[Austroturf]

My problem in trying to be optimistic about this game is the reality of our putrid Shawfense.  For the UCLA game, I boldly predicted that we would score two FGs and two TDs for a total of 20 points.  That proved to be too aggressive for the current state of our offense.  In the past three games, we have scored 16, 15 and 13 points, and these totals were not exactly against juggernaut defensive units.  After 8 games, Wazzu has given up an average of 20.8 ppg, which indicates that they have some defensive prowess.  This is compared to the 28.8 ppg that Stanford has given up.  

Wazzu is not an offensive juggernaut: their ppg total matches ours exactly and exhibits an even lower output than Stanford's offense over the last three games (41 points for Wazzu vs. 44 points for Stanford).  But that poor output was against an arguably tougher set of opponents (USC, Oregon State and Utah).  

The current line is Wazzu -4.5.  I think we can do better than that, but I still think we will fall short.  How about 24-20 Cougs?  Still feels like too much offense for two teams that have amassed 85 points during the last three games.  That's 28.33 points per game for BOTH teams.  Not sure why the O/U is currently pegged at 49.5.  I guess the assumption is that something has to happen on the 10+ possessions each team will have in the course of 60 minutes. Let's see.  

The game runs concurrently with #1 Tennessee vs. #3 Georgia.  Which one will you be watching?  This is one of those rare times I can actually watch a game (08:30 PM CET kick-off).  But will it be worth missing Tennessee-Georgia to watch two Pac-12 bottom-feeders slug it out for the cellar?

Uuuuuh, will be watching the BCS Playoff Play-in game:  TENN vs GEOG, and DVR the STAN vs WAST game. 
Looking to fast forward through punts and numerous humbling sacks of McKee, on a sloppy field.  Showers, not a soaker.   
Karty is good for 3 FGs at home in the face of some rain.  Does Stanford offer ANY Home Field advantage?  Any? 

The key on points for this game is Cougs getting THREE Cardinal turnovers for additional points.  
On F+ rankings, WAST lists at #46, while STAN has drooped to #76.  We don't have any RBs.  NONE. 

STAN (3-5)  16:   3 Karty FGs + some kind of Defensive red zone block or fumble recovery.
WAST (4-4) 23:  from aggressive defensive blitzing and turnovers.  Maybe a special teams TD or big gainer.

Yeah, I have decided to watch the Vols vs. the Bulldogs.  If the halftimes get out of sync, I may tune into the RB-less antics of Stanford football for however many minutes that is.

---

Yes, Stanford has a home field advantage. Other teams become unnerved by how quiet the stadium is.

BC

Yes, I have already been imagining the contrasting stadium settings between Georgia-Tennessee and Stanford-WSU.  The crowd dynamics will be polar opposites, with energy waning among the Stanford fans once the tailgating is over, while Sanford stadium in Athens will be caught up in an ever-increasing crescendo until kick-off time and remain deafening until the last whistle is blown.  

For the record, things were quite different 12 years ago, at least in terms of on-the-field results.  Georgia and Tennessee were unranked, while Stanford ended the 2010 season as the #4 team in the country.  Just 7 years ago, Stanford ended the 2015 season at #3, while Georgia was unranked and Tennessee sneaked in at #22 after a 9-4 campaign.  How much has changed in that interim!

[Austroturf]

My problem in trying to be optimistic about this game is the reality of our putrid Shawfense.  For the UCLA game, I boldly predicted that we would score two FGs and two TDs for a total of 20 points.  That proved to be too aggressive for the current state of our offense.  In the past three games, we have scored 16, 15 and 13 points, and these totals were not exactly against juggernaut defensive units.  After 8 games, Wazzu has given up an average of 20.8 ppg, which indicates that they have some defensive prowess.  This is compared to the 28.8 ppg that Stanford has given up.  

Wazzu is not an offensive juggernaut: their ppg total matches ours exactly and exhibits an even lower output than Stanford's offense over the last three games (41 points for Wazzu vs. 44 points for Stanford).  But that poor output was against an arguably tougher set of opponents (USC, Oregon State and Utah).  

The current line is Wazzu -4.5.  I think we can do better than that, but I still think we will fall short.  How about 24-20 Cougs?  Still feels like too much offense for two teams that have amassed 85 points during the last three games.  That's 28.33 points per game for BOTH teams.  Not sure why the O/U is currently pegged at 49.5.  I guess the assumption is that something has to happen on the 10+ possessions each team will have in the course of 60 minutes. Let's see.  

The game runs concurrently with #1 Tennessee vs. #3 Georgia.  Which one will you be watching?  This is one of those rare times I can actually watch a game (08:30 PM CET kick-off).  But will it be worth missing Tennessee-Georgia to watch two Pac-12 bottom-feeders slug it out for the cellar?

Uuuuuh, will be watching the BCS Playoff Play-in game:  TENN vs GEOG, and DVR the STAN vs WAST game. 
Looking to fast forward through punts and numerous humbling sacks of McKee, on a sloppy field.  Showers, not a soaker.   
Karty is good for 3 FGs at home in the face of some rain.  Does Stanford offer ANY Home Field advantage?  Any? 

The key on points for this game is Cougs getting THREE Cardinal turnovers for additional points.  
On F+ rankings, WAST lists at #46, while STAN has drooped to #76.  We don't have any RBs.  NONE. 

STAN (3-5)  16:   3 Karty FGs + some kind of Defensive red zone block or fumble recovery.
WAST (4-4) 23:  from aggressive defensive blitzing and turnovers.  Maybe a special teams TD or big gainer.

Yeah, I have decided to watch the Vols vs. the Bulldogs.  If the halftimes get out of sync, I may tune into the RB-less antics of Stanford football for however many minutes that is.

---

Yes, Stanford has a home field advantage. Other teams become unnerved by how quiet the stadium is.

BC

Yes, I have already been imagining the contrasting stadium settings between Georgia-Tennessee and Stanford-WSU.  The crowd dynamics will be polar opposites, with energy waning among the Stanford fans once the tailgating is over, while Sanford stadium in Athens will be caught up in an ever-increasing crescendo until kick-off time and remain deafening until the last whistle is blown.  

For the record, things were quite different 12 years ago, at least in terms of on-the-field results.  Georgia and Tennessee were unranked, while Stanford ended the 2010 season as the #4 team in the country.  Just 7 years ago, Stanford ended the 2015 season at #3, while Georgia was unranked and Tennessee sneaked in at #22 after a 9-4 campaign.  How much has changed in that interim!