WSU Football | Cougars need win vs. weakened Cardinal

PULLMAN — Washington State plans to launch what amounts to a November offensive today against Stanford.

The Cougars (3-6 overall, 1-5 Pac-10) have three regular-season games left, including today's, and running the table is likely to land them in a bowl game, which is something a 6-6 record didn't do last year.

Oregon State visits the Palouse next week, followed by the Apple Cup in Seattle on Nov. 24. A loss in any of the three games means the Cougars will stay home for a fourth consecutive year.

A defeat also turns up the heat on coach Bill Doba, whose employment status will be evaluated after the season.

The Cougars are 11-point favorites against the Cardinal in the 3:30 p.m. televised game that is the centerpiece event of Dad's Weekend on campus.

Stanford (3-6, 2-5) is coming off a 27-9 home loss to Washington and looks beatable. But this is the same team that rocked the nation by upsetting USC on Oct. 6, an accomplishment that earned a "Holy cow!" from WSU coach Bill Doba.

This also is the same opponent that has won on three consecutive trips to Pullman.

Stanford arrives injury-riddled and without its top receiver, but the Cardinal defense certainly has caught Doba's eye.

"Defensively, they fly around the ball really well, and they are aggressive and they seem to like playing football," Doba said. "They look like they are having fun."

Stanford has 29 sacks this year, which is more than double last year's total of 14.

However, the Cardinal defense took a hit Thursday when first-year coach Jim Harbaugh announced that starting defensive tackle Ekom Udofia is out for the season with a fractured ankle.

Tavita Pritchard is expected to start at quarterback for Stanford despite having been knocked out of the Washington game with an injury to his nonthrowing shoulder. The graduate of Clover Park High School in Lakewood is the nephew of Cougars great Jack Thompson.

Stanford will be without leading receiver Richard Sherman, who has been suspended after a sideline temper tantrum in last Saturday. He leads Stanford with 38 receptions for 646 yards and four touchdowns.

This game has earned the "crummy game of the week" designation from Steve Harvey, the Los Angeles Times columnist who writes the syndicated "The Bottom Ten" column.

Both teams are in the Pac-10 basement in some significant stat categories: Stanford is last in offensive yards per game (316.8), points per game (20.4) and sacks against (38). Washington State is in the cellar in points allowed per game (31.7), punt-return average (5.1), opponent third-down conversions percentage (55.9), field goals (9 for 15); time of possession average (27:43) and red-zone defense (opponents score 88.9 percent of time).

Some of those stats don't reflect the improvement the Cougars have shown on defense the past two weeks, beating UCLA 27-7 and playing California tough in losing 20-17 on the road.

Two WSU career records can be set today and it could happen on the same play — quarterback Alex Brink needs one TD pass for a career total of 71 that would break his tie with Jason Gesser.

If he throws it or any other completion to receiver Michael Bumpus, "Bump" will become the WSU leader with 177. He enters the game tied with Hugh Campbell, who played from 1960 to 1962.

The Cougars, who are favored for the first time this season in a Pac-10 game, profess a healthy respect for the visitors.

Senior tight end Jed Collins, who has lost twice in his career to the Cardinal, called Stanford "a very smart team."

"Not great physical athletes, but mentally they're smart and tough," Collins said. "They're a very intelligent team. When you play them, that's the first thing you see. They make you beat them, because they play smart."

Craig Smith: 206-464-8279 or csmith@seattletimes.com