It may not have been the high-stakes Stanford-Oregon game that the Pac-12 has come to expect, but the offensive firepower was certainly there. At least for one side.
In the first unranked matchup between the two teams since 2008, the Stanford Cardinal (7-3, 5-3 Pac-12) delivered an offensive beatdown to the ailing Oregon Ducks (3-7, 1-6), outscoring the Ducks 52-27Â for their most impressive offensive performance this season.
Junior running back Christian McCaffrey led the way for Stanford, rushing for 135 yards and 3 touchdowns as he surpassed 1,000 rushing yards on the season. But Stanford’s other two backs got involved as well, as sophomores Bryce Love and Cameron Scarlett combined for 150 rushing yards and a score.
In the passing game, Stanford was just as sensational as it was on the ground. Junior quarterback Keller Chryst passed for 258 yards and 3 touchdowns, and sophomore wide receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside recorder Stanford’s first 100-yard receiving game.
The Ducks’ offense seemed to gain momentum at times, as freshman quarterback Justin Herbert played an admirable game under center. However, the big story for the Ducks was the four turnovers, which led to 21 points for Stanford. Some unfortunate mistakes, from Herbert’s two end zone interceptions to a fumble on a punt that hit the back of an Oregon defender, spelled doom for a team that couldn’t manage to get out of its rut.
Stanford cruised to a 38-13 lead at the half, its largest output in one half since its opener against UC Davis in 2014. Oregon never managed to get anything going from that point, and its unfortunate defensive performance kept it from keeping the game within reach.
Stanford will next travel to Berkeley to take on California in the 119th Big Game. Meanwhile, Oregon will travel south to take on Utah as it looks to salvage a miserable season.
Contact Sandip Srinivas at sandips ‘at’ stanford.edu.Â