No. 7 Stanford Gets Love Back
Heisman Candidate Will Play Vs. Oregon
Stanford will get star running back Bryce Love back for this week’s Pac-12 North showdown against No. 20 Oregon but the seventh-ranked Cardinal will be without a key defensive player.
Coach David Shaw said Tuesday that outside linebacker Casey Toohill will miss the game against the Ducks (3-0, 0-0 Pac-12) with an undisclosed injury.
Shaw said Love was “100 percent” after resting some minor ailments last week when the Cardinal (3-0, 1-0) easily beat FCS-level UC Davis 30-10.
“Last week he was Coach Bryce, working with the other guys, telling them what he saw and walking around with a script,” Shaw said. “He still got his workouts in last week so he’s physically ready this week. This week he doesn’t need to coach anybody. He just needs to carry the ball.”
The Cardinal will be counting on Love in the tough environment of Autzen Stadium against a defense that has allowed opponents just 2.0 yards per carry.
Love ran for 2,118 yards a year ago for the most of any Power 5 player, averaged 8.1 yards per carry and set an FBS record with 13 runs of at least 50 yards.
While the Cardinal should be healthier on offense, they will miss Toohill on defense. He has 14 tackles, two pass breakups, three quarterback hurries and one sack in three games this season as part of Stanford’s best position group on defense. The Cardinal lead the nation in scoring defense at 7.7 points per game.
S.C.’s Edwards aching to play: South Carolina receiver Bryan Edwards spent the weekend concerned about family in friends in the path of Hurricane Florence — and longing to get back out on the football field after the Gamecocks’ game was canceled.
South Carolina called off its matchup with Marshall last Saturday night as the once-powerhouse storm made its way through the Palmetto State.
The Gamecocks (1-1, 0-1 Southeastern Conference) play at Vanderbilt (2-1, 0-0) on Saturday.
Edwards is a junior receiver from Conway, S.C., an area in the northeast corner of the state close to Myrtle Beach. He said that his family was doing well and that it was time to focus on football and its road game with Vanderbilt on Saturday.
“It’s been a long time since that Georgia game [a 41-17 loss on Sept. 8],” Edwards said. “I want to get that taste out of my mouth.”
N.C. State lends a hand: North Carolina State will collect donated items at its football game against Virginia as part of relief efforts to help areas affected by Hurricane Florence.
The school said Tuesday it would release details on the most needed items prior to the Sept. 29 game at Carter-Finley Stadium.
In addition, the team’s Midnight Madness-style “Primetime with the Pack” event to kick off the college basketball season will be a ticketed event with after-tax proceeds going to relief efforts.