Northwestern Wildcats vs Stanford Cardinal: Predictions, Odds and Roster Notes

Where: Stanford Stadium in Stanford, CA.

When: Saturday, August 31st at 4 pm EST

How to Watch: (TV): FOX

Northwestern Wildcats (Away)

Game week is finally here ?

? x https://t.co/lopuJt9JUV#B1GCats x #GoCats pic.twitter.com/1rBcULYvld

— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) August 26, 2019

Head Coach: Pat Fitzgerald {All-Time: 96-70 | NW}

Regular Season Record (2018): 8-4

Coming off a season where they made their first-ever Big Ten title game appearance, the Northwestern Wildcats will look to continue their momentum in coach Fitzgerald’s 14th season in Evanston. The 2019 season will see the Wildcats break in a new quarterback in former Clemson recruit, Hunter Johnson, who takes over for the departed Clayton Thorson.

Johnson should provide a boost to last year’s 100th ranked scoring offense, as he will get help from top runner Isaiah Bowser and receiver Bennett Skowronek. The Brownsburg, Indiana native will work behind a relatively young offensive line that will be led by junior left tackle Rashawn Slater and fifth-year senior Jared Thomas at the center.

The defense is expected to be the primary engine for Northwestern once again, with linebackers Paddy Fisher and Blake Gallagher headlining the unit. Defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz will hope his 4-3 set up will not be bend-but-don’t-break like it was in 2018, where they ranked 41st in points allowed, but also 106th in passing yards allowed. With interception leader J.R. Pace roaming the secondary and Joe Gaziano back as a pass rusher, that area should improve.

Stanford Cardinal (Home)

Head Coach: David Shaw {All-Time: 82-26 | STAN}

Regular Season Record (2018): 8-4

Stanford enters the 2019 season with a lot of uncertainty after losing several key players to graduation and the draft. Gone are receivers J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Trenton Irwin, and Kaden Smith, along with star running back Bryce Love. Returning quarterback K.J. Costello will, therefore, be working with a relatively inexperienced receiving corps outside of tight end Colby Parkinson. Fortunately, All-Pac-12 left tackle Walker Little is back to protect Costello’s blindside.

The Cardinal were one of the worst teams in the country in passing defense, allowing over 270 yards per game. An experienced secondary that includes corner Paulson Adebo and safety Malik Antoine should alleviate that issue. After ranking 23rd in sacks in 2018, Stanford should excel at rushing opposing quarterbacks with the return of outside linebacker Jordan Fox as well as defensive ends Jovan Swann and Thomas Booker.

All-Time Series

Stanford has won the most meetings between the two schools, holding a 3-2-2 lead over the Wildcats. The last time these teams faced off was on September 5th 2015, when Northwestern took down the Cardinal 16-6 at Ryan Field, with the lone touchdown coming on a 42 yard run from the former Wildcat quarterback, Clayton Thorson.

This game included a handful of current NFLers from both sides, with Christian McCaffrey and Blake Martinez representing Stanford. Northwestern running back Justin Jackson and defensive end Dean Lowry would also move on to the pro ranks.

Northwestern Roster Notes

There are no injuries or roster changes to report for Northwestern.

Stanford Roster Notes

There are no injuries or roster changes to report for Stanford.

Head-to-Head: Paddy Fisher (NW) vs Colby Parkinson (STAN)

The matchup to look out for in this game will be between two All-American candidates, as Northwestern’s Paddy Fisher will likely be tasked with defending Stanford’s primary passing target in Colby Parkinson. Whoever comes out on top between these players will be a deciding factor in the outcome of the game.

Paddy Fisher

Middle Linebacker | 6-4, 246lb | Katy HS | Katy, TX | Redshirt Junior

2018 Stats: 116 Total Tackles | 5.0 TFL | 4 Forced Fumbles

Fisher is one of the best linebackers to step foot on campus since Fitzgerald’s days as an All-American in the mid-’90s. He has proven to be a solid run stuffer and a sure tackler while holding his own in zone coverage. The biggest question surrounding Fisher is his man coverage skills which have not been tested much thus far in his career. With a 6 foot 7 throwing target opposite of him on Saturday, we will get to see how that skill set stacks up compared to other top linebackers.

ONE WEEK. @kj_costello ➡️ @CJ51 returns next Saturday!

?https://t.co/Ib1Lg6JbHX#GoStanford | #NextStartsNow pic.twitter.com/XDkW50iHWx

— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) August 24, 2019

Colby Parkinson

Tight End | 6-7, 251lb | Oaks Christian HS | Westlake Village, CA | Junior

2018 Stats: 29 Receptions | 485 Rec Yards | 7 Rec TD

After sharing catches with a stable of wideouts in Arcega-Whiteside, Irwin, and Smith, Parkinson should put up impressive numbers. Stanford has produced several NFL tight ends over the years, a list that includes Philadelphia’s Zach Ertz and Atlanta’s Austin Hooper. Although he is not a freak athlete like Rob Gronkowski, his height will allow him to come up with 50/50 balls more often than not.

Northwestern at Stanford Predictions and Odds

If you are in New Jersey you can bet on the Northwestern vs Stanford odds with 888Sport and BetStars NJ. Find the latest odds below. Good luck!

Point Spread

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Total Points

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Money Line

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