Sometimes I do all the preliminary work on a game( update injuries, stats, and ratings), and the ratings on each team tell me all I need to know. The Oregon St. pick over UCLA was an example of this type of conclusion. Oregon St. was the higher rated team. The Beavers were an overwhelming dog. They were my pick. No Doubts.
In the case of Stanford-Washington, my ratings aren't as clear. I have the Huskies rated higher than Stanford, but, I saw that friggin' game they played against USC. The Cardinal appeared to be pretty good in that game, even though I try not to let one game overly influence my views. In light of my doubt about my own ratings on this Thursday night matchup, I go to the next step of my handicapping process: the self-test.
Many of you have read about the five questions I ask myself when making my final decision, but, for those of you new to them, here they are:
1) Will Stanford run the ball on Washington?
2) Will Washington run the ball on Stanford?
3) Will Stanford pass the ball on Washington?
4) Will Washington pass the ball on Stanford?
5) Does either team have an emotional edge in the game?
Here's what's cool about this part of handicapping a game. Often times, I like to leave my desk, go to a quiet place,or, while I'm driving somewhere, or, while I'm working, envision the game while asking myself these five questions.
Sometime tonight, or, while driving to work early tomorrow morning I will ask myself these questions. They will help me with my final conclusion. I'm admittedly leaning a certain way right now. Which team will I recommend?
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