Washington @ Stanford preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 30, 2016 ) Stanford 6, Washington 44

Eighth-ranked Washington knows it must win out to have a chance at reaching the four-team College Football Playoff as it enters Friday's Pac-12 road contest at Stanford. The Huskies are ranked ninth in the CFP rankings and lead the Pac-12 North Division by a half-game over Washington State and Stanford.

Washington features the nation's top-ranked defense (240.9 yards per game) and stands sixth in rushing defense (91.1) as it attempts to slow down Cardinal star Bryce Love. The junior has rushed for 1,456 yards -- second nationally behind San Diego State's Rashaad Penny (1,602) -- and has recorded 11 runs of 50 or more yards this season. "He's just one of those guys that's really fast, strong, keeps his legs going at all times," Huskies coach Chris Petersen said of Love. "He's hard to tackle. He bounces off, runs through hard tackles, really powerful. Obviously, he's got really good vision." Stanford's special teams unit will have their collective eyes on Huskies senior punt returner Dante Pettis, who has four return touchdowns this season and an NCAA-record nine during his career.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Washington -5.5

ABOUT WASHINGTON (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12): Junior running back Myles Gaskin (918 yards, 10 touchdowns) has topped 100 yards in four of the past six games and is on pace to top 1,300 rushing yards for the third straight season. Junior quarterback Jake Browning is tied for the school record of 75 touchdown passes (Keith Price, 2010-13), with 16 of them coming this season against just five interceptions. Junior inside linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven has registered a team-leading 59 tackles while senior Keishawn Bierria matched the school record of eight career fumble recoveries.

ABOUT STANFORD (6-3, 5-2): Love was held to a season-low 69 yards last Saturday in a loss to Washington State but still managed a 52-yard scoring run to keep his streak alive of having at least one 50-yard gain in each game this season. Redshirt freshman quarterback K.J. Costello is making his second career start and he struggled in the snowy conditions in Pullman, Wash., by going 9-for-20 passing for 105 yards and one interception. The Cardinal allow an average of 21.3 points per game but the defense features two standouts in junior strong safety Justin Reid (tied for second nationally with five interceptions) and senior defensive tackle Harrison Phillips (team-best figures of 68 tackles and five sacks).

EXTRA POINTS

1. Washington posted a 44-6 victory over Stanford last season for only its third win in the past 12 meetings.

2. Stanford coach David Shaw has 70 victories -- one behind legendary Glenn "Pop" Warner (1924-32) for most in school history.

3. Gaskin's 34 career rushing touchdowns is tied for second in school history with school legend Napoleon Kaufman (1991-94).

PREDICTION: Washington 26, Stanford 23