Stanford vs. Kansas State: Point Spread, Total & Prediction

stanford kansas state 2016 preview prediction point spread over under total money line pick

Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey. (Getty)

Hopes have never been higher for the Stanford football team.

Led by Heisman Trophy runner-up Christian McCaffrey the Cardinal is coming off a 12-2 season, which included a Pac-12 Championship and a blowout Rose Bowl win over Iowa. And for the first time in the history of the conference preseason poll, the school has been picked to win the Pac-12.

Stanford (No. 8 AP/No. 7 Coaches Poll) opens the season Friday night at home against Bill Snyder’s Kansas State Wildcats. The game kicks off at 9 p.m. Eastern and will be televised by FOX Sports 1. It is the first-ever meeting between the programs.

McCaffrey, the junior running back, racked up an NCAA-record 3,864 all-purpose yards, which included 2,019 rushing yards. Last year’s starting quarterback Kevin Hogan has gone to the NFL, so head coach David Shaw turns to senior Ryan Burns, a highly-touted recruit out of high school who has only attempted one pass in three seasons.

Kansas State (6-7 in 2015) was led by running back Charles Jones, who rushed for 696 yards. The Wildcats bring a lot of depth into their opener, but also inexperience.

Keep reading to see all the important game details, including betting information and prediction:


Stanford-Kansas State Game Details

When: Friday, September 2, 2016

Where: Stanford Stadium — Stanford, California

Time: 9 p.m. Eastern

TV Channel: FOX Sports 1


Stanford-Kansas State Betting Preview

Betting information provided by OddsSharks.com

Opening Line: Stanford (-16.5)

Current Point Spread: Stanford (-15.5)

Total: 47.5 (Opened at 54)

Money Line: Stanford -700 … Kansas State +500



Stanford-Kansas State Prediction

Stanford 38-14


It’s no secret Stanford will employ a heavy dose of Heisman hopeful McCaffrey. And while Kansas State returns 9 starters on defense, the Wildcats will be hard-pressed to contain the junior, who led the Cardinal in both rushing and receiving in 2015. So, can the K-State offense keep up and go punch-for-punch against a stout Stanford D? In a word, no. Jones could find a couple of running lanes, but Bill Snyder’s bunch is still unsettled at quarterback and is lacking experience at the wide receiver and offensive line positions. Not exactly a recipe for success. The Cardinal shouldn’t have a problem covering the spread in this one as they win in a rout to get the season off on the right foot.