Arizona @ Stanford preview
Stanford Stadium
Last Meeting ( Oct 17, 2009 ) Stanford 38, Arizona 43
The Pac-10’s showcase game of the week will also be one of the nation’s biggest as No. 12 Stanford hosts No. 13 Arizona on Saturday night.
The two teams are battling for survival in both the conference and the BCS bowl picture. Stanford is 13th in the BCS poll and Arizona is 15th and a win here could vault the victor into the major bowl spotlight.
The two teams trail top-ranked Oregon by a game in the Pac-10. Arizona still has a date with the Ducks left to play. The Wildcats held off a scrappy UCLA effort last week 29-21.
Playing without starting quarterback Nick Foles for the second straight week, the Wildcats looked as if they were going to blow out the Bruins on the road, but then needed to bank on its trademark strong defense to stop UCLA’s fourth-quarter comeback bid.
Matt Scott, who started for the ‘Cats at the beginning of last season, threw for a career-high 319 yards with one touchdown in relief of Foles.
Scott completed 24 of 36 passes and hit talented wideout Juron Criner eight times for 127 yards and a touchdown. Arizona also got a boost from running back Keola Antolin, who ran for 111 yards on 23 carries with a touchdown. Antolin was filling in for Nick Grigsby, who is expected to play Saturday after suffering an ankle injury recently.
Foles, who has thrown for 1,600 yards on the season with nine touchdowns, has recovered from a dislocated kneecap he suffered on Oct. 16 at Washington State and is expected to start. Arizona coach Mike Stoops said that once Foles was healthy he would return to the starting role and Foles has practiced well during the week.
Scott is more of an elusive quarterback and could see time if Stanford applies enough pressure.
While the offense responded, Arizona still relies on its swarming defense. The Wildcats are seventh in the nation in scoring defense.
The Cardinal have won three of the past five meetings between the two teams.
Stanford’s only loss is a 52-31 setback at Oregon, but the Cardinal still have a shot at a Rose Bowl berth.
Stanford is ranked fifth in the nation in scoring at 42.4 points a game. The Cardinal can move the ball through the air or on the ground. Andrew Luck has thrown 20 touchdown passes on the season, completing over 67 percent of his passes for 1,920 yards.
While those numbers are gaudy, the Cardinal have also gotten over 700 yards rushing from Stepfan Taylor and seven touchdowns.
Stanford has scored at least 30 points every game this season. The Cardinal enter the game healthy and are unbeaten at home.
Stanford pounded Washington State 41-0 last week. It outgained the Cougars 470-107 in the game.