Three Keys To Stanford Upsetting No. 12 Oregon State

Stanford is looking to grab another huge road win this weekend against Oregon State

On Saturday, the Stanford Cardinal will be in Corvallis, Oregon taking on the No. 12 Oregon State Beavers in a game where they will be looking to secure their fourth win of the season.

While Stanford is currently sitting at 3-6 on the season, they have shown dramatic improvements as of late, as they took No. 5 Washington down to the wire and were able to shut down Washington State's potent offense a week later. The Beavers on the other hand are one of the six teams in the Pac-12 that can still win the title, as they currently are in fifth place but they have little-to-no room for error.

Oregon State comes into the game on Friday as 20.5-point favorites with a 94.4% chance of winning according to ESPN. However, this Stanford team hasn't had any issues defying the odds as of late, and would love to shock the country again. It is also worth noting that they have only won on the road.

Here are the three keys that can make that happen for the Cardinal. 

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Force DJ Uiagalelei To Make Mistakes

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When going up against teams as good as Oregon State, it's crucial to steal a possession or two. One of the main reasons that Stanford was so close to beating No. 5 Washington was that they forced two red zone turnovers. So, if this defense which has forced a turnover in three out of their last four games can force DJ Uiagalelei to make a mistake, it will set the offense up to capitalize. It also prevents the Beavers from running the ball more than it already will, as they have one of the best rushing attacks in the country, so taking the ball out of their running backs' hands would move mountains. 

Protect The Ball From the Chainsaw

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We've seen the turnover chain, throne, and scepter, but over at Oregon State, they have the turnover chainsaw. The worst thing to do against the Beavers is to help them out by turning the ball over. In their last three wins, they have forced a combined six turnovers and rank No. 23 in turnovers gained. If Stanford can limit these mistakes and end drives in points, it will help them stay in the game and even win. 

Big Game Through The Air

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In Oregon State's two losses this season, they allowed the quarterbacks to pick them apart through the air. Arizona's Noah Fifita threw for 275 yards and three scores, while Washington State's Cam Ward threw for 404 yards and four scores. In their six Pac-12 games, only twice has a quarterback thrown for over 230 yards and both of those games resulted in a loss. Now obviously the goal isn't for Ashton Daniels to just go out there and huck the ball all over the field, but if he can connect frequently with Elic Ayomanor, Tiger Bachmeier, and Sam Roush while making smart throws it will give Stanford a major boost. Not counting the Washington State game which was played in a downpour, Daniels was averaging 343 yards in the three games prior. If he reverts to that form, Stanford has more than a puncher's chance.