Stanford at California Week 12 Free Pick

Posted by Jordan Walters on Wednesday,July 27, 2016 9:36, EDT in

One of the best rivalries in college football is Bay Area rivals California and Stanford facing off, with it simply called “the Big Game.” Stanford has had the upper hand for a while and should be solidly favored on NCAA football lines this season when the teams meet near the end of the regular season as usual.

Here’s a Look at the Stanford at California Week 12 Free Pick & TV Info

When: Saturday, Nov. 19, TBD
Where: Memorial Stadium , Berkeley, CA
TV: TBA
Stream: Pac-12 Network Live
Radio: Stanford / California
Opening NCAAF Lines: Stanford by TBA

California vs Stanford Historic Betting Trends

First played 124 years ago in 1892, Cal vs. Stanford is the seventh-most played college football rivalry game in the United States. Stanford leads the series 61–46–11. The game is typically played in late November or early December, and its location alternates between the two universities every year. In even-numbered years, the game is played at Berkeley, while in odd-numbered years it is played at Stanford.

Last year, Stanford beat Cal 35-22 in Palo Alto. Cardinal star Christian McCaffrey ran around and through the Cal defense on a 49-yard touchdown catch and also scored on a 98-yard kickoff return to help Stanford clinch a spot in the Pac-12 championship game. McCaffrey ran for 192 yards and gained a school-record 389 all-purpose yards. Remound Wright ran for two short touchdowns and Bryce Love added a 48-yard scoring run for Stanford.

Trailing by 15 at halftime, Cal scored the first 10 points of the second half and moved the ball well as it tried to rally against the Cardinal. A 25-yard field goal by Matt Anderson gave the Bears points on their first drive of the half but the next drive brought even better results as a 13-play, 86-yard drive culminated in Jared Goff finding Darius Powe for a 3-yard touchdown that, combined with a PAT, made it 21-16 Stanford with 4:54 left in the third quarter.

Stanford’s ground and pound approach continued to whittle the clock away, and a 12-play, 61-yard drive ended when Wright dragged a would-be tackler through the line for a 1-yard touchdown. That capped a drive that took 5 minutes and 31 seconds and put the Cardinal ahead 28-16 with 14:23 left to play. Cal drove deep into Stanford territory again on the next possession, but the drive stalled when a penalty moved the Bears out of the red zone and Goff’s pass on 4th and 14 landed incomplete for a turnover on downs. Goff completed 37 of 54 passes for 386 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. Cal gained 495 yards in the Big Game (397 pass, 98 rush) and outgained the Cardinal by 139 yards. Stanford’s 96 yards passing were the lowest for a Cal opponent last year.

Why Bet Stanford?

Because it’s the favorite to repeat in the Pac-12 North and has won six straight in the series. Plus it has McCaffrey back. The media has picked Stanford to win the Pac-12 for the first time in the 56-year history of its preseason poll.

“[Being picked to win the Pac-12] is a sign of respect” Coach David Shaw said. “But I think it has a lot to do with the guy that’s in the back left corner of the building there in Christian McCaffrey.”

After amassing 3,864 all-purpose yards to break Barry Sanders’ 27-year- old NCAA record and finishing second in the Heisman voting, McCaffrey is a primary reason the media picked the smash-mouth Cardinal to win the Pac-12 title. Stanford has won three of the past four Pac-12 championships, so this would be nothing new. McCaffrey was the only Football Bowl Subdivision player to lead his team in rushing and receiving in 2015. And he had six games of 300 or more all-purpose yards, four more than any other player.

Why Bet California?

The Bears lost Goff, one of the best QBs in school history and the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. But they might have an experienced starter this year in Texas Tech transfer Davis Webb.

Webb completed 459-of- 747 passes (61.4%) for 5,557 yards with 46 touchdowns and 22 interceptions for a 138.4 passer efficiency rating in 23 games played and 14 starts over the last three seasons at Texas Tech from 2013-15. He ranks eighth among the school’s all-time leaders in passing touchdowns, 10th in passing yards and touchdowns responsible for (49), and 11th in passing completions, passing attempts and total offense (5,567). Webb was limited to five games off the bench as a 2015 junior, completing 22-of-41 passes for 300 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 131.22 passer efficiency rating.

My Free Pick

Stanford will continue its domination in this series and cover on NCAA football lines.