This could be the antidote needed, as Arizona has serious quarterback issues and could be hard-pressed to pull out this victory, even at home. Stanford is nearly a touchdown favorite and will aim to take care of business and get back on track.
Kickoff for this regular season Week 9 game is set for Saturday, October 29, 2016, at 11 p.m. ET at Arizona Stadium.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Stanford -6
Arizona +6
Over/Under 48
Odds Analysis
The Wildcats are home underdogs, and even with an uncertain quarterback situation, that’s always an enticing play. Bettors seem to think so, as Arizona is getting 57.1 percent of the action against the spread.
The scoring total is low since Stanford has struggled to score, and gamblers have deemed it too low. The “over” is getting about 75 percent of the money thus far.
The Wildcats have struggled this year with a 2-5 record straight up, and it’s been even worse the spread. Arizona is just 1-6 when attempting to cover this season. Stanford is 4-3 straight up and has also been bad against the spread with a 2-5 record.
Someone is going to cover this game, and the better play is Stanford.
Player to Watch
Christian McCaffrey - The Stanford running back is basically the only playmaker on the Cardinal. He had a monster season in 2015, but has dealt with injuries this season and has been much less effective on the field.
McCaffrey has carried the ball 120 times for 612 yards and three touchdowns this season. That pales in comparison to his dynamite performance a year ago, when McCaffrey accumulated 2,019 rushing yards, 645 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.
Even though he hasn’t been the same player, McCaffrey is still the key to stopping Stanford offensively. The Cardinals have struggled mightily throwing the ball and only scored five points a week ago. Stop McCaffrey, and Arizona will have a shot at the upset.
Injury Report
The WIldcats could be in better shape in this game as starting quarterback Anu Solomon is back practicing after a long injury spell, while backup Brandon Dawkins is also practicing.
Both signal-callers missed last week’s blowout loss against USC and the Wildcats couldn’t do much offensively with true freshman Khalil Tate under center. It’s a welcome sign as Arizona looked really lost for much of the season with so much uncertainty under center.
Arizona will be without top running back Nick Wilson, who is injured, and his loss is a big one as he led a ground game which averages 223.1 yards per game.
The Wildcats have the tools to be good offensively and are still averaging 26 points per game, but all of the players shuffling in and out has really hurt continuity.
Free ATS Pick
Stanford is a long ways from the team that was expected to win the Pac-12 conference and even compete for a berth in the College Football Playoff.
Those chances are shot, but the Cardinal would love to find some rhythm offensively in this game against a suspect Arizona defense.
The Wildcats are one of the worst teams in the Pac-12, and while the presence of Solomon would be a boost, it isn’t likely to be enough to win this one.
Stanford should finally be able to get back on track. Look for a huge day from McCaffrey to lead the way as the Cardinal both win this game and cover the spread.
College Football Odds: Stanford 26, Arizona 17
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