Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Stanford tops K-State behind Christian McCaffrey
STANFORD, Calif. (The Mercury News) — Stanford started fast, stagnated in the second half and needed a late blast from Christian McCaffrey to seal a 26-13 victory over Kansas State on Friday in the season opener.
The performance was a marked improvement from last year’s opening-week belly flop, but the Cardinal has no shortage of areas to fine-tune as it prepares for the toughest stretch of its season, with four games against ranked opponents in five weeks.
Here are four takeaways from the victory:
1. Quarterback Ryan Burns was ready for his assignment.
The redshirt junior completed all nine of his passes in the first half and tossed a 40-yard touchdown to Michael Rector.
He hit receivers in stride, placed the ball in narrow windows and adeptly checked down when his primary targets were covered.
His management of the offense was crisp, as well: No interceptions, no delay-of-game or false start penalties, no instances of mass confusion.
Then halftime arrived, Kansas State adjusted, Burns wasn’t as effective, and the Cardinal offense struggled. Its success in the second half consistent of one play: McCaffrey’s late touchdown run.
That’s hardly a surprise given that KSU has a veteran defense and Burns had thrown one career pass prior to Friday. He’ll face more talented opponents in the weeks to come, but as first starts go, his could have been worse.
2. Christian McCaffrey isn’t bad.
The Heisman Trophy candidate accumulated 210 all-purpose yards and put the game away with a 41-yard touchdown run with two minutes remaining.
McCaffrey’s best play didn’t count: a 97-yard punt return in which he appeared to be tackled immediately after fielding the ball but somehow broke free, then zoomed the length of the field.
He finished with 22 carries, seven receptions and was the primary punt and kickoff returner. That’s a heavy load to carry each week for three months. Which is another way of saying…
3. Stanford needs Bryce Love.
The blazing sophomore is the Cardinal’s best big-play option not named McCaffrey. A lower leg injury kept him on the sideline Friday, and his absence was glaring — the Cardinal lacked a second playmaker in the running and short-passing games.
Love was listed as “unlikely” by coach David Shaw, which would seem to indicate he could be back when USC visits in two weeks.
4. Stanford’s defense was stout, but give Kansas State the assist.
The Cardinal kept KSU out of the end zone until the final minutes, had eight sacks, forced two turnovers and recorded a safety.
But much of that success was rooted in the Wildcats’ ineptitude. They lack a high-end playmaker and have little in the way of a downfield passing game to punish the defense for overplaying the run.
The Takeaway
Kansas State: The Wildcats’ inexperienced offensive line featuring two freshmen struggled. Stanford had eight sacks, including one in the end zone by Jordan Watkins for a safety. Jesse Ertz was briefly knocked out of the game in the second half after one hit. He recovered to throw a late TD pass to Isaiah Zuber.
“There was just absolutely no consistency with us offensively,” Snyder said. Stanford: After converting his first five third-down passes into first downs, Burns struggled. The Cardinal had just one first down in the second half before McCaffrey’s second TD run. The defense was up to the task to make the lead hold but could have more trouble doing that once the Pac-12 schedule starts.
Up Next
Kansas State: The Wildcats play Florida Atlanta in their home opener Sept. 17.
Stanford: The Cardinal are off before beginning conference play at home against No. 20 USC.…
Utah 24, Southern Utah 0:
Bittersweet is how Utah coach Kyle Whittingham described his Thursday night. He certainly wasn’t going to complain about a 24-0 shutout of Southern Utah, but the win certainly wasn’t as pretty as the 12th-year coach hoped for against the FCS program.
Troy Williams threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns as fans got their first glimpse of the revamped Utah offense, which included a new full-time starter at quarterback for the first time since 2012. The Utes have new starters at every offensive skill position.
Williams showed why there is optimism throughout the program for the Santa Monica College transfer that originally signed with Washington as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. He put zip on the ball on several out routes and kept his eyes downfield while scrambling. Williams also recognized a mismatch on a 2-yard touchdown pass to Tim Patrick, who used his 6-foot-5 frame to box out 6-0 cornerback Jarmaine Doubs to take a 17-0 lead just before halftime.
The Utah defense smothered its FCS opponent like it was supposed to and held Southern Utah to just 158 offensive yards. Safety Marcus Williams shined with an interception, a fumble forced and a fumble recovery. …
Colorado 44, Colorado State 7:
Alex Kelley turned in Colorado’s first TD of the season. Quite an achievement for an offensive lineman.
Sefo Liufau threw for 318 yards to become Colorado’s all-time leading passer and Kelley recovered a fumble for a score as the Buffaloes rolled past Colorado State on Friday night.
