Arizona (2–4) at Stanford (0–6)
Game Time: Saturday, Oct. 14 at 2 p.m. PT

These teams are like two hardluck guys headed for the casino with their meager life savings in hand, determined to gamble it all and get rich quick. In other words, they’re desperate. One team can’t run and the other can’t win. They’re both looking at this game as midseason salvation.

Arizona will show up without starting quarterback Willie Tuitama, sidelined with his second concussion of the season. The Wildcats already have gone six games without an accredited running attack. They rank 118th out of 119 Division I teams in rushing, chalking up just 54.8 yards per game, edging out only Baylor. It’s like trying to locate deep pools of water in the desert.

Things are so bad that Wildcats coach Mike Stoops on Monday installed tight ends coach Dana Dimel as his co-offensive coordinator, having him share a job that previously was the sole domain of Mike Canales. Dimel, former head coach at Wyoming and Houston, is in charge of all things run-oriented, while Canales will turn his attention to the passing game.

With Tuitama unavailable, senior Adam Austin has the controls all to himself. Change might be good. Considering what’s happened lately, with the Wildcats losing their past three outings while spinning their wheels offensively, things couldn’t get much worse.

Unless, of course, you’re Stanford. The Cardinal return to their fancy new stadium, attempting for the third time to properly christen the revitalized place. Previously, they hosted Navy and Washington State and were embarrassed each time out. Where’s the homefield advantage with all of that upgraded atmosphere and those new bathrooms?

Stanford is halfway to pitching a football no-hitter, meaning going winless for an entire season. It hasn’t done that since 1960, when an unsightly 0-10 record was put in the books. With freshmen and walk-ons liberally sprinkled throughout the lineup, the Cardinal have been outmatched each week, getting trampled by everyone on the schedule except San Jose State.

If misery loves company, these two teams deserve each other. But somebody’s got to win this one, right?

Arizona by 5

 

 

This week’s StatShark Game Forecast brought to you by ZEP Manufacturing. The StatShark Game Forecast gives you the results of 10,000 game simulations and key player statistics before this week's game.

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