Game Analysis:

The Stanford Cardinal will face the Colorado Buffaloes in a Pac-12 showdown at Folsom Field on Friday night. The Cardinal are coming off a four-game losing streak, while the Buffaloes are riding high after a thrilling win over Arizona State last week.

Stanford has struggled to find consistency on both sides of the ball this season, ranking 10th in the conference in scoring offense (21.6 points per game) and 11th in scoring defense (35.4 points per game). The Cardinal have been plagued by injuries, turnovers and poor execution, especially on the road, where they have lost by an average of 25.3 points per game. Stanford’s quarterback situation is also uncertain, as Ashton Daniels and Justin Lamson have both seen action this season, but neither has been able to spark the offense.

Colorado, on the other hand, has been one of the surprise teams in the Pac-12, sitting atop the South division with a 4-2 record. The Buffaloes have been led by their dynamic freshman quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who has thrown for 2,020 yards, 16 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Sanders has a plethora of weapons at his disposal, including receivers Xavier Weaver, Jimmy Horn Jr. and Michael Harrison, who have combined for 1,090 yards and 10 touchdowns. Colorado also has a solid defense that ranks fourth in the conference in scoring (23.3 points per game).

The betting line favors Colorado, but Stanford is not ready to give up on their season. They remember how they beat Colorado in a close game last year, and they want to repeat that performance. The Cardinal also have a history of bouncing back from tough losses, as they did in 2019 and 2020. However, Colorado is not intimidated by Stanford’s reputation, and they want to prove they are the real deal in the Pac-12. They also have home-field advantage, and they have won their last two games against Stanford at Folsom Field.

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