ESPN College Football Picks – Stanford @ Arizona Odds and Predictions – Week 3 NCAA Football Spreads and Odds

Week 3 Free College Football Picks and Spreads: Stanford Cardinal @ Arizona Wildcats 2011 NCAA Football Vegas Odds, Free Picks, and Expert Predictions on ESPN Saturday 9/17/11: College football fans that appreciate a good quarterback will get two for the price of one when Andrew Luck and the No. 6 Stanford Cardinal (2-0) travel to Tucson Saturday night to play Nick Foles and the Arizona Wildcats (1-1). Luck is the likely No. 1 pick in next April’s NFL draft and is one of the frontrunners to win the Heisman. Meanwhile, Foles is doing his best to work his way up draft boards as well, and he currently leads the country in passing yards. Stanford is a nine-point favorite in this matchup, but when upsets happen, they often happen on the road.

Saturday’s meeting in the PAC-12 opener for both schools, and for Stanford the early road test could set the tone for what the Cardinal hope is a run for the conference title. After last year’s 12-1 season that included a 40-12 destruction of Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl, Stanford would have been on the short list of national title contenders if not for the departure of its coach Jim Harbaugh. Instead, Luck and company find themselves trying to prove the Cardinal are for real all over again.

The Wildcats have a bit of a chip on their shoulders as well after being blown out by the Oklahoma State in their last outing. Cowboys’ quarterback Brandon Weeden picked apart the Arizona secondary, and Luck has already proven he can do the same. Last season, Luck and the Cardinal handed Arizona a 42-17 loss in Palo Alto. Playing at home should help the Wildcats, but they have a large gap to close.

One of the biggest question marks for Arizona will be whether or not star wide receiver Juron Criner will be able to play. Criner has been battling an illness, which caused him to miss the game against Oklahoma State. As the only QB in the nation with more than 800 passing yards thus far, Foles obviously didn’t miss a beat in terms of yardage. However, Arizona struggled to finish off scoring drivers, managing just 14 points. Criner is a red zone stud thanks to his size and leaping ability, and if he misses Saturday’s game, the Wildcats’ offense is going to be at a major disadvantage.

Even if Criner is available, the lack of balance on the offensive side of the ball could come back to haunt Arizona. The Wildcats rank among the five worst teams in the country when it comes to running the football, averaging less than 60 yards per game. A brand new offensive line isn’t helping matters. Give Foles credit for completing 76 percent of his passes despite any kind of help from the ground game, but against a team as strong as the Cardinal, being one dimensional is always dangerous. It is one thing to move the ball down the field, but putting the ball in the end zone when the defense knows what’s coming is a daunting task.

Meanwhile, Stanford has enjoyed a surprisingly balanced offensive attack despite having the top arm in the nation under center. The Cardinal topped 200 yards on the ground against Duke, and if the running game is established against Arizona, Luck will take full advantage of the play-action pass. It has been hard enough for opposing defenses to stop Luck thanks to his ability to hurt teams with both his arm and his legs. When Stanford’s running backs are chipping in, it just isn’t fair.

At the end of the day, Stanford is just too talented and deep on both sides of the ball. There is only so much Foles can do for the Wildcats, especially if his top target is missing or less than 100 percent. Throw in an offensive line that is a major work in progress and a secondary that has been known to give up big plays, and Arizona is going to have to work hard just to keep the score respectable. Foles will do his part and may even finish with more yards than Luck, but Stanford should walk away victorious.

Prediction: Stanford Cardinal (-9) Cover the Spread

Free College Football Picks and NCAAF Predictions: Stanford -9 to cover the spread

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