Kansas St vs Stanford College Football Prediction 9–2–2016
Kansas State Wildcats vs Stanford Cardinals
Odds: Stanford -15, 48
Game Time: Friday September 2, 9pm EST
Kansas St vs Stanford College Football Prediction provided by Sports Picks Forum
Hopes are high in Palo Alto this season with a Stanford Cardinals team that is ranked #7 in the nation and returns a Heisman Trophy favorite, Christian McCaffrey. Stanford is coming of a (12–2) campaign in 2015 which was capped off a by a Rose Bowl thrashing of Iowa. Stanford opens the season Friday night at home against Bill Snyder’s Kansas State Wildcats.
Kansas State went (6–7) in 2015 and lost their bowl game to Arkansas, 45–23. KSU returns Charles Jones and Justin Silmon at running back after combining for 1,000 yards and 7 touchdowns last season. The Wildcats hope QB Jesse Ertz will be a mainstay under center. The Kansas State offense averaged 29.9 points per game with 157.7 rushing yards per game and 176 passing yards per game in 2015. Their defense will need to show improvement after allowing 31.5 points per game with 166.7 rushing yards and 285.5 passing yards per game.
The Stanford offense averaged 37.8 points per game with 223.7 rushing yards and 211.8 passing yards per game in 2015. Ryan Burns will replace QB Kevin Hogan and while Burns has no experience he has one of the most reliable and electrifying players in college football, Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey was the leading rusher last season with 2,019 yards and 8 touchdowns, while also leading the team in receiving with 645 yards and 5 touchdowns. McCaffrey will be the focal point of the Kansas State defense and if the Wildcats want to win they will need to figure out a way to limit McCaffrey’s yards from scrimmage.
Stanford returns some key players of a defense that only gave up 22.6 points per game with 139.9 rushing yards and 228.4 passing yards per game. We can expect a stout defense once again from this Stanford Cardinals team.
Kansas State vs Stanford College Football Prediction
Kansas State is 1–4 ATS in their last 5 games against the PAC-12 and 0–4 ATS in their last 4 Friday games. The over is 4–1 in Kansas State’s last 5 road games. Stanford is 4–0 ATS in their last 4 Friday games and 19–8 ATS in their last 27 September games.
It could be a slow start for the Stanford offense with a new QB under center but it won’t be any surprise if McCaffrey handles the load the start the game and ease the nerves of QB Ryan Burns. Kansas State could hang in there for the 1st half but I expect Stanford to pull away in the 2nd half and put up enough points to cover the -15 point spread. Stanford’s defense should make the key stops to keep the Wildcats offense off the field. Taking the chalk in this matchup and laying the -15 points.
Kansas State vs Stanford Pick: Stanford Cardinals -15
