Someone will take hold of the Pac-12 North this Friday as No. 7 Stanford travels to No. 10 Washington (9 p.m. ET, ESPN/WatchESPN). Here's what to watch:
Key stat of the game: Stanford rushing yardage.
From Stanford's perspective: Even when Stanford was struggling to pass and score against UCLA, the Cardinal (3-0, 2-0 Pac-12) were successfully grinding for yardage on the ground. They ended up averaging 5.6 yards per carry, a figure that certainly doesn't suggest Stanford scored only one offensive touchdown in Saturday's victory.
So despite overall struggles, it was clear the Cardinal's offensive line and Christian McCaffrey were imposing their will, and this is precisely what kept Stanford in position to win the arm-wrestling match with the Bruins.