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Washington vs. Stanford: Pacific Takes previews the game

Pacific Takes suggests that the Stanford might not be as good as their 3-0 record would indicate, but that the potent Cardinal run game will likely be too much for the Huskies to handle.

By Riley Breckenridge
Otto Greule Jr - Getty Images

After a dominating victory over Portland State in Week 3, and a bye, the Washington Huskies will have their work cut out for them on Thursday night as they face the No. 8 Stanford Cardinal at Husky Stadium.

Thursday's game will be Stanford's first road game of 2012, and in his game preview, our own Avinash Kunnath from Pacific Takes thinks that the Cardinal might be all that their 3-0 record makes them out to be:

... there's been a degree of comfort with which they [Stanford] have played. They've generally been at home, playing in front of a sedate but steadying home environment. They faced a San Jose State team that gave them fits, then conquered Duke like they were Duke. Their victory over the Trojans came with USC missing their starting center and getting both their running backs banged up and ineffective throughout. It's safe to say the Cardinal have enjoyed their fair share of luck in running to 3-0 and a top ten ranking.

Kunnath goes on to mention that it's likely that the Cardinal rushing attack will be too much for the Huskies defense to handle:

If Stanford can establish their ground game the way they did against the Trojans, the game is probably over, because Washington's defense isn't good enough to hang for an entire game with a powerful run game (see: LSU). But if they can at least stack the box and force the Cardinal to make throws to win, well, Josh Nunes has to prove he can make them.

It'd be impossible for Nunes to fill Andrew Luck's shoes, but Pacific Takes thinks it's time for the junior signal-caller to step his game up.

If you haven't watched Josh Nunes this season, you're probably familiar with two plays he's made: The old man's juke to pick up a first down on three Trojan defenders, and the game-winning score to Zach Ertz. Other than those plays, he's been very unimpressive. Nunes has completed 53% of his passes (bottom 20 in FBS) and game manages an offense that produces about 200 passing yards a game.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. PT, and the game will be televised on ESPN. The radio broadcast will be carried on KJR 950 AM.