First look

Time: 2 p.m. Saturday. No TV

The records: WSU (2-1, 0-0 Pac-10); Stanford (0-3, 0-1 Pac-10).

Last week: WSU defeated Baylor 17-15 in Seattle; Stanford lost to Navy 37-9 at home.

Last time: Stanford beat a WSU team playing without wide receiver Jason Hill last year in Pullman. The Cardinal came to WSU on Oct. 8, three weeks after losing to Division I-AA UC Davis, but defeated the Cougars 24-21 thanks to a big effort from quarterback Trent Edwards, who beat the Cougars on multiple occasions with quarterback draws. It sent WSU into a spiral. They lost their next five games against much tougher opponents.

The line: WSU by 10

What it means for WSU: The Cougars have a chance to build some real momentum for the first time in years. The Cougars won three straight to start last season, but all were against soft non-conference opponents. Stanford, at least at this point, appears to be about as soft as it gets for a conference opponent, but having them at the front of the league schedule could be a golden opportunity to score an early road win. The downside of losing, however, may be equally as large. USC looms, and a loss to Stanford will have many wondering just who this team will beat in the Pac-10. It appears WSU will have to play this game without offensive tackle Bobby Byrd, whose MCL sprain will likely hold him out of the week’s action.

What it means for Stanford: The Cardinal need momentum, any kind of momentum, after getting taken out behind the woodshed last week to open its brand-new stadium. That was not what coach Walt Harris and the Cardinal cognoscente wanted to see. They had claimed the new facility would be a springboard for the Stanford program. The only time Stanford has been close this year was in blowing a 20-point lead to nearby San Jose State, a team Washington beat the week before.

Key matchup: Trent Edwards vs. Ropati Pitoitua

Stanford’s QB has been largely average in his career before turning into a world-beater against WSU. In each of the last two seasons, Edwards has befuddled the Cougars defense just enough to walk out of Pullman with a victory. This time, defensive tackle Ropati Pitoitua could put a dent in that storyline by applying pressure up the middle and forcing Edwards out of his comfort zone. Pitoitua had a monster game against Baylor.

Glenn Kasses