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Stanford opens a 3.5 point underdog to ASU - Printable Version

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Stanford opens a 3.5 point underdog to ASU - stupac2 - 12-01-2013

Not too surprising, about what I expected if we had to play there.

Re: Stanford opens a 3.5 point underdog to ASU - pincemob - 12-01-2013

Sounds about right.  ASU will not have leading rusher Marion Grice (hurt at the end of the UCLA game, in a boot still) but like Oregon they seem to have good depth at RB. 

I am optimistic about the game.  With no Grice their offense is going to need a lot of big plays and we just don't seem to surrender a lot of those.  The obvious question is whether we can score enough points.  They are good against the run and I don't think we can count on Gaffney running 40 times for 200 yards and just grinding it out.


Re: Stanford opens a 3.5 point underdog to ASU - Hulk01 - 12-01-2013

I think Grice is an enormous loss.  Graham has not trusted Foster with the ball and the statistical drop between those two--and between Grice and everyone else--is big.  It's the equivalent of us having to go with Wright instead of Gaffney.

I can document this pretty quickly but wanted to get this out.  Grice's loss is worth 2 points to us on average.


Re: Stanford opens a 3.5 point underdog to ASU - Bruce Wang - 12-01-2013

These guys will come to play and their fans will be out in full throated voice. The last time they were in the Rose Bowl was when they had Jake the Snake under center. Preseason I predicted ASU as the PAC 12 South champion. I didn't think they would be this good. Count me as very nervous.

Re: Stanford opens a 3.5 point underdog to ASU - DC - 12-01-2013

(12-01-2013, 10:10 AM)Hulk01 link Wrote:I think Grice is an enormous loss.  Graham has not trusted Foster with the ball and the statistical drop between those two--and between Grice and everyone else--is big.  It's the equivalent of us having to go with Wright instead of Gaffney.

I can document this pretty quickly but wanted to get this out.  Grice's loss is worth 2 points to us on average.

Interesting.

If we didn't have Gaffney, we would struggle a lot, given our unreliable passing attack.  And if we didn't have Gaffney, I also would try Remound Wright over Wilkerson as the workhorse back. That said, I don't know why we don't try Wilkerson on some sweeps where he could utilize his speed, rather than always running him between the tackles, which isn't very good at.

Re: Stanford opens a 3.5 point underdog to ASU - FarmBoy - 12-01-2013

I am surprised the line isn't more. ASU looks pretty good and has improved since we played them. Plus the fact that they're undefeated at home and have a brobdingnagian scoring differntial at  home while our 2 losses are on the road and our QBR woes on the road are well documented. The defense is going to have to play out of their minds and Gaffney will carry a heavy load.

Regardless, I just bought my tickets, so there will be at least 2 voices in the wilderness trying to counter the ASU mob. .

Re: Stanford opens a 3.5 point underdog to ASU - Red State - 12-01-2013

On the P 12 Network, Curtis Conway said that ASU runs the same kind of offense as Oregon, and Stanford LOVES to play against that type of offense. 58 points against UA? Eh. I recall that Wisconsin hung 70 on Nebraska in the Big 10 CG, but was only able to muster 14 against Stanford. ASU won't be able to run on Stanford, and their chances of winning are not great because of this.

Re: Stanford opens a 3.5 point underdog to ASU - washingtonismoney - 12-01-2013

We have to play a very good game to beat ASU: they were able to put up 28 points against us last time around; our last three road outings feature outputs of 21, 20 and 20. Some of ASU's 28 are garbage time influenced, but then again they'll be at home and they're a better team than they were in September.

Re: Stanford opens a 3.5 point underdog to ASU - stupac2 - 12-01-2013

(12-01-2013, 04:26 PM)washingtonismoney link Wrote:We have to play a very good game to beat ASU: they were able to put up 28 points against us last time around; our last three road outings feature outputs of 21, 20 and 20. Some of ASU's 28 are garbage time influenced, but then again they'll be at home and they're a better team than they were in September.

Are they? They lost their best RB. They didn't need him against an Arizona team that handed them ball at every available opportunity, but against us that'll be a pretty big blow. Have they improved elsewhere enough to offset that?

Re: Stanford opens a 3.5 point underdog to ASU - jayasena - 12-01-2013

We've lost 2 of our last 3 road games to unranked opponents and barely escaped with a W in the other. I'm with those who expected us to be bigger underdogs. I'm not sure it matters whether ASU is improved (or even who the opponents are at all, for that matter) as we play *much* worse on the road.

Re: Stanford opens a 3.5 point underdog to ASU - Ronnietrader - 12-01-2013

They struggled vs. Stanford, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin.  All power teams.  I like our odds.

Re: Stanford opens a 3.5 point underdog to ASU - pincemob - 12-01-2013

I would say our offense plays worse on the road.  I think our defense plays very well and can be dominant on the road.  Our D also seems to get better as the games go on.  Against Utah we gave up only 2 second half field goals and against USC just one field goal after halftime.   

Re: Stanford opens a 3.5 point underdog to ASU - Spiny_Norman - 12-01-2013

Stanford has played 16 one score games over the past two seasons (out of 25 total).  Doesn't matter whether the opponent is middle of the pack or elite, Stanford is not built to dominate (unless the opponent happens to be C.al).  This is a team of grinders.  As Coach Shaw said, he wants to be in a position to rely on Gaffney, the offensive line and the defense in the 4th quarter.  I expect another nail biter on Saturday.Â