Tailback Phillip Lindsay had two TDs for Colorado (1-0), which built a 37-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The defense did its part, forcing four turnovers and bottling up the Rams (0-1) all evening.
Liufau made an unexpectedly quick recovery from left foot surgery to return for his senior season. He showed he’s up to speed by rushing for 66 yards. He also threw one TD pass.
On Colorado’s opening possession, Liufau surpassed Cody Hawkins (7,409 yards, 2007-10) as the school’s leading passer. Later on that drive, Liufau fumbled going into the end zone, but his center, Kelley, pounced on the loose football — the first score by a Colorado offensive lineman since Heath Irwin on Oct. 28, 1995.
Colorado State coach Mike Bobo kept his starting quarterback secret until game time. Starter Nick Stevens never found his rhythm, finishing 6 of 20 for 31 yards and two interceptions. His backup, Georgia transfer Faton Bauta, provided a late spark. Bauta threw a 5-yard TD pass to Marcus Wilson to start the fourth quarter. It prevented the first shutout in the series since 1957.
Colorado receiver Bryce Bobo turned in a nifty one-handed grab down the left sideline just before halftime. It set up a Lindsay score to give the Buffaloes a 31-0 lead.
Mike Bobo will reassess his muddy QB situation as both Stevens and Bauta failed to ignite the offense. …
No. 24 Oregon 53, UC Davis 28:
Dakota Prukop made his debut for No. 24 Oregon, throwing for 271 yards and three touchdowns, and the Ducks overcame a rocky start to defeat UC Davis 53-28 on Saturday.
Royce Freeman rushed for 87 yards and two scores for the Ducks, who have won five straight season openers. Darren Carrington caught seven passes for 117 yards and a touchdown.
Prukop, a graduate transfer from Montana State, completed 21 of 30 passes for the Ducks, while also scoring on a 1-yard keeper. He follows in the footsteps of Vernon Adams, a graduate transfer out of Eastern Washington who started for the Ducks last season but was dogged by injuries.
Ben Scott completed 27 of 47 passes for 303 yards and ran for a 9-yard touchdown for UC Davis. Manusamoa Luuga rushed for 96 yards and three scores.
The Ducks got off to a slow start, allowing Scott’s rushing touchdown on
the first series of the game and then punting on their first two possessions. But they pulled it together by the end of the first quarter with Freeman’s 6-yard scoring run.
The turning point for the Ducks came with about 10 minutes left in the first half, when Jalen Jelks intercepted Scott and four plays later the Ducks scored on Prukop’s 10-yard pass to Johnny Mundt. A second successful 2-point conversion put the Ducks ahead 19-7.
The Ducks pretty much cruised the rest of the way against the lower-division Aggies.
Saturday marked the end of Oregon’s 110-game sellout streak. The announced attendance was 53,817, while capacity is listed at 54,000. … E. Washington 45, Washington
St. 42: Gage Gubrud threw for 474 yards and five touchdowns as FCS Eastern Washington upset Washington State 45-42 on Saturday in the season opener for both teams.
Washington State, which lost to Portland State of the Football Championship Subdivision in its opening game last year, could not stop the Eastern Washington offense, which produced 610 yards.
Eastern Washington, which came in as three-touchdown underdogs, also upset Oregon State of the Pac-12 three years ago.
Gubrud, making his first start, completed 34 of 40 passes and was intercepted once. He also ran for a touchdown to ice the game.
Cooper Kupp, last year’s FCS offensive player of the year, caught 12 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns. His two touchdown receptions in the third quarter put EWU ahead for good.
In the first half, the teams combined to score touchdowns on seven consecutive possessions.
The streak started when Luke Falk threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Gabe Marks and the Cougars led 7-0 midway through the first quarter.
Eastern Washington replied with Gubrud’s 14-yard touchdown pass to Antoine Custer Jr., to tie the game at 7-7.
Washington State came right back with a 58-yard drive, capped by Falk’s 27-yard scoring pass to Kyle Sweet for a 14-7 lead.
Eastern Washington replied with another touchdown, this time on a 6-yard pass from Gubrud to Sam McPherson. On this 75-yard drive, Kupp caught one pass for 11 yards, rushed the ball once for 14 yards and threw a 22-yard pass.
Washington State came right back, scoring on a 2-yard pass from Falk to Marks.
Eastern Washington tied the game at 21-21 when, on the first play of its subsequent possession, Kupp caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Gubrud.
Jamal Morrow’s 5-yard touchdown run put the Cougars ahead 28-21, and ended the scoring streak as EWU punted on its next possession.
Marcellus Pippins intercepted Gubrud in the end zone to end another EWU scoring threat.
Coach Mike Leach has lost all five of his season openers at Washington State. …