Stanford has had just one Heisman winner in its history but has had three runners-up in recent years. The No. 13 Cardinal open their season next Friday vs. San Diego State and running back Bryce Love opens as a 2018 Heisman odds favorite after finishing second last year. Let’s take a closer look at the college football odds for this Week 1 matchup.
Per usual, Stanford will have one of the best offensive lines and Coach David Shaw has two terrific kickers. The Lou Groza Award recognizes the top placekicker in college football. A semifinalist for the award in 2017, Jet Toner’s 21 field goals last season are the fourth-most by a returning FBS kicker and rank second all-time for a season at Stanford. His points provided the team’s margin of victory in five games, including three-field goal performances in tight road wins over Utah (23-20) and Oregon State (15-14). Toner is one of three Cardinal ever with a 1.000 career extra-point clip.
Punter Jake Bailey posted the second-best punting average in school history (45.37) last season which also ranked atop the Pac-12 and seventh nationally. A two-time All-Pac-12 selection, Bailey enters his final season as Stanford’s career leader in punting average (43.67).
San Diego State at Stanford NCAA Football Week 1 Odds
“We’re going to play our heart out and we need to keep that same energy. The excitement is real.” – Ron Smith#OneCityOneTeam pic.twitter.com/6jgMBhj1YL
— SDSU Football (@SDSUFootball) 20 de agosto de 2018
- When: Aug. 31, 9 PM ET
- Where: Stanford Stadium
- TV: Fox Sports 1
- Stream: Fox Sports Go
- Radio: Tunein.com
- NCAA Football Week 1: Stanford -14.5 (Total 49)
Boise State at Troy 2018 NCAA Football Week 1 Odds
Why Bet on San Diego State?
The Aztecs already have proven they can upset Stanford. Last year, SDSU hosted No. 19 Stanford and won 20-17. Christian Chapman threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end David Wells with 54 seconds left. Rashaad Penny had 175 yards on 32 carries, including a 4-yard touchdown run. Penny led the nation in rushing last year and set several school records but is now in the NFL. It was SDSU’s first win over a nationally ranked nonconference opponent since 1981. SDSU has one of the most underrated coaches in the FBS in Rocky Long. The 68-year-old Long is 64-29 in seven seasons as head coach and has been on the staff for 10 seasons. Long has helped guide SDSU to a bowl game each of the last eight seasons. Juwan Washington is slated to start at running back this season after learning behind a pair of 2,000-yard rushers in Donnel Pumphrey (2,133 in 2016) and Penny (2,248 in 2017). Washington also sees action in the return game and is slated to start at kick returner, and also could see time in the punt return game. He has 17 touchdowns (13 rushing, three kick return, one receiving) over the last 20 games entering the 2018 season. The QB Chapman is also back. Last year, Chapman was 146-for-243 for 1,873 yards and 13 touchdowns against four interceptions. Among the MW Leaders, Chapman ranked first in touchdown-to-interception percentage (3.3, T-27th nationally), second in interception percentage (1.6, 21st nationally), third in pass efficiency rating (139.13, 46th nationally), fourth in touchdown percentage (5.3) and yards per completion (12.83, 47th nationally) and fifth in yards per attempt (7.71, 35th nationally). Chapman is 23-6 as a starter, winning both the 2015 and 2016 MW Championship game and the 2015 Hawai’i Bowl and 2016 Las Vegas Bowl. In five career postseason appearances (MW championships and bowl games), is 4-1 and has completed 39 of 62 attempts (62.9 pct.) for 554 yards and three touchdowns against two interceptions for a 147.48 pass efficiency rating. Chapman ranks first at SDSU in quarterback winning percentage (.793), tied for first in QB victories (23) and fifth in pass efficiency rating (144.2). He has nine career games with multiple touchdown passes and has never thrown more than one interception in a game. Chapman has led four second-half come-from-behind wins, tied with David Lowery and Mark Halda for the fourth most in SDSU’s Division I era (since 1969). Defensively, the Aztecs figure to again be a stingy unit after allowing 10 or fewer points on four occasions while ranking 21st nationally in scoring defense. They held Power 5 opponents Arizona State and Stanford to 20 and 17 points, respectively — and won both games. The secondary has an emerging star in safety Tariq Thompson.Why Bet on Stanford?
It all starts with the Heisman favorite Bryce Love, who could have turned pro and should be the first running back selected in the 2019 draft. Love, last year’s Doak Walker Award winner and Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, paced Power 5 running backs in rushing yards, rushing yards/game, yards/carry and a number of runs of 20, 30, 40 and 50 yards. His 13 runs of 50 or more yards set an FBS record. He had 12 100-yard rushing performances. He was Stanford’s 10th unanimous All-America selection and could be the first player to win the Doak Walker award in consecutive seasons since Arkansas’ Darren McFadden (2006-07). QB KJ Costello played in 11 games last year and started seven. He was 124 of 211 passing for 1,573 yards, 14 touchdowns, and four interceptions and had 28 rushes for 92 yards and three touchdowns. Costello closed the season going 15 of 27 passing for 212 yards and three touchdowns vs. TCU in the Alamo Bowl.
Per usual, Stanford will have one of the best offensive lines and Coach David Shaw has two terrific kickers. The Lou Groza Award recognizes the top placekicker in college football. A semifinalist for the award in 2017, Jet Toner’s 21 field goals last season are the fourth-most by a returning FBS kicker and rank second all-time for a season at Stanford. His points provided the team’s margin of victory in five games, including three-field goal performances in tight road wins over Utah (23-20) and Oregon State (15-14). Toner is one of three Cardinal ever with a 1.000 career extra-point clip.
Punter Jake Bailey posted the second-best punting average in school history (45.37) last season which also ranked atop the Pac-12 and seventh nationally. A two-time All-Pac-12 selection, Bailey enters his final season as Stanford’s career leader in punting average (43.67).
How to Bet Miami vs LSU College Football Week 1 Lines
NCAA Football Betting Trends for San Diego State at Stanford
- Aztecs are 6-13 ATS in their last 19 vs. Pac-12
- Aztecs are 5-12-1 ATS in their last 18 non-conference games
- Cardinal are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall
- Cardinal are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 Friday games
- San Diego State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
- San Diego State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
- Stanford is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
- Stanford is 15-5 SU in its last 20 games
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Stanford’s last 5 games
