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Stanford will meet Hawaii for a showdown on opening week, with both teams trying to have bounce-back seasons. We are here to share our college football odds series, make a Stanford-Hawaii prediction, and pick while showing you how to watch.
It's college football time! Everyone gets excited at this time of year. Thus, the excitement builds even more for Week 1 as everyone has hope for a better season. But this matchup pits two struggling schools who are looking for answers. Now, Stanford and Hawaii both look to start the season on the right foot.
The Stanford Cardinal is coming into this season hoping for better results. Also, they want to improve on a season where they went 3-9, including 1-8 in the Pac-12. There is a new head coach in town as Troy Taylor takes over for the departed David Shaw, who resigned after last season. Significantly, Shaw was head coach since 2011. Jim Harbaugh coached Hawaii in the four years prior to that. Therefore, he has big shoes to follow.
Stanford started well last season but stumbled afterward. Thus, they hope to get the Taylor era off to a good start. They lost wide receiver Michael Wilson and quarterback Tanner McKee. Additionally, they lost one of their best defensive players as Kyu Blu Kelly is no longer around.
The Hawaii Rainbow Raiders went 3-10, including 2-6 in the Mountain West conference, in 2022. Now, Timmy Chang hopes his second season will see some improvements. Chang is part of a revolving door of coaches and hopes to put a stop to that. However, the offensive line will be in flux, as they lost Ilm Manning. They also lost wide receiver Zion Bowens.
Stanford leads the all-time series 3-0, including two wins in Hawaii. However, these teams have not played since December 2, 1972, when Stanford routed Hawaii 39-7.
Here are the college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Stanford-Hawaii Odds
Stanford: -3 (-115)
Hawaii: +3 (-105)
Over: 55.5 (-110)
Under: 55.5 (-110)
How to Watch Stanford vs. Hawaii
TV: CBS Sports Network
Stream: None
Time: 11:01 PM ET/8:01 PM PT
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Why Stanford Will Cover The Spread
Stanford will have to replace seven departed players. Thus, they will have to replace them and find the next person to step up. Emmit Smith IV will be the X-factor for this game. Curiously, he was on his way to a great season last season. Smith had 30 rushes for 206 yards while averaging 6.9 yards per carry. Unfortunately, he ended his season in Week 2 when he suffered an injury. Smith has shown signs of greatness, as he ran for 82 yards on his first touch in 2022. Now, the son of the legendary Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famer will hope to bounce back from his injury and produce a great season.
Smith can run, and he can catch, as he also caught eight passes for 63 yards and one touchdown over two games. Moreover, he is a versatile weapon that the Rainbow Raiders can unleash. The Cardinal will rely on him to try and get chunk yards across the board. Ultimately, their success will rise or fall, depending on how he does.
Stanford will cover the spread if Smith can rush for over 100 yards and score a touchdown. Then, the Cardinal must control the clock.
Why Hawaii Will Cover The Spread
Hawaii has a lot of holes. However, they have some players that can contribute. Running back Tylan Hines is in his sophomore season. Now, he is looking to improve on a season where he rushed for 634 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Jonah Panoke had a season-ending injury in 2022. Thus, he looks to bounce back from that injury. Offensive lineman Eliki Tanuvasa is back and will look to open some rushing lanes.
The defense has some positives. Furthermore, Cam Stone has transferred from Wyoming and can become a force in this game. He had 10 pass deflections and two interceptions last season. Then, there are three key players to watch on defense. Linebacker Logan Taylor, defensive lineman John Tuitupou, and safety Peter Manuma are all players that may have an impact in this game.
Hawaii will cover the spread if their returning players on offense can step up. Then, they need their defensive stars to excel.
Final Stanford-Hawaii Prediction & Pick
Smith is really good. Therefore, there is plenty of chances for the Cardinal to capitalize off this. He helped them destroy Colgate in the opener last year. Subsequently, he has the potential to take over a game. Expect Smith to pick up where he left off. However, it won't be a complete blowout. But Stanford will still barely cover the spread.
Final Stanford-Hawaii Prediction & Pick: Stanford: -3 (-115)
