship and need a win tonight to stay in the mix.
(23) Stanford at (17) Arizona State (+3.5, 54 o/u)
Neither the Stanford Cardinal (4-2, 2-1 Pac-12) nor the Arizona State Sun Devils (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) have a real shot at the College Football Playoff. But both are still in the hunt for the Pac-12 championship and need a win tonight to stay in the mix.
The Cardinal have beaten both Washington and Washington State in Pac-12 action this year, but dropped a defensive struggle against USC in week 2. (Stanford also lost a heartbreaker to Notre Dame on a late, fourth down TD two weeks ago.) Even if the Cardinal win out, they don’t have a realistic shot at a playoff spot with two losses on their resume.
Arizona State’s best win of the season came against USC last week (38-34), though they needed an extremely lucky Hail Mary to pull it off. The week before, the Sun Devils allowed 62 points to UCLA en route to a 35 point loss. Arizona State coach Todd Graham thinks that, if his team can win out, they still have a shot at one of the four playoff spots. (But with a huge loss at home to UCLA and an unconvincing win against USC on their resume, he is likely mistaken.)
“Every week it’s a single-elimination tournament,” Arizona State coach Todd Graham said. “Obviously, we’re in control of our own destiny. I’m real confident in my guys and where we’re at as they continue to improve.”
This game will be a battle between contrasting styles: Sun Devils potent offense averages 41.2 points per game; meanwhile the Cardinal get it done on defense, surrendering an FBS-low ten points per game.
“What makes them difficult is they’re one of the best teams in the league, one of the most physical and most disciplined,” Graham added. “They’re not going to beat themselves.”
Despite being the lower ranked team and playing on the road, Stanford is a 3.5 point favorite. Arizona State is 1-3-1 ATS in its last five games against the Cardinal.
