UC - Davis @ Stanford preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 30, 2014 ) UC - Davis 0, Stanford 45

Ninth-ranked Stanford will be without star running back Bryce Love for Saturday’s game against visiting UC Davis due to an undisclosed injury, but the Heisman Trophy candidate hopes to return in time for the team’s matchup Sept. 29 against Oregon. Senior Cameron Scarlett will start in place of Love against FCS-member UC Davis, which is 2-0 for the first time since 2004.

Love rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown, and safety Malik Antoine had two interceptions in last Saturday’s 17-3 win over USC as the Cardinal held the Trojans to their fewest point total in more than two decades. With Love sidelined for Saturday’s contest, the Cardinal may rely more on quarterback K.J. Costello, who has thrown five touchdowns and completed 63.8 percent of his passes in wins over San Diego State and USC. The Stanford offense may not be asked for much if the defense turns in a repeat performance from last week, when they tormented USC quarterback JT Daniels with four sacks and two interceptions. Before heading into back-to-back road games against Oregon and Notre Dame, the Cardinal need to be careful not to overlook a UC Davis team that scored 34 unanswered points in last Saturday’s 54-21 win over San Diego.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: None

ABOUT UC DAVIS (2-0): Redshirt freshman Ulonzo Gilliam ran for three TDs, and Jake Maier was 24-of-48 passing for 302 yards and a score in the win over San Diego, while Jared Harrell finished with six receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown. The Aggies are led by former Boise State and Colorado coach Dan Hawkins and boast a strong receiving group that includes senior Keelan Doss, an East Bay native who has a team-high 15 receptions through two games. Junior linebacker Nas Anesi helps direct a defense that held San Diego to 65 rushing yards last week.

ABOUT STANFORD (2-0): JJ Arcega-Whiteside has three TDs and 288 receiving yards through two games to spark the Cardinal, which figures to throw early and often against a UC Davis defense that allowed 365 and 296 yards through the air in its first two contests. “Coming off a very physical game against USC, it’s important that we don’t take our foot off the gas pedal,” coach David Shaw told reporters. Linebacker Joey Alfieri had two sacks against USC, and safety Ben Edwards added nine tackles to lead the defense, which has allowed a total of 13 points this season and has not given up a touchdown in the past seven quarters.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The teams are meeting for the first time since Aug. 30, 2014, when Stanford cruised to a 45-0 victory.

2. UC Davis scored 20 unanswered points in a stunning 20-17 win at Stanford in 2005.

3. Stanford is 25-5 under Shaw against in-state opponents.

PREDICTION: Stanford 44, UC Davis 13