GRATE EXPECTATIONS
ONCE A MARQUEE MATCHUP, STANFORD AND WASHINGTON NOW PLAY FOR PRIDE
KEYS FOR STANFORD
Plunging in the polls: One month ago, this game looked like a possible Top-10 matchup to determine the North Division champion and send the winner in the mix for the College Football Playoff. Now both teams have three losses and the loser of this game is eliminated from title contention in the division while even the winner will have a hard time catching Washington State in the standings. Test the secondary: Washington has the best group of defensive backs in the Pac-12, but Stanford has surprisingly put together the second-best passing offense in the conference. With running back Bryce Love averaging just 69 rushing yards per game while battling injuries all season, quarterback K.J. Costello is throwing for more than 270 yards per game.
KEYS FOR WASHINGTON
Who’s your QB?: Chris Petersen pulled a shocker last week by benching senior quarterback Jake Browning in the fourth quarter while leading Cal 7-6. Redshirt freshman Jake Haener came off the bench to throw an interception that was returned for a touchdown to lead Cal to the victory. There is a quarterback controversy, but Petersen said Browning will “absolutely” start against the Cardinal. Get ground game going: With the school’s all-time leading rusher, Myles Gaskin, sidelined due to injury the past two weeks, the Huskies have rotated three running backs. UW had 91 yards on 33 carries in the loss to Cal, an average of 2.8 per carry.
PREDICTION
Washington 24, Stanford
14: Neither team looks great on offense, but the Huskies will win it with defense.