San Jose State Spartans (0-2) vs. Stanford Cardinal (1-1)
Saturday, September 19, 6:00 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: Stanford -18.0

Sam’s Take (14 – 4):

After a deflating loss to Wake Forest, I expect to see an angry and determined Stanford team. Coach Jim Harbaugh has made it clear how he felt about last week’s disappointment (especially regarding the officiating) but now is the time to move forward, and I think the Cardinal will fire on all cylinders in their home opener.

The game plan should be very simple for Stanford: #7 to the right, #7 to the left, #7 up the middle, and every now and then, an Andrew Luck play action pass. San Jose State has been utterly defenseless against the run (119th nationally on run D), and I expect that trend to continue.

While the Spartans are certainly battle tested (played USC and Utah so far), they should once again be out-manned and outplayed for four quarters. I expect a confidence-boosting win for a Stanford team with bowl aspirations.

Prediction: Stanford 38 – San Jose State 17

San Jose State Player to Keep an Eye On: WR Kevin Jurovich - The Spartans most reliable receiver, Jurovich will likely lead the team in catches on Saturday.

Stanford Player to Keep an Eye On: LB Chike Amajoyi - SJSU has shown some holes in the offensive line, and I believe the ultra-active Amajoyi will have a tackling field day as a result.

Dave’s Take (14 – 4):

After a convincing road win over Washington State and a frustrating road loss against Wake Forest, Stanford finally gets to play at home in week three; and they return from the road trip with a huge chip on their shoulder.

Letting the Wake Forest game get away and showing some serious holes on defense in the second half, the Cardinal should be amped up this Saturday to take out their frustrations and right the ship against San Jose State. No reason that Toby Gerhart shouldn’t tear through this defense, but I’m also expecting Andrew Luck to have a big day; this will, after all, be the first time he’s played with the crowd on his side.

The team learned a valuable lesson about the importance of playing your best for all four quarters, and I expect that lesson to be enforced here against the Spartans.

Prediction: Stanford 41 – San Jose State 